Pioneer Fire expands to 26,407 acres, Easy Fire grows to 150 acres

STEHEKIN - Firefighters in North Central Washington continue to battle two growing wildfires as hot, dry conditions persist across the region. The Pioneer Fire has expanded to 26,407 acres, while Easy Fire, west of Mazama, has grown to 150 acres.

The Pioneer Fire, burning north of Lake Chelan since June 8, is now 14% contained. A team of 783 personnel is working to control the blaze. On Friday, firefighters strengthened containment lines around structures in Stehekin and conducted a tactical firing operation near Hunts Bluff to reduce available fuels.

A mechanical failure caused a water bucket from a heavy helicopter to be lost over the fire area. Despite this setback, water drops continued Saturday at the fire's northern perimeter near Hunts Bluff.

Meanwhile, the Easy Fire, sparked by lightning on July 17, has grown to 150 acres and remains uncontained. Located about 20 air miles west of Mazama, it has drawn 20 firefighters to the scene. Fire managers have identified two avalanche chutes that could serve as fire control lines, but additional resources are needed to complete this work.

New lightning-caused fires have emerged in the region, complicating firefighting efforts. The newly spotted Kitling Peak Fire is being managed alongside the Pioneer and Easy Fires.

The National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning until Monday evening, raising concerns about increased fire activity and potentially erratic fire behavior over the weekend.

Evacuation orders remain in effect around the Pioneer Fire, while no evacuations have been ordered for the Easy Fire. The National Park Service has expanded closures in the North Cascades, and the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has implemented a closure order for much of the Pioneer Fire area.

Northwest Incident Management Team 3 is transitioning to take over fire management as Team 12 completes its 14-day assignment. Officials continue to urge residents to stay informed and comply with all evacuation orders and fire restrictions.