8/13/2022 Okanogan-Wenatchee Lightning Fire Update

Lightning Fire Update

Wenatchee, WA (August 13, 2022) -- Firefighters are responding to numerous fires burning in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. The following is a summary of current fires. New fires may continue to be detected over the next days. An aerial reconnaissance flight this morning will be checking for any new fires. Wenatchee River Ranger District A Type 3 Incident Management Team will be taking over management of the Irving Peak Fire and the White River Fire today. Irving Peak Fire is estimated at 40-50 acres and located in very steep inaccessible terrain. No resources are assigned but the fire is being monitored. The White River Fire is 25 acres and 0% contained. It is located in the Sears Creek area. Firefighting resources there include three hotshot crews, two fire engines, and a bulldozer; additional resources have been ordered. Smoke is very visible from both of these fires. Recreationists are advised to stay away from the Wenatchee Ridge area where the Irving Peak Fire is burning, trail closures are pending. Also, a Level 1 fire advisory (stay alert) notice is in place for the White River drainage--https://www.co.chelan.wa.us/emergency-management/pages/active-emergencies.   The 1-2 acre Phelps Ridge Fire and the 1/5 acre Buck Creek Fire are both located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness and are unstaffed but being monitored. Cle Elum Ranger District There are six fires on the Cle Elum Ranger District and all are located within 2 miles of Thorp Mountain approximately 11-13 miles northwest of Cle Elum, WA. A closure is pending for the Thorp Mountain area, please stay clear of that area as helicopters and other fire suppression resources are working there. All the fires are less than an acre in size with the exception of the Thorp Mountain Fire which is 4 acres. Helicopters continue to drop water on this fire to aid in fire suppression efforts. The ¼ acre Malcolm Fire, located 13 miles north of Cle Elum, was contained and controlled this morning.   Naches Ranger District Firefighters responded to a new human-caused fire located south of Rimrock Lake on the Naches Ranger District last night. It was an escaped campfire which grew to about 1/10 of an acre in size. Chelan and Entiat Ranger Districts There are two small fires on the Chelan and Entiat Ranger Districts, each are  ¼ acre in size. The Roaring Ridge Fire on Entiat Ranger District is out, and the Gold Creek Fire on the Chelan Ranger District is contained. Methow Valley Ranger District Hikers at Hart’s Pass reported seeing smoke in the Pasayten Wilderness in the Methow Valley Ranger District; rappelers are enroute. Fire restrictions are in effect on the National Forest! See fire restriction info at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/okawen/alerts-notices/?cid=fsbdev3_053600) Forest Service fire crews were out until midnight Friday responding to illegal campfires on the Naches and Cle Elum Ranger Districts. Please obey the campfire ban and don’t put unnecessary strain on firefighting resources. Firefighters are already responding to the fires from lightning that came through on August 11. Responding to human-caused fires pulls resources away from being available to respond to new incidents and puts unnecessary strain on firefighters. Do your part, don’t cause a spark! -End-