Pioneer Fire Within Quarter Mile Of Stehekin, Over 35,000 Acres

The Pioneer Fire on Lake Chelan is now about a quarter of a mile from the town of Stehekin. 

Fire information spokesperson Anneta Pritchard says the fire jumped a couple of creeks over the weekend and is on a slope above the town. 

"It spotted over Hazard Creek into Purple Creek and it's, kind of, grown along the ridge, and it's backing down the ridge toward Stehekin," said Pritchard. 

The two creeks were the last natural cut-off points of the fire. The fire is burning in the elevations above the boat landing.  

Sprinklers were activated and 27 miles of hose line through the town has been wetting around homes and infrastructure.  

Fire managers say crews have been working to slow the progression of the fire with helicopter support. 

Pritchard says some additional precautions have been taken. 

"They've done some wrapping of buildings, and also of power poles to protect the power grid," Pritchard said. 

All of Stehekin's residents have been under a Level 3 (Leave Now) evacuation notice for more than a week. 

Chelan County Commissioner Tifany Gering said Monday morning that 10 people had been evacuated from the area since the fire moved within a quater mile of Stehekin, but 93 people remained. Gering said she did not know if any more of the remaining residents would leave.

The fire management team says hot and dry weather continued to be a troubling factor over the weekend. 

The Pioneer Fire has burned 35,607 acres and is 12 percent contained. The acreage grew by about 2,000 acres between Saturday and Sunday. 

A separate fire west of Stehekin ignited Saturday and is burning from the lake shore up steep terrain. 

Crews assisted in the initial attack on the Flat Creek Fire that ignited midday Saturday. It's been burning two-to-five acres across the lake from Stehekin after starting from a lightning strike. 

That fire is in steep and inaccessible terrain to boots-on-the-ground firefighters and was supported by helicopter bucket drops and scooper planes.  

Mop-up continued along the lakeshore from Fourmile down lake on the Flat Creek Fire.  

Firefighters hand checked for hot spots on the ground around structures and extinguishing any heat that may be found.  

California Incident Management Team 15, led by Incident Commander Tom Clemo assumed command of operations on the Pioneer Fire on Saturday. 

As of Monday morning, 728 crew members were working on the fire. There are four water scooping planes on the fire as well as six helicopters - three Type 1, two Type 2 and one Type 3. The fire is being handled by 13 crews, 24 engines, 28 water tenders and 13 heavy equipment  

The fire is most active in the vicinity of Purple Creek and above the community of Stehekin on the upper slopes toward the north end of the fire.  

There are concerns about the weather with Monday afternoon winds in the lake and ridges expected to be stronger in the late afternoon into overnight gusting to near 30 mph down Lake Chelan.  

Minimum relative humidity will likely be around 20 percent if not in the upper teens in some areas. Fire managers are watching as the continued dryness and warm temperatures will bring near critical fire weather conditions if wind comes in a little stronger. Tuesday will continue to be breezy but cooler with continued down lake wind gusting to 30 mph. A cool front coming through will bring even lower humidity levels.