Single Publication

Pioneer Fire Update  

August 28, 2024 

Quick Facts 

Size: 38,735 acres  

Start Date: June 8, 2024 

Location: 31 miles NW of Chelan, WA 

Containment: 23%  

Personnel: 401  

Cause: Under investigation 

Resources Assigned: 4 crews, 6 helicopters, 5 engines, 13 water tenders, 7 heavy equipment 

This will be the final daily update for the Pioneer Fire unless fire activity or conditions change. 

CURRENT SITUATION: Firefighters have been successful protecting private residences and other infrastructure along the lakeshore and within the Stehekin area and there has been little to no growth and minimal fire activity over the last two weeks. Yesterday firefighters completed backhaul of excess equipment along the lakeshore and contingency lines south of the fire. Fire crews also continued repairing fireline in the Little Boulder Creek area. Firefighters monitoring the fire’s edge identified some smoke from smoldering logs in the Boulder Creek drainage, interior to the fire. With warmer and drier weather conditions forecasted through the week, additional smoke is likely as heavier fuels, like downed logs, slowly burn out. There were no aircraft operations yesterday due to high winds over the fire area. 

TODAY’S ACTIVITIES: Firefighters will continue to patrol the firelines near Stehekin and check for any hot spots that may threaten containment lines. Suppression repair activities will continue, and crews will work to complete remaining brush piling and repair of roads damaged by fire-related traffic. Aircraft will support operations with reconnaissance flights to check for fire activity and helicopters will be used to backhaul excess equipment from remote locations. Firefighters are prepared to support initial attack of new fires. 

Today is the last day of the Incident Command Post in Manson. Management of the Pioneer Fire from Safety Harbor north will transfer to a smaller Type 3 incident management organization based in Stehekin at 5:00 p.m. today. Management of the Pioneer Fire from Safety Harbor south will transfer back to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest at 5:00 p.m. today. 

WEATHER: Warmer and drier weather conditions will arrive today and linger through the weekend. Temperatures will be in the high 70s today and mid 80's tomorrow. Wind speeds have moderated since yesterday, with mostly diurnal terrain-driven winds forecast for the fire area. 

EVACUATIONS: To view the current evacuation levels, please visit the Chelan County Emergency Management Facebook page at facebook.com/CCSOEM or view the interactive map at: 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. The Pacific Crest Trail is closed in areas across Washington due to multiple wildfires. For more information, please visit: closures.pcta.org/.  

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