Single Publication

Pioneer Fire Update for July 31, 2024  
 Incident Commander Lonnie Click  
Complex Incident Management Team Northwest 3   
(541) 861-5808, staffed 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 2024.pioneer@firenet.gov  

Quick Facts  
Size: 33,762 acres   
Start Date: June 8, 2024  
Location: 31 miles NW of Chelan, WA  
Containment: 12%  
Personnel: 674   
Cause: Human-caused, under investigation  
Resources Assigned: 8 crews, 4 helicopters, 28 engines, 29 water tenders, 17 heavy equipment

There will be a community meeting in Manson Wednesday, 5:30 PM at the Manson High School. The meeting will be streamed live on the Pioneer Fire Information Facebook page. Please submit questions in advance to 2024.pioneer@firenet.gov or via Facebook Messenger.   

CURRENT SITUATION: Weather conditions remained favorable yesterday with minimal fire progression to the north. Water drops from helicopters and scooper aircraft were used throughout the day between Hazard Creek and Fourmile Creek, removing much of the heat from the fire and slowing fire growth along the lakeshore. Firefighters are using this time of slowed fire activity to continue their work on community protection measures in Stehekin before hot and dry conditions return. Crews continued to work their way up the Stehekin Valley towards Harlequin Bridge, installing sprinklers and hose lays. Felling of hazard trees and work on the community protection lines also continued throughout the Stehekin area. Along the lakeshore, firefighters continued to mop up and patrol around structures between Flick Creek and Fourmile Creek. The southern edge of the fire is still holding in Lone Fir drainage and continues to be monitored for any heat or activity. Crews continued to improve the contingency line along Nelson Ridge, as well as mastication around Oss Peak and work on the shaded fuel break from Cooper Ridge down to the Antilon Lake area. Road improvements in the Black Canyon and Gold Creek areas also continued to maintain ingress and egress for fire equipment.  

TODAY’S ACTIVITIES:   To further slow northward progression of the fire, firefighters will be inserted into the lower slope between Fourmile Creek and Hazard Creek to suppress hot spots and coordinate with aviation resources conducting water drops. Crews will continue mopping up and patrolling around structures along the lakeshore. In Stehekin, structure protection work will continue up the valley. Firefighters will continue to improve the community protection line, installing hose lays and sprinklers where needed, while also assessing where existing roads can be used as fireline. South of the fire, and west of Manson, crews will continue preparing indirect contingency lines.   

WEATHER AND SMOKE: Today and into the weekend will see increasingly hotter and drier weather conditions, with a chance of thunderstorms starting Thursday. An Excessive Heat Watch has been issued for Friday and Saturday. Overnight temperatures will also be hotter and drier. Friday will also bring a period of up lake winds. See Current Smoke Outlook for North Central Washington (airfire.org) for information about smoke and air quality.  

EVACUATIONS: Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuation levels remain in effect around the Pioneer Fire. Please contact Chelan County Emergency Management or visit https://t.ly/QoH9w for more information.  

FOREST CLOSURE: Current closures for the North Cascades National Park: https://www.nps.gov/noca/index.htm  
The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has a closure order in place for much of the fire area: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest - Alerts & Closures (usda.gov). 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.  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560760893080   
Fire Information Line: 541-861-5808, 8 AM to 8 PM  
Email: 2024.pioneer@firenet.gov