Single Publication

Pioneer Fire Update  

August 27, 2024 

Quick Facts 

Size: 38,735 acres  

Start Date: June 8, 2024 

Location: 31 miles NW of Chelan, WA 

Containment: 23%  

Personnel: 418  

Cause: Under investigation 

Resources Assigned: 8 crews, 6 helicopters, 8 engines, 15 water tenders, 8 heavy equipment 

CURRENT SITUATION: Firefighters backhauled equipment and hose from Moore Point south along the lakeshore to the southern end of the fire. Crews pulled hose from the Safety Harbor area and contingency lines south of the fire. Resources in the Stehekin area placed concentrations of removed vegetation into piles. They continued to monitor fire activity in the Boulder Creek and Little Boulder Creek drainages. Mastication and road repair work is ongoing in the Cooper’s Ridge area south of the fire. 

Stehekin is now open to visitors. Many fire-related hazards remain in the area and services may be limited or altered. Additionally, many trails and campgrounds remain closed due to these hazards. Visitors should confirm available services before traveling. 

TODAY’S ACTIVITIES: Today firefighters will patrol and monitor fire behavior to ensure the fire stays within the existing footprint. Warming temperatures later this week may lead to increased isolated heat and smoke visible within the fire perimeter. While wind is forecasted over the fire area today, vegetation has retained significant moisture from last weekend’s storms and predicted wind directions suggest that any rekindled embers should remain interior of the fire perimeter. In the Little Boulder Creek area, crews will start repairing the suppression line to decrease the risk of soil erosion. Aircraft will support ongoing backhaul missions and provide aerial patrols of the fire. Resources south of the fire near Manson are working on road repair from fire traffic. As fire activity decreases, excess equipment and resources are being released from the incident. Firefighters remain ready to assist with potential new fire starts. 

WEATHER: Breezy conditions are expected today with gusts up to 30 MPH on exposed ridges and along Lake Chelan. Winds will taper off throughout the day with a warming and drying trend starting Wednesday. 

EVACUATIONS: To view the current evacuation levels, please visit the Chelan County Emergency Management Facebook page at facebook.com/CCSOEM or view the https://chelangis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/media/index.html?appid=ca1e19e4123b4002a9fb176b25434e03/. 

CLOSURES: Many trails and campgrounds remain closed. Check the current closures for the North Cascades National Park: https://go.nps.gov/fireclosures and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/okawen/alerts-notices before traveling to these areas. Campfires are prohibited. The Pacific Crest Trail is closed in areas across Washington due to multiple wildfires. For more information, please visit: closures.pcta.org/. There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in place over the fire: tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_2248.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 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

Email: 2024.pioneer@firenet.gov