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The Pioneer Fire crossed Fourmile drainage yesterday and progressed further north. This fire movement has prompted Chelan County Emergency Management to issue a Level 3 (Go Now) notice for Stehekin starting July 28 at 8am. For more details about the notice and transport information see County of Chelan, Washington.
Along the lakeshore, firefighters are using several measures to protect structures. Crews have constructed point protection firelines around structures and are using strategic firing operations to burn off those lines. This burning reduces vegetation between the structures and the wildfire and reduces the chance of wildfire moving quickly towards the structure. In addition, as fire is progressing along the lakeshore helicopters are dropping buckets of water to moderate fire behavior especially near structures.
Around the community of Stehekin, firefighters have been working on community protection measures. These measures include working on firelines around the community including clearing brush and leaf litter as well as felling standing dead trees that could fall across the fireline. Water pumps with hoselays and sprinklers are being set up throughout the community to further protect structures and the fireline.
On June 8th, the Pioneer Fire was reported burning on private land 31 miles northwest of Chelan and quickly spread onto US Forest Service land, including wilderness. Fire managers are using a full-suppression strategy to protect private property, public infrastructure, and natural and recreation resources, while minimizing risks to responders and the public. Part of the rationale for a full-suppression strategy is that the origin of the fire was on private land, and it is suspected to have been human-caused. Fire managers are contracting with area businesses to support opportunities of local economy. The communities of Chelan, and Manson are open and continue to welcome visitors.
Initial attack resources attempted direct tactics early on, but were challenged by the extremely steep and remote terrain on the east side of Lake Chelan that can only be accessed by boat or air. Full suppression efforts are being implemented utilizing a combination of direct, indirect, and point protection where the highest probability of success can be safely achieved. Firefighters continue to establish firelines and hose lays, working in conjunction with water-dropping aircraft.
While much of the fire area is within wilderness, if the fire were to spread significantly, it could affect population centers. Crews are actively assessing structures around Lake Chelan and completing structure protection actions to increase defensibility.
Chelan County is continually updating evacuation levels as fire activity changes. Please see the 'Announcements' tab for current information by area.
The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has a closure order in place for the area around Pioneer Fire. Lake Chelan National Recreation Area (National Park Service) has also issued a closure order for Lakeshore Trail from Stehekin to Flick Creek Campsite, and for Flick Creek Campsite. The Pacific Crest Trail is open; however, facilities may be closed due to evacuation levels. Please see the 'Closures' tab for more information.
| Current as of | Mon, 08/12/2024 - 09:40 |
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| Incident Time Zone | America/Los_Angeles |
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
| Cause | Undetermined |
| Date of Origin | |
| Location | Approximate start 10 miles southeast of Stehekin, WA |
| Incident Commander | Tom Clemo - Incident Commander Jon Lucas, Stephen Fillmore - Deputy Incident Commanders Nic Elmquist - ICCT(t) CAIIMT 15 |
| Coordinates |
48° 10' 57'' Latitude
-120° 31' 51
'' Longitude
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| Total Personnel: | 649 |
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| Size | 38,299 Acres |
| Percent of Perimeter Contained | 13% |
| Estimated Containment Date | 10/31/2024 |
| Fuels Involved | Fire area fuels include: Timber (Grass and Understory); Short Grass (1 foot); and Timber (Litter and Understory) Fuels in the area are highly modified by previous fire history. Abundant snags, heavy downed woody
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| Significant Events | Observed fire behavior: Active, short-range spotting, flanking, uphill runs. The Fire is actively burning in the Boulder Creek drainage above the community of Stehekin. Activity continued yesterday due to up lake winds that produced wind and slope aligned spread with spotting. Increased fire activity in the Upper Fourmile Creek area with additional acreage. Isolated residual heat sources in Prince Creek and Fish Creek areas are confined to extremely steep headwater slopes. Threat of lightning brings potential for strong outflow winds, new ignitions, and focused rainfall amounts of 0.25 inch are possible. Snags and heavy fuel accumulations are present due to the fire history in and around the fire area. Lake Chelan's strong diurnal winds and steep topography are contributing to suppression challenges.
