Labor Mtn. Fire Still Active As Containment RIses To 20%

As mid-October arrives in North Central Washington, the Labor Mountain Fire is still active at several locations in Chelan County.

The blaze was sparked by a lightning strike on Sept. 1 about 13 miles northwest of Cle Elum within the Cle Elum Ranger District on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, and has since grown to a current estimated size of 41,418 acres with 20% containment.
On Thursday, the fire displayed increased activity in the vicinity of Bear Creek, where crews prepared to directly engage the flames as it approaches indirect containment lines.

Firefighters also worked to reinforce containment boundaries stretching from Scotty Creek to U.S. Highway 97 (US-97).

In the Devil's Gulch area, sprinkler systems and hoselays have been installed to help in preventing spot fires which might be caused by burning debris as it rolls downhill away from the primary fire zone.

Get our free mobile app

Meanwhile, in the Mission Creek drainage, burnout operations are being conducted using unmanned aerial vehicles between the advancing flames and established containment lines to assist in brining the the fire under control.

Helicopters continue performing water drops on the blaze in the vicinity of Old Blewett Pass, while west of Tronsen Ridge, crews made progress in the containment of a spot fire which ignited earlier this week.

Firefighters also remain busy removing and thinning fuels in several locations, including Etienne Creek and alongside sections of US-97, where crews are also active felling hazardous trees.

Structure protection assessments are also ongoing in the areas of Camas Land, Liberty Hill, Number Two Canyon, Peavine Canyon, and Valley Hi, as contingency fire lines continue to be improved near Beehive Canyon.

After being closed for 16 consecutive days due to the fire, a 29-mile stretch of US-97 over Blewett Pass finally reopened earlier this week and is now carrying all vehicle traffic without a pilot car under reduced speed limits.

Smoke impacts from the blaze continue to affect the air quality in numerous communities nearby, including Wenatchee and East Wenatchee, Cashmere, and Leavenworth, all of which have been in the Washington Department of Ecology's "Unhealthy" air index category for much of this week.

Various evacuation notices also persist for hundreds of residents near the blaze, and dozens of U.S. Forest Service roads, trails, and other areas remain closed due to the fire.

There are currently 1,455 personnel assigned to the Labor Mountain Fire, along with 71 engines; 28 water tenders; 31 pieces of heavy equipment; and 14 helicopters.

To date, the fire has yet to produce any reports of damaged or destroyed structures.