Chelan County Commissioners Close Horse Lake Road Over Wildfire Concerns

A vital roadway that connects outdoor enthusiasts with a popular set of trails is being closed by Chelan County.

On Tuesday, the County issued a statement saying it is closing Horse Lake Road immediately and essentially indefinitely.

County officials say the closure is necessary due to concerns related to the potential for new wildfire starts and limited available resources to mitigate any such incidents.

The shutdown is happening at the request of the Wenatchee Valley Fire Department and Chelan-Douglas Land Trust, and will block all primary access to the popular Horse Lake Reserve.

Chelan County Public Works director and county engineer, Eric Pierson, says the landscape in and around the Reserve is extremely dry and the closure will likely last for at least several weeks.

“We will close the road today (Tuesday, Aug. 18) and open it back up when conditions allow,” Pierson said. “Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to put a hard date on reopening, but we will make those decisions after future discussions with the fire department and land trust.”

The County's code allows the Board of Commissioners to close a roadway if hazardous conditions exist or if there are any concerns related to public safety.

A resolution to close the road was signed by commissioners this morning.

The National Interagency Fire Center has declared a Level 5 Preparedness across the United States, which indicates most or all national firefighting resources are currently dedicated to battling major wildfires that are burning throughout the nation.

In Washington, three large wildfires remain active that have already torched over 430,000 acres combined since sparking in mid- and late July.

The Little Giant Fire in Chelan County is currently the third-largest wildfire burning in Washington with an estimated size of 136,000 acres.