Chelan County declares state of wildfire emergency

A disaster declaration in Chelan County by order of the county commissioners in an effort to better prioritize public safety and streamline emergency responses to the ongoing Sugarloaf and Pomas wildfires.

The state of emergency permits the county to bypass normal procedures and quickly make emergency expenditures, if needed, in response to the fires.

Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said Tuesday night at a fire briefing in Entiat the county may consider requesting a federal emergency for future response to the fires.

"We were looking at Tyee Ridge as our original primary (fire protection) line and we're vow focused on Gold Ridge," said Lower Sugarloaf Fire Incident Command Operations Chief Shane Hardee. "We were able to successfully push dozer lines, pushing down the ridge line to the southeast, easterly direction, as we have crews coming in behind trying to prepare that (area) for future burn-out operations."

A new firefighting team was brought into an area on Wednesday to create fire protection lines along the Entiat River.

Lower Sugarloaf Fire firefighting 'hotshots' receive banner of appreciation, Sept. 10.

Peshastin-Dryden Elementary School students shared a banner of community support to a 'hotshot' firefighting team on Wednesday. Sugarloaf Incident Command reports that ‘Thank You’ banners or signs in the community and on social media are a great morale booster for firefighters.