Investigators Say Red Apple Fire Was Caused by Illegal Burn

Investigators now think the the Red Apple Fire north of Wenatchee was caused by an illegal burn.

Chelan County Emergency Management and the Chelan Sheriff's Office joined federal investigators from the BLM to search a residence where the fire's believed to have started.

Chelan County Chief Deputy Adam Musgrove told our news partner, I-Fiber One, that the burn was not arson, but unintentionally got out of control.

The fire has now spread to 9,000 acres and is 10 percent containment, and has dominated the skies over the Wenatchee Valley.

Chelan County Emergency Management has upgraded the Warner Canyon portion of the Red Apple Fire north of Wenatchee to a Level 3 (GO NOW) alert.

US 97A is now back open with single lane traffic being led by a pilot car, and a 10-to-15 minute wait between the Stemilt roundabout and Swakane Canyon Rd, south of Entiat.