Lower Sugarloaf Fire Slows Its Rampage Through National Forest But Remains Uncontained

For the first time since being sparked by lighting on Aug. 31, the Lower Sugarloaf Fire in Chelan County grew by less than 1,000 acres over a 24-hour period on Wednesday.

The blaze, which is centered 12 miles east of Leavenworth on the Wenatchee River Ranger District in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, expanded by 509 acres between Tuesday and Wednesday, to an official estimated size of 14,323 acres and remains at 0% containment.

Drier conditions in the forest on Wednesday allowed firefighters the chance to improve both dozer and hand-dug fire lines on the blaze's western and southwestern flanks in the area of Dinkleman Ridge, as well as its eastern edges in the Chumstick Creek vicinity.

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To the north, helicopters performed water drops on the fire, while dozers worked to refresh old fire lines from the 2018 Cougar Creek Fire and forge new lines along Gold Ridge.

The total number of personnel working the blaze has more than doubled since the start of the week, and new crews assigned to the fire were also active conducting both containment and suppression measures near the Mad River and in the area of Mill Canyon.

Conditions within the fire zone are again expected to be dry on Thursday, and fire managers with Pacific Northwest Complex Incident Management Team 3 say this will again allow for the continuing implementation of mitigation strategies near the town of Ardenvoir, near Indian Creek, and in other locations near to and within the Entiat River Valley.

A Level 3 evacuation notice remains in effect for portions of Entiat River Road and all of Mad River Road due to the fire, while Level 2 notices and Level 1 Fire Advisories are continuing in other locations near to the blaze.

There are currently 815 personnel assigned to the Lower Sugarloaf Fire, along with 56 engines; 20 water tenders; 7 dozers; and 3 helicopters.

There have been no reports of any structures being damaged or destroyed by the blaze thus far, and no injuries have been reported.