Pioneer Fire Now Less Than 8,000 Feet From Stehekin

Since being founded by Western settlers in 1888, the small town of Stehekin has never faced a threat like the one which is currently looming just over one of the nearest ridges from its location on the northern shores of Lake Chelan.

After igniting from undetermined causes 51 days ago on June 8, about ten miles to the southeast, the Pioneer Fire has now crept to within less than 8,000 feet (roughly a mile-and-a-half) of the historic community which 95 residents call their permanent, year-round home.

After spreading in Stehekin's direction for nearly two months, a sudden shift in the fire's western flank on Saturday (July 27) night, prompted fire managers to have the Chelan County Sheriff's Office issue Level 3 evacuation notices for the entire town.

Fire information spokesperson, Lauren Durocher, says although the circumstances are quite dire, a change in the weather to begin the week is offering some much needed assistance for firefighters who are working desperately to save the town.

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"Fire activity has moderated with the cooler temperatures and wetter weather we're having, as well as helicopter work in the area, which are all helping to slow the progression of the fire."

The 33,276-acre blaze has already jumped ten separate creek drainages on its fiery path towards Stehekin, with only one remaining (Hazard Creek) between it and the suddenly-vulnerable town.

Durocher says firefighters could use the remaining drainage as a measure of protection and they are working on several fronts to keep Stehekin from falling victim to the fire, but the topography surrounding the town presents many challenges.

"The steep terrain in that area and just the way those drainages line up does make it tricky to find areas for protection. But crews are working on lines surrounding the community of Stehekin, as well as with state mobilization resources, working with private property owners on protective measures for individual properties in and around the town."

There are currently 698 personnel assigned to the Pioneer Fire, including those attached to multiple air resources that are performing repeated water drops.

Along with their efforts to shield Stehekin, crews are also focusing heavily on halting the fire's spread towards the much-larger town of Manson, which now lies only about eleven miles from the fire's southeastern edge.

Although crews will be working hard to attack the blaze during cooler weather to start the week, fire managers are also concerned about an impending pattern of extremely hot and dry weather they call "very unstable" that's expected to move into the region by the end of the week.

As of Monday (July 29) morning, the Pioneer Fire was listed at 15% containment and still has an estimated date for full containment of October 31.