Single Publication

Pioneer Fire Daily Update

August 11, 2024

Quick Facts

Size:  37,852 Start Date: June 11, 2024 Location: 31 miles NW of Chelan, WA

Containment: 13 percent Personnel: 626 Cause: Human-caused, under investigation

CURRENT SITUATION: Fire managers were able to establish a mobile retardant base out of Mazama. This was just one of several factors that came together enabling the team to launch Large Air Tankers (LATs) and Very Lage Air Tankers (VLATS) and drop retardant along ridgetops above Boulder Creek. Yesterday, one command plane called a “Lead Plane” guided three LATS and one VLAT in an aggressive operation that dropped more than 23,000 gallons of retardant on the fire’s western edge. 

As Incident Commander Tom Clemo explained “Every team before us has wanted to use retardant to stop the spread of this fire,” Clemo said. “There just hasn’t been the alignment of location, flight paths, resources and several other issues to launch this capability. All those factors lined up yesterday and we took immediate advantage of the opportunity.” The fire continues to burn above the community of Stehekin in the Boulder Creek drainage.

Crews assigned to the incident continue to respond to multiple new fires in the area. In addition to managing the three fires, the team has initial attack responsibility over a wide geographical area. Initial attack crews are in place and will respond to all new fires with an aggressive initial attack strategy.

TODAY’S ACTIVITIES: Hotshot crews will continue handline construction on ridgelines between Boulder Creek to the south and Rainbow Creek to the north coordinating retardant drops. Aviation resources, including the Sky Crane helicopter, will continue retardant drops bringing retardant down slope connecting to the handline coming up from Stehekin Valley Road. Masticators and other heavy equipment working to reinforce containment lines along Stehekin Valley Road will continue throughout the day as crews strive to keep the fire north of the road.  

WEATHER AND SMOKE:  A red flag warning has been issued beginning at 1 p.m. today lasting until 11 p.m. Monday for lightning activity north/northeast of the fire. Temperatures will remain in the mid to upper 80s for one more day before a slight cooling trend begins. A chance of showers will remain across the fire but otherwise, temperatures will be around 80 degrees with low relative humidity remaining in the upper 30’s. Communities east and southeast of the Easy and Pioneer fires in the lower Chelan, Methow, and Okanogan Valleys will have Moderate air quality to start the day. Some of these areas will see increased smoke from these fires and regional fires that will likely degrade air quality to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups in the evening. Air quality in the Stehekin and upper Skagit Valleys will likely be Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups in the morning and late evening, with Moderate air quality during the day. The full smoke report is available:

https://outlooks.airfire.org/outlook/f79a6d6d

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: 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. 

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/wases-pioneer 

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