Entiat Valley Fire Assessment Confirms 35 Structures Lost, 15 Homes Among Them

The Chelan County Sheriff's Office has released a new assessment of the number of structures damaged in the Entiat Valley by the 134,600+ acre Little Giant Fire.

Last Wednesday, August 12th, members of the Chelan County Assessor’s Office, Emergency Management, and Chelan County Fire District 8 surveyed the upper Entiat Valley to update damage assessments caused by the Little Giant Fire.

An assessment was completed from the Snow Park, from approximately mile marker 25 down through the valley.

The assessor's office determined there were a total of at least 35 structures lost. The number included 2 primary homes, 13 secondary homes or cabins, and more than 20 outbuildings.

After burning for several weeks but sparing any structures in its path, the Little Giant Fire was especially active in the Entiat Valley area on August 7th. Initial reports indicated at least 26 structures, including two homes, were feared lost.

A complete assessment was not possible due to the erratic, unpredictable fire behavior and other hazards at the time.

The Little Giant Fire was started by lightning on July 16th and is considered 10% contained.

In a press release, Chief of Operations Ryan Moody said it was important to provide an updated assessment of the Little Giant Fire’s impact on properties, and additional information may be available with any future damage assessment reports.

Over the weekend, the Little Giant fire slowed down with a slight improvement to 10% containment. Evacuation levels on the south side of Lake Chelan were reduced over the weekend, as the fire continues pushing mostly to the north-northwest.

Hundreds of structures are still being threatened, and smoke from the fire has been heavily impacting air quality in the Wenatchee Valley and nearby communities for weeks.

An in-person community meeting will be held Tuesday, Aug. 18, at 6:30 PM. at the Lake Wenatchee Recreation Club, 14400 Chiwawa Loop Road, Leavenworth, WA 98826. It will also be live-streamed to the Little Giant Fire Facebook page.

The size and containment level for a pair of large wildfires in Okanogan County remained mostly unchanged over the weekend. The Sinlahekin Fire sparked on July 26th to the west of Tonasket and is currently listed at over 152,000 acres and 44% contained. The blaze is believed to have destroyed at least 30 structures to date, but officials are still trying to complete an exact tally.

The Kaiser Canyon Fire has been burning on the Colville Indian Reservation since July 16th and is now listed at 138,000 acres and 83% contained. The fire has destroyed at least 20 structures and injured one firefighter.

New Fire Starts In The Region

A half-dozen wildfires that were sparked by lightning from a line of thunderstorms last week are now all either out or well in hand.

The Taneum Creek Fire near South Cle Elum Ridge is estimated at 15 acres with 50% containment, as Forest Service crews remain active building containment lines.

On the Cle Elum Ranger District, the Peaches Ridge Fire was officially declared out on Saturday after burning less than one acre.

The Crescent Mountain Fire on the Methow Valley Ranger District, six miles southwest of Winthrop, and the Granite Creek Fire on the Naches Ranger District have been declared out after burning a half acre or less.

A pair of fires on the Chelan Ranger District are also winding down, including the Safety Harbor Fire on the north side of Lake Chelan, which burned a tenth of an acre before it was declared out on Friday. The Sisi Fire in the Glacier Peak Wilderness eight miles north of Stehekin has burned about a half-acre and is now in mop-up after rappelers halted its forward progress.

Another round of thunderstorms occurred in the Cascades late Friday and early Saturday, and Forest Service personnel are performing reconnaissance to locate any additional new fire starts.