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| Planned Actions |
Branch I/II continue to provide active protection to critical values along Lake Chelan shoreline from Stehekin to DP 15. These resources will continue to implement the Stehekin Structure Protection Plan for the greater community utilizing defensive firing operations where needed and providing point protection to structures along Lake Chelan as fire approaches Critical Values at Risk. Tactical firing operations with ground and are being utilized for point protection to reduce risk to values. We are constructing hand line along Boulder Ridge and supporting with water dropping helicopters and retardant from fixed and rotor wing aircraft.
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| Projected Incident Activity |
12 hours: Fire activity on the ridge between Boulder Creek and Rainbow has increased resulting additional acres burned. Fire spread up Boulder Creek may continue to threaten the ridge adjacent to Rainbow Creek. Up lake winds are likely to continue, while the threat of thunderstorm winds may provide dynamic fire spread. Residual scattered heat sources continue to be present across the fire area in the upper headwater of Prince and Fish Creek drainages. Upper Fourmile Creek is active with additional acres toward Triplet Lakes. Expecting additional acres and increased smoke production. 24 hours: Continued threat of thunderstorms with limited precipitation. Thunderstorms with strong outflow winds may produce problematic fire behavior in areas above Stehekin in the Boulder Creek and Rainbow Creek area. Rolling materials may affect roadway between Rainbow and Little Boulder Creeks. Fire spread on both sides of Boulder Creek may reach the ridgeline separating Rainbow Creek. Fire behavior may include upslope runs with spotting to lee-side slopes. Where active, fire behavior includes rollout, single and group tree torching, and uphill runs that may generate embers that could develop into spot fires. Elsewhere on the Pioneer fire, residual scattered heat sources continue to be present in the upper Four Mile, Prince and Fish Creek drainages. 48 hours: Fire activity in the Boulder Creek area will continue with fingering upslope fire runs toward Butte and Rennie Creeks. Backing fire may initiate into Rainbow Creek due to leeside spotting. Continued isolated activity from scattered heat sources is likely be present in the tributaries and forks of Four Mile, Fish Creek and Prince Creek. Cumulative effect of hot and dry weather may produce very active fire behavior due to accelerated drying in all fuels. 72 hours: Partly cloudy skies, continued warm and dry weather. Some moderation of fire activity with slight change in the weather. Diurnal up/down lake wind flow pattern will produce conditions that may produce smoke columns visible in the general area. Fire activity in the Boulder Creek will continue with areas of flanking, backing, and short upslope fire runs. Isolated activity is likely to continue in the upper headwaters and tributaries in the forks of Four Mile, Fish Creek, and Prince Creek. Cumulative effect of hot and dry weather may produce very active fire behavior due to dryness in all fuels. Continued summer season conditions and extreme topography will challenge suppression efforts. Anticipated after 72 hours: Partly cloudy sky, with a trend to seasonally normal weather. Increased relative humidity and cooler temperatures will continue to moderate fire behavior. Fire activity will provide continued rollout, torching, uphill runs and in upper portions of Boulder Creek. Isolated activity is likely to increase in the upper headwaters and tributaries in the forks of Four Mile, Fish Creek, and Prince Creek. Continued summer season conditions and extreme topography will challenge suppression efforts. |
| Remarks |
CICIMT 15 is also managing IA responsibility in the IA boundary, IA support to local agencies, the Easy Fire and Flat Creek Fire. |
| Weather Concerns | Smoke settled in again overnight, leading to another smoky morning near Stehekin. Similar to previous days, cumulus clouds began to form late morning, with isolated thunderstorms forming as the day progressed. A Red Flag Warning was in place throughout the day for abundant lightning. Sunday mornings low temperatures only dropped into the low 60s, warming into the upper 80s in the lower valleys during the afternoon, along with humidity remaining drier throughout the afternoon. Monday and Tuesday: A Red Flag Warning will continue through the day Monday for the additional thunderstorm threat with abundant lightning. The best location for thunderstorm formation will be along and north of the Pioneer fire. Mondays temperatures will cool a couple degrees into the low to mid 80s, with increasing down lake winds during the afternoon with speeds around 25 mph on the lower half of the lake. Tuesday will bring slightly cooler temperature to around 80, and a chance of showers around the area. The thunderstorm threat on Tuesday will be limited. |
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