Fighting fire with fire in efforts to stop Sugarloaf Fire

Lower Sugarloaf wild land fire burning east of Entiat and north of Plain, Sept. 13.

Firefighters continued to use direct and indirect tactics to implement a full suppression strategy on the Lower Sugarloaf fire burning west of Entiat.

Smoke continues to filter into Plain and the Entiat Valley as crews successfully implemented burning operations in the southeast area north of Roaring Creek Ridge. On Sunday, burning operations continued along Forest Service roads 315 and 52 on the southern and western fire perimeter. Firefighters targeted pockets of unburned vegetation to bring fire towards established primary fire lines.

Firefighters mopped up, held established fire lines, and secured the northwest corner of the fire. Helicopters assisted fire suppression and burning operations with water drops. Larger helicopters utilized the Columbia River as a safe and efficient refill water source.

Crews and dozers will continue to construct and prepare fire lines on Gold Ridge and Dinkelman Ridge. Higher winds from the northwest are expected in the fire area and resources will actively patrol, improve, and secure fire lines. Additional fire resources will be inserted in areas where there is potential for increased fire growth due to high winds.

Structure protection is occurring in the Entiat Valley and Chumstick Creek corridor.

Evacuations: Chelan County Emergency Management has issued level 1 and 2 evacuation advisories and notices for parts of the fire area, please see http://bit.ly/4n63ZZF or https://www.co.chelan.wa.us/emer.../pages/active-emergencies for the latest evacuation information. An American Red Cross Shelter will be available if needed at the Warehouse Community Church in Entiat.

Closures: For firefighter and public safety, the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has put a forest closure in place around the fire: https://www.fs.usda.gov/.../lower-sugarloaf-fire-area... Check the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest’s website Alerts for current closures in the area: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/okanogan-wenatchee/alerts

Smoke: Smoke is visible to the communities of Plain, Leavenworth, Wenatchee, and Entiat as inversion layers linger in the valleys. The National Weather Service has issued an Air Quality Alert for the area. Go to WASmokeBlog https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/ or Air Now https://fire.airnow.gov for air quality information.

Aircraft was active on the fire supporting with water drops to assist the burning operations, Sept. 13.