STEHEKIN, Wash. — The wildfire burning near Lake Chelan has grown to 25,000 acres since June and now has the town of Stehekin under Level 1 Evacuation notice.
The Pioneer Fire is believed to be human-caused and remains under investigation.
Residents in Stehekin are preparing to evacuate if the fire gets closer. The fire is approximately four miles away from town.
"We've been through this a lot and because we live in the woods, we know we gotta be prepared. What we've been doing is raking a lot of debris off our property," said resident Liz Courtney.
The fire started June 8, according to state officials. It was 14% contained by July 19. It is burning 31 miles northwest of the City of Chelan.
The fire is burning within a mountainous and remote area of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. The fire has prompted a number of closures, including trails and campgrounds. A list of closures connected to the Pioneer Fire can be found here.
The fire is expected to burn until late October, something with Thomas Kyle-Milward with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources said is not abnormal.
"It's certainly not atypical for a wildfire to burn through the season - sort of a smoldering fire that carries into a season-ending weather event like a heavy rainfall in September or October," Kyle-Milward said.
Depending on the type of fuel that a fire is burning in, it's even possible for it to keep smoldering into the winter months.
"You're really waiting for Mother Nature to come and put it out," Kyle-Milward said. "That's something that we see here in Washington State and it's something that we see pretty commonly elsewhere as well."
Level 1: Evacuation or protection alert
A wildfire threat is in your area. It would be wise to consider planning and/or packing, in the event an evacuation becomes necessary.
Level 2: Evacuation warning or notice
High probability of a need to evacuate.
You should prepare now by packing the necessary items and preparing your family, pets, and vehicle for potential departure. Remember the six-P’s:
- Plan for the persons in your family (including a meeting place)
- Personal items: Toiletries, food and water for two to three days and special personal possessions
- Prescriptions: Have your full, current supply of prescriptions packed
- Photographs (and other mementos) that cannot be replaced
- Pets: Have a plan in place and pets secured so frightened pets don’t escape fenced yards or kennels
- Papers: Pack all important papers, including reference phone numbers, account numbers, etc.
Now is the time to move persons with mobility or medical issues. If you have livestock or large animals, move them to a safe place now. Use common sense and evacuate at any time you feel uncomfortable or see active fire behavior.
Level 3: Evacuation request or order
Occupants of the affected area are asked to leave within a specified time period, by pre-designated routes. Perimeter roadblocks are typically established.
At this stage:
- You should take your family, pets, and necessary items including medications and important papers and evacuate now
- Check in with your local Red Cross shelter (even if you don’t intend to stay there) and tell them and let them know where you will be in case your family is looking for you
- Drive with your lights on, safely and slowly remaining aware of your surroundings as you leave