Wildcat Fire Burns 1,100 Acres in Okanogan-Wenatchee

A wildfire burning in the William O. Douglas Wilderness, part of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, is torching over 1,100 acres of timber.

Where the Wildcat Fire Started

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The U.S. Forest Service said the Wildcat Fire started from lightning Thursday. The blaze forced the Goose Prairie Community into a Level 1 evacuation advisory. There are also multiple closures, including: Forest Service Road 1800, American Ridge, Cougar Lake, Dewey Lake, Mesatchee Creek, Swamp Lake, Bumping Lake, and Fish Lake Way trails.

The Pacific Crest Trail remains open but hikers are advised not to travel eastwards towards the fire area.

Resources Battling the Blaze

70 firefighters, including two initial attack crews, a dozer, two engines, four scooper airtankers, and two Type 1 helicopters are working the fire.

The Forest Service said they observed increased fire activity Saturday which stunted efforts to scout for opportunities to directly attack the blaze.

Nearby Fires: Swamp Lake and Panther

Crews contained two small nearby fires, the Swamp Lake Fire at one-and-a-half acres and the Panther Fire at nearly two-and-a-half acres. Firefighters are monitoring activity for both of those blazes.

10 Tips To Prevent Wildfires

Smokey The Bear said it best, "only you can prevent wildfires." Well, it's a lot easier said than done, Smokey. Great name for a bear trying to warn us about fire hazards, by the way.

In order to prevent wildfires, you have to first know how they can be prevented. Here are 10 tips provided by the Department Of Interior that will help you in your every day life, so you can enjoy being outside, camping, and having bonfires without it turning into a problem.

Here are their 10 tips, along with some simplified explanations from me.

Gallery Credit: Cort Freeman