
Chelan County Closing Burch Mtn. & Horse Lake Roads Over 4th Of July Holiday
Chelan County is closing two of roads which provide access to several popular recreational destinations over this year's 4th of July holiday.
The Chelan County Commissioners voted Tuesday to close both Burch Mountain and Horse Lake Roads from Wednesday, July 2 through Tuesday, July 9.
Commissioners took the action at the request of the Wenatchee Valley Fire Department due to its concerns over illegal fireworks use leading to an elevated risk of wildfires in the areas surrounding the two roads.
Fire Chief Brian Brett says his agency made the request because it simply could not afford a repeat of what happened last year during the Independence Day holiday.

"As fireworks were being discharged throughout the Valley, we had an initial Horse Lake Road fire. After that, we responded to approximately twenty more fires and ended up back at Horse Lake Road for the Balsam Root Fire, which was a significant event. Just to try and prevent human-caused ignitions, we felt it best to just close that road, along with Burch Mountain Road for the whole week of the 4th. We're sorry to disrupt the public's recreation, but it's temporary and will give us some reprieve in those locations."
Brett says the use of fireworks in areas that are highly susceptible to wildfire has become all-too-common in recent memory.
"Unfortunately it's not uncommon for people to drive up drive up the drainages in places like Squilchuck and Number One and Number Two Canyons to discharge fireworks. That's the worst place you could ever do it. Lighting fireworks there is guaranteed to start a significant fire and as we can tell from our history, it's happened quite a bit in the past."
The closure of Horse Lake Road will also impact the Horse Lake Reserve trails which are managed by the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust (CDLT), which is recommending alternative locations for recreation during the 4th of July holiday such as Castle Rock, Jacobson Preserve, Saddle Rock, and Sage Hills.
Although CDLT officials are encouraging the use of these areas and others which will remain open, they are reminding visitors that the discharging of fireworks is strictly prohibited on all CDLT, City of Wenatchee, and Chelan County properties.
Both Burch Mountain and Horse Lake Roads will fully reopen for all public use on Wednesday, July 10.
10 Tips to Prevent Wildfires from the US Department of Interior
Gallery Credit: ASHLEY SOLLARS
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