Chelan County declares wildfire emergency to speed up relief

Lake Chelan south shore view of Little Giant Fire on Aug. 4. Photo courtesy: Lake Chelan Mirror.

A state of emergency has been declared by the Chelan County Commissioners in response to the Little Giant Fire that was initially ignited in northwestern Chelan County. 

The declaration follows the announcement by Gov. Bob Ferguson on Tuesday that the federal government granted his request for an emergency declaration for the devastating wildfires burning throughout Eastern Washington. The state declaration covers Chelan, Ferry, Okanogan, Spokane, Stevens and Yakima counties, as well as the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and the Spokane Tribe of Indians.

The county’s emergency declaration affords commissioners the ability to use local resources without going through the typical government bidding process for goods and services. It is also generally a prerequisite for most state and federal recovery assistance funding. The wildfire, caused by lightning on July 15, was first reported in the area of Little Giant Mountain.

Currently, the county reports 1,814 structures are threatened and Level 1, 2, and 3 evacuation orders are in place.

There are 1,506 firefighting personnel on the fire.

As spot fires merged on Wednesday, the fire was reportedly under two miles away from the 25-Mile State Park area. A structure protection group is working to assess structures on the east side of the fire. Structure protection, such as home hardening, continues to be prioritized in the Entiat River valley as well.

Fire crews are working in and around the approximately 445-acre spot fire on the north shore of Lake Chelan south of Little Goat Mountain.

Firefighters are attempting to find access points to the spot fire and are utilizing Twenty-Five Mile Creek State Park as a staging location and boat access point. Additionally, heavy equipment is also working in and along Mitchell-Gold Ridge to construct a secondary line.

An estimated 40 acres of a wheat field off Road J and Road 8 northeast of Waterville caught fire late Wednesday afternoon. Within about an hour firefighters stopped the fire.

More information about the fire is available on www.inciweb.wildfire.gov.

For current evacuation levels in Chelan County, go to the county’s Emergency Management webpage atwww.co.chelan.wa.us/emergency-management.