Spreading Wildfires, Sounders Most Valuable Team & More News

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Forest Fires: According to The Seattle Times, more than 18 wildfires are currently burning throughout Washington state. The fires in North Central Washington are especially alarming, and are continuing to spread. You can see a map of the fire locations here. The combined fires in Chelan have burned more than 123,000 acres. More evacuations were called for this week in the Twisp and Winthrop areas, and the upcoming weather reports don’t look as if they’ll help calm the blazes. Three firefighters were killed near Twisp on Wednesday. They had been fighting a fire that has burned more than 7,800 acres already. Our thoughts are with all the firefighters who are risking their lives all over the state, and also with those who have had to evacuate. The sentiment of this sign seen on a house near Twisp is particularly fitting this week. Stay safe, and let’s all hope for rain.

Soccer Money: Forbes is calling the Seattle Sounders the most valuable team in Major League Soccer, at $245 Million. The LA Galaxy are a close second at $240 Million, and our neighbor rival the Portland Timbers come in fourth at $185 Million. According to Forbes, MLS teams now average more fans per home game (21,100) than both the NHL (17,500) and the NBA (17,800). If the league continues the way it’s been going this season, MLS will increase its total attendance by 20 percent just from 2013. While the Sounders may be the most valuable team in terms of money, they are not quite as successful in the standings. Seattle currently ranks sixth in the Western Conference, just barely on the fringe of making of playoffs.

Bring Back Basketball: Do you miss the Sonics? Want to remember what it was like when they were in town? Sporting News reports that in the new NBA 2K16 video game, which comes out on September 29, you can now move franchises to different cities that don’t currently have a team. Seattle and Vancouver are two options, and both are cities that lost their NBA franchises in real life. In some other similar sports video games with general manager modes, you’ve been able to create teams in new cities. However, team relocation is a new feature in NBA 2K16. You can change the relocated team’s name, logo, and uniforms, and you can also redesign arenas. The actual return of the SuperSonics may be distant dream, but this game may be able to provide a bit of relief in the meantime.

Peter Max in Seattle: Pop artist Peter Max will feature his work temporarily inside Pacific Place, in what KING 5 reports is likely the biggest collection of his work worldwide. Max gained fame in the 1960s and has been making art ever since. He does painting and graphic art that feature bright colors and psychedelic patterns. He designed this Time Magazine cover of Paul McCartney, a 1974 postage stamp, the 2015 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony poster, and a Seahawks helmet, the latter of which is included in the exhibit. The coolest part of it is that Max himself will be in Seattle this weekend for two different receptions (on Saturday from 4 – 7 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 – 4 p.m.), and he’ll sign any piece of art you purchase.