High Winds Inflate Labor Mountain Fire By An Incredible 8,000 Acres In Single Day

In its most active day since sparking from a lightning strike on Sept. 1, the Labor Mountain Fire on the Cle Elum Ranger District expanded by an incredible 8,000 acres on Thursday.

The massive growth was the result of a blustery conditions that occurred under a Red Flag Warning over the entire fire zone, and pushed the fire to an newly-estimated size of 25,327 acres with 7% containment.

The rapacious winds fanned the flames of the fire primarily to the east, where it easily jumped containment lines and crossed to the east side of U.S. Highway 97 (US-97), which saw a 27-mile stretch of the road over Blewett Pass closed for the fifth straight day.

The rapid escalation of the blaze also prompted elevated evacuations in several areas, including Level 3 "Leave Now!" notices for the communities of Valley Hi, Camas Land, Mineral Springs, and Cougar Gulch, along with homes on Ingalls Creek Road, and the entire vicinity of Blewett Pass. The new Level 3 notices joined those which had already been issued earlier in the week for Culver Creek, King Creek, and Shaser Creek Roads.

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Despite the turbulent winds, aerial support did lend a hand in supporting crews on the ground with water and retardant drops in the area of Beverly Creek, as the blaze touched off spot fires near Scotty Creek and on the east side of US-97 - where the flames had fully established by nightfall.

Crews also worked vigorously on bolstering containment lines along the fire's perimeter and continued working on structure protection near Valley Hi, Camas Land, and along US-97.

Under dissipating winds on Friday, firefighters are scheduled to remain active securing and establishing fire lines and furthering structure protection efforts, with aerial suppression being used as required and available.

The blaze ignited about 13 miles northwest of Cle Elum on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and had been well under 10,000 acres during its first three weeks on the landscape, but has nearly tripled in size since last Sunday (Sept. 21).

Smoke impacts worsened in many areas east of the fire on Thursday, as the stiff winds sent dense plumes and airborne soot into communities like Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, and Rock Island, along with some drifts that were reported as far away as places like Quincy, Moses Lake, and even Spokane.

A new Red Cross Emergency Shelter has been established for residents displaced by the fire at Christ Center Church, 5800 Kimber Road in Cashmere, and the initially-established shelter at Entiat Warehouse Community Church in Entiat has now been closed due to inactivity.

Despite Thursday's surge in fire activity and evacuation notices, no structures have been reported damaged or destroyed by the fire since it broke out.

A community meeting regarding the Labor Mountain Fire is planned for Saturday (Sept. 27) at a time and location yet to be determined.

There are currently 523 personnel assigned to the lower Sugarloaf Fire, along with 19 engines; 15 water tenders; 3 dozers; and 13 helicopters.

Hundreds of additional personnel who are officially assigned to the nearby Lower Sugarloaf Fire are also assisting with efforts to contain the Labor Mountain Fire, along with scores of other firefighters who were brought in Thursday after an order for state mobilization was authorized.