Chelan County fire likely to burn until late October

Crews battling multiple wildfires across Washington

Several wildfires have burned hundreds of acres across Yakima County, and another recently broke out near Darrington.

CHELAN COUNTY, Wash. - A fire in Chelan County continues to burn and has grown to more than 4,400 acres, or about seven square miles.

The Pioneer Fire, which started on June 8, is now at 4,497 acres. It's burning 31 miles northwest of Chelan, specifically in the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness area in the Chelan Ranger District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, and on private land.

The incident commander for the Pioneer Fire says more than 1 million gallons of water have been used to slow the fire's progression to the north and south.

Crews are also wrapping threatened structures with fire-resistant materials to prevent sparks or embers from reaching homes and buildings. Structure protection crews are making their way north from Flick Creek Campground toward the community of Stehekin.

Down the lake, crews are constructing control lines from the South Navarre Campground along Nelson Butte to the lakeshore. Protection plans are being evaluated for the area between Deer Point and Mitchell Creek.

A total of 546 personnel are working on this fire, including nine aircraft. Officials said last week that the estimated date of containment is Oct. 31, 2024.

The cause of the fire was determined to be "human factor," but it remains under investigation.

(Chelan County Sheriff's Office)

As of this week, the following were the current evacuation levels for the Pioneer Fire:

Level 3: Just north of Moore Point south to Canoe Creek. Level 3 means leave the area immediately.
Level 2 (down lake): Canoe Creek to Lone Fir Creek. Level 2 means prepare now in case you need to evacuate the area in a hurry.
Level 1 (down lake): Lone Fir Creek to Safety Harbor. Level 1 means stay alert and monitor the fire in the area.
Level 2 (up lake): Just north of Moore Point to and including Flick Creek Campground.
Level 1 (up lake): Flick Creek Campground to and including the Fourmile Creek camping area.