As a fire rages just miles away, residents of a Washington town dig in

SEATTLE - As the Pioneer Fire spread within a mile of the remote northern Washington town of Stehekin, emergency workers ran door to door Sunday asking residents to leave.

The evacuation alert had been raised to the highest level.

"There are boats out," said Rich Magnussen, an emergency management specialist with Chelan County. "They're out twice a day to get people out who choose to leave."

There are not many candidates. Most residents have stayed in their homes, choosing to strengthen their defenses and support firefighters rather than flee.

"We will do everything we can to get people out, but ...