Chelan Fire and Rescue

08/23/2026

At 0541 this morning Chelan Fire And Rescue was dispatched to a report of a brushfire near Robison Lane in the 25 mile Creek area. Crews arrived to a very active fire with tree torching and 25 mph sustained winds. A 2nd and 3rd alarm was quickly called due fire progression and multiple spot fires between structures. We commend the homeowners who were assisting with their garden hoses in protecting their homes as our resources were initially stretched very thin. This fire was at the very end of our fire district which meant a long response for our mutual aid partners. Little giant resources also arrived and assisted in controlling the fire. It is unclear at this time if this was a flareup from the little giant fire or a holdover lightning strike. Your Chelan firefighters have responded to multiple lightning caused fires throughout the weekend. We are so grateful to our volunteers and career staff who continue to answer the call during this historic fire season!

08/11/2026

**Little Giant Fire Update**

Chelan Fire and Rescue crews assisted in this critical burn operation providing structure protection to the homes along 25 mile Creek. This helps lessen the immediate threat to this area.

This was a good success after two challenging nights assisting in the Entiat Valley during extreme fire conditions where multiple structures were unfortunately lost. Crews battled till the morning hours protecting structures with multiple other second and third alarm resources from Chelan and Douglas Counties and two state mobilization strike teams.

Our crews are also staffing Boat 71 24 hours a day as the fire continues to move up lake on the South Shore. Thankfully the spot on the North Shore is still showing no signs of growth.

Today has been a much needed day for our department to rest and reset. The fire remains very active this afternoon and has developed columns over 21,000 ft. but interior from 25 mile creek.

We hope you all have spent some time thinking creatively on how to not let this smoke ruin your days!

We’re here for you!!

08/07/2026

🚒Friday update from the Fire Chief🚒

The Little Giant Fire has continued to slowly progress behind Grouse Mtn in the 25 mile creek area. As of 1100 this morning a red flag warning has gone into effect with the strongest winds predicted later this afternoon. The winds could continue for days. There are multiple resources in the 25 mile area should the fire start to move closer to structures. Crews are assisting with structure prep and planning hose lays should they be needed. Your Chelan Firefighters are also ready to reengage on the South Shore if the need arises.

Smoke conditions have limited aircraft availability all week. Today, if the visibility allows, aircraft will be reengaged. Dozers and firefighters continue to work hard above the hills you see from the South Shore, creating lines to slow or stop the fires progress.

We know these smoke conditions can prove challenging to the mental health of our community and even those on the front lines. What can you do to get through these times? Get an indoor workout in, invite some friends over, go support a local business. Focus on what you can control. There will be sunny days ahead!

I'd also like to welcome back our Brush 71 crew that just returned from the Sinlahekin Fire yesterday. They were assigned to night shift for 8 nights and helped save many structures with extremely limited resources. Now that help has arrived from multiple other states, our state mobilization crews are slowly being able to rest and reset. Thank you Brush 71 for helping our neighbors to the North!

Don't forget that tonight is the community meeting about the Little Giant Fire at 1830 at Station 71, 232 E. Wapato, Chelan, WA.

We will keep you updated with any pertinent information.

Stay Safe,
Brandon Asher
Fire Chief
Chelan Fire and Rescue

08/03/2026

🚒Little Giant Update🚒

The fire is still staying up high above the 25 mile creek area. The smoke and higher humidity have helped to moderate the fire behavior. The CIMT is doing all it can to take advantage of these moderated conditions by utilizing many different tactics to control and slow the fire. The weather is going to get hotter and drier as the week goes which will increase fire behavior, so it's important to get as much progress as possible completed now.

When visibility allows, aircraft are being used. You will see many of your local Chelan firefighters and firefighters from across Washington State along the South Shore and Navarre Coulee this week. This is all proactive in getting firefighters familiar with the land and properties should protection measures need to be implemented.

If you are having difficulties with the smoke, masks are located right inside the door of Station 71 at 232 E Wapato. 😷

Your firefighters have upstaffed multiple trucks and will continue to do so as the need arises while always being ready for the next 911 call!

Thank you for your support!

08/02/2026

**Message from the Fire Chief**

We are closely monitoring fire movement on both sides of Lake Chelan and the Entiat Valley. Should the fire become an immediate threat, we will be there. As of now, the fire is staying up high and away from structures, but it is moving down the valleys between Entiat and Chelan. We will have better intel early this morning on where the fire exactly is and what today's operations may look like for your firefighters.

Yesterday was a tragic day for so many parts of our state. Our fire service was and still is completely overwhelmed. Multiple state mobilization requests were made, and no resources were available. We have held most of our Chelan and Douglas County resources, knowing the Little Giant would eventually need us.

This is going to be a long firefight, and we ask that you all PLEASE do your part and do what you can around your property. DO IT TODAY! We wish we could have a fire truck at every house. But there are not nearly enough resources, and sometimes fire conditions just won't allow it.

Our hearts are with so many people who have lost everything in the last 24 hours, all throughout our state.

Be safe today! We will update as conditions change.

08/01/2026

🚩Update for our community regarding tomorrow's weather🚩

Chelan Fire and Rescue has asked all off-duty career and volunteer firefighters to staff our stations and apparatus tomorrow starting at 1200 for the anticipated wind event. Our neighboring districts to the east are under a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Red Flag Warning. This has never been issued in our state and is only issued during the most extreme fire weather events.

We have also requested state mobilization to pre-position strike teams in our region. These are the last strike teams available due to so many threatened communities throughout our state. They will be staged in Moses Lake. They will be assigned to any new fires that require mobilization. Chelan and Douglas Counties will have to heavily rely on our local mutual aid partners for any new incidents. We are also closely monitoring fire growth from the Little Giant fire and are ready to assist if needed. Aviation resources may not be able to fly during the peak of the wind event due to smoke and visibility.

We should know more tomorrow on whether or not the PSPS (Public Safety Power Shutoff) will take effect in the Chelan and Manson areas. We encourage you all to be prepared for this first time event.

Your firefighters are here for you, and we'll update you with any important information.

07/31/2026

Tomorrow will be a critical day for our region! Let’s all do our part to prevent any new fire starts!

BREAKING: RARE EXTREME FIRE RISK issued for parts of Washington on Saturday! The risk is driven by wind gusts exceeding 50 mph in spots paired with historically dry fuels. This will lead to explosive fire growth for existing and new-start fires in the Columbia Basin of central and southeastern Washington. Saturday is not your typical fire risk. This is high-impact and life-threatening. Make sure you have your go-bag ready in case you're told to evacuate and make sure you do not leave your pets behind

07/21/2026

We’re happy we were able to help in your time of need!

07/19/2026

Chelan Fire and Rescue currently has Tender 71 and Chief 71 as Strike Team Leader assisting with structure protection on the Kaiser Fire in Nespelem. They are part of two Mid Columbia strike teams from Chelan and Grant Counties. The fire has experienced explosive growth the last few days and is now over 53,000 acres.