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Start date:  July 17, 2024           Location:  17 miles west of Mazama, WA        Cause:  Lightning                               Fire size:  1,754 acres             Containment:  0%                                           Total personnel:  185

 CURRENT SITUATION: Warm and dry conditions with increased winds have produced very active fire behavior along the southeast side of the fire resulting in areas of torching and active spread on the lower right flank. As interior fuels continue to burn down, there will be a general increase in fire behavior resulting in active fire spread. Heavy fuels will continue to retain heat due to seasonal dryness and serve as potential ignition sources as warming and drying occurs.

TODAY: Crews will continue removing trees and debris along State Route 20 to reinforce the fire break along the road in an effort to keep the fire north of the highway. On the southeast flank, a combination of aviation and hand crews are working in the Swamp Creek area evaluating handline locations to keep the fire out of that drainage. On the northwest side of the fire, resources are reinforcing through handline construction an unnamed natural barrier to halt the fire’s northwesterly spread.

WEATHER AND SMOKE: Warm and mostly dry conditions will be in place through Friday. Winds will be light out of the east and southeast at speeds of 6 to 10 mph. There is a 10 percent chance for afternoon thunderstorms on Thursday increasing to 50 percent on Friday. Any storms that impact the fire will bring a threat of gusty outflow winds, heavy downpours, and lightning. 

Expect winds out of the east to scour the smoke and improve air quality across most of the communities east of the Pioneer and Easy fires in the morning. As winds shift to out of the northwest, they will bring light to moderate levels of smoke from regional fires to communities in the Okanogan Valley and Chelan area overnight. 

Please visit www.airnow.gov more information about smoke and air quality. 

CLOSURES: State Route 20 is closed in both directions between Granite Creek (MP 148) and Easy Pass Trailhead (MP 157): https://wsdot.com/Travel/Real-time/Map/. The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has closures in place for trails within the fire area: https://bit.ly/EasyFireClosures. This closure includes a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail. Campfires are prohibited. There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in place over the fire: https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_6779.html. Unauthorized drone activity is prohibited under the TFR. 

EVACUATIONS: There are no evacuations in place for the Easy Fire. Visitors recreating in the area should be vigilant of surroundings and stay out of closed areas.