More Smoke Expected for NCW from Lake Wenatchee Fires

Smoke from the White River and Irving Peak Fires near Lake Wenatchee is expected to continue having an impact on local air qualities over the next seven to ten days.

Public Information Officer, Heather Appelhof, says the fire’s growth has been slowing but it’s still had enough available fuels to produce plenty of smoke.

“Over the past couple of days, the fire has been growing but it’s been minimal growth with a few isolated flare ups. Because of those flare ups and the smoldering and internal fuels, the local areas have been pretty heavily impacted by smoke.”

Appelhof says the weather and winds will produce clearer skies in the region later this week, but that won’t be the last of the smoke.

“The next few days will continue to be smoky but we will see some clearing starting Wednesday afternoon through Friday due to a cold front moving into the area. However, smoky conditions will return Saturday and through the weekend and may linger for several days beyond that as well.”

The two fires, which are burning very close to each other but have yet to merge, have torched a combined 7,706 acres and are currently listed as ten percent contained.

They were both sparked by lightning on August 11.

The nearby Minnow Ridge Fire has also steadily increased in size in recent days and now covers 1,476 acres.

It was first reported on September 9. Its cause is still undetermined.