Pioneer Fire More Than Doubles In Size Over Weekend – 3,811 Acres

The Pioneer Fire on the shoreline of Lake Chelan is now burning more than 3,811 acres and has more than doubled in size since Friday.  

There are now 330 crew members working the fire with eight helicopters providing bucket drops from the lake.  

A public meeting will be held at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the North Cascades National Park Golden West Visitor Center in Stehekin to update residents on firefighting efforts. The meeting will not have a virtual option. 

A closure order is in effect for the Lakeshore Trail from Prince Creek to Moore Point and portions of the Chelan Sawtooth Wilderness due to the Pioneer Fire.  

The closure includes Prince Creek, Cascade Creek, and Moore Point boat-in campgrounds.  

Stehekin-bound hikers can still be dropped at Moore Point to begin their trip. The Lakeshore Trail is normally a popular hiking trail during the summer months.  

There are only a small number of buildings along the lakeshore, however Chelan County Emergency Management has extended the Level 3 (Go Now) just north of Moore Point down lake to Canoe Creek.  

A Level 2 (Be Prepared) evacuation order has been issued down lake from Canoe Creek to Lone Fire Creek. A Level 1 (Be Aware) order is in place from Lone Fir Creek down lake to Safety Harbor.  

Evacuation levels up lake have not changed.  

According to a posting by the team managing the fire, efforts to suppress the fire have been divided into two branches. 

Branch I include operations and planning on the northern edge of the fire from Point No Point on Lake Chelan to Flick Creek.  

Branch II is overseeing operations and planning down lake, which currently consists of road work and scouting potential control lines off upper Grade Creek Road (8200).