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 30,914 acres, or 48 square miles.

The Pioneer Fire, which started on June 8, is now at 30,914 acres and is only 14% contained. 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 695 personnel are working on this fire, including nine aircraft. Officials said in June that the estimated date of containment is Oct. 31, 2024.

The cause of the fire was determined to be "human-caused," 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: From Hazard Creek to Safety Harbor (Get out now!)
Level 2: From Safety Harbor to Camas Creek
Level 1: Extends through the Stehekin Valley, including the Stehekin Landing, to High Bridge
Level 1: From Camas Creek to Mitchell Creek