Lower Sugarloaf Fire Swells To Over 6,200 Acres, Evacuations Elevated For Ardenvoir Area

More residents in the vicinity of the Lower Sugarloaf Fire in Chelan County have been placed under evacuation notices.

The blaze, which is centered about 17 miles west of Entiat on the Wenatchee River Ranger District in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, has grown substantially over the past 48 hours - and is currently estimated 6,223 acres.

A Level 3 "Leave Now" evacuation notice has been issued in the Ardenvoir area for all residents above and including 427 Mad River Road, while a Level 2 "Be Ready" notice is in place for all residents below and including 426 Mad River Road, as well as Arden Road, Mill Street, Moe Ridge Road, Red Hill Road, River Road, and Two River Road.

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Level 2 notices are also in place along the fire's western flank in the area of Plain, including for the upper portion of the Chumstick Highway; Merry Canyon, including Second Creek and Dry Creek; Little Chumstick; and Moon Canyon.

There are also numerous locations which are currently subject to a Level 1 Fire Advisory, including:

* Nahahum Canyon and Indian Rock Lane
* all of Olalla Canyon from milepost 1
* Hay Canyon from the end of pavement
* Derby Canyon Road above and including #9088
* Entiat River Road from Roaring Creek Road to Mud Creek, as well as Roaring Creek Road
* The east side of Chumstick Highway from Eagle Creek to Little Chumstick, including all spurs and driveways
* Deep Creek Road

Officials with the U.S. Forest Service are also asking the public to avoid the Mad River Trail System; the Tommy Creek and Tyee areas; French Corral; Pine Flats Campground; Merry and Derby Canyons; Derby, Eagle, Second, and Van Creeks; and the vicinity of Chumstick Mountain.

The fire is one of several that was sparked by a dry lightning storm which moved over the region late Sunday, and it's seen a rapid expansion since Monday under both Extreme Heat and Red Flag Warnings, which are scheduled to continue through today.

A large amount of smoke from the fire has been billowing into nearby communities in the Wenatchee, Upper Wenatchee, and Entiat Valleys, and diminishing air quality levels over the past few days.

Forest Service spokesperson, Robin DeMario, says there were as many as 150 personnel assigned to the blaze as of Wednesday afternoon, along with three engines, three helicopters performing water drops, and various other apparatus, including fixed-wing retardant drops originating from Moses Lake as needed.

A Type 3 Incident Management Team is scheduled to take command of firefighting operations sometime today, and Demario adds that more personnel and equipment are also en route to the blaze from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.

At this time, the fire is completely uncontained and it's unknown when any containment level will be established.