Emergency evacuations were issued Sunday morning in the boating-only resort town of Stehekin as the wildfire spread on scenic Lake Chelan, but residents may continue to evacuate.
According to Chelan County Emergency Management, the Level 3 “Evacuate Now!” evacuation advisory for Stehekin, issued at 8 a.m. Sunday, covered the area from Stehekin Landing up the Stehekin River to the popular High Bridge Campground because of the looming Pioneer Fire.
Emergency Management Sergeant Jason Reinfeld said mass emails were sent out to area residents and Chelan County sheriff’s deputies went door-to-door to speak with an estimated 80 residents. Visitors to the popular resort were evacuated Thursday following a Level 2 warning.
Reinfeld said his colleagues could not recall Stehekin ever facing a Level 3 evacuation. “That’s pretty unusual for an area like this that’s only accessible by boat,” he said.
Despite the notice and the threat of the Pioneer Fire looming over the area, Reinfeld expected most remaining residents to ignore the evacuation and stay in their homes.
“I’m confident that almost everyone will stay,” he said. “You can’t force people to leave property in Washington.”
Ferries were scheduled to depart Sunday morning and afternoon to evacuate area residents who could only reach the area by boat, and an American Red Cross evacuation center was also set up in Chelan.
Gov. Jay Inslee urged Stehekin residents to evacuate as soon as possible.
“A level three evacuation order has been issued for residents of Stehekin and we really need residents to get downriver and out of danger.” He said in a video post on social media platform X.“The reason is that their presence makes it much more difficult for firefighters to fight the fire.”
The 33,000-acre Pioneer Fire has been burning east of Lake Chelan since early June, according to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center, but it has crossed a major drainage and is now burning up the mountain (where fires tend to spread) toward Stehekin, according to Loren Desrochers, a spokesperson for the Pioneer Fire Task Force.
In addition to evacuation, Trail, campground and road closures A range of measures will be in place across the Cascade Mountains, including the closure of much of the U.S. Forest Service’s Chelan Ranger District north of Lake Chelan.
Cliff Courtney estimated that about 40 residents remain in Stehekin, and firefighters are currently headquartered at Stehekin Valley Ranch, a resort about nine miles upriver from the village. Courtney, who co-owns the Stehekin Ferry, said they are continuing to operate their regular routes to maintain a lifeline to the community.
He said people who wanted to evacuate had already done so last week under a Level 2 evacuation advisory. “I don’t see us seeing large-scale evacuations today,” he said.
This community is tucked away on the north end of Lake Chelan and offers great hiking and recreational opportunities. It’s so remote that there is no cell service and little to no internet access.
Desrochers said firefighters are setting up protective perimeters, including sprinklers and hoses, in case the fire reaches Stehekin. Firefighters are also working with private homeowners to create protective spaces around their homes.
Courtney said four locations around Stehekin, including the airport and a ranch, had been designated safe zones in case the fire spread to the town because they had ample water supplies.
“In a place like ours, living with nature is just part of life. We have become adaptable, but that doesn’t mean everything that happens doesn’t hurt,” especially economically in towns that depend on tourism, he said.
Nick Davis runs Stehekin Reservations, a trip planning service in the town, and said the fires were having a huge impact on the local economy and businesses.
“It’s absolutely tragic,” he said. “There’s no question about it. I’m processing tens of thousands of dollars in refunds.”
Davis said the town is filled with fire trucks and fire hoses as residents try to prepare, and that many residents, including himself, are not evacuating because they want to protect their homes.
Near Yakima, the Retreat Fire has closed Highway 12 from the junction of Highway 410 to White Pass, and Level 3 evacuations have been issued for the communities near Couch and Tieton.
The fire, which has spread to more than 18,000 acres, began last week. Retreat Fire Department spokesman Tim Loeb said firefighters are making good progress in containing the eastern end of the fire, closest to Couch and Tieton. “It’s pretty good news that we’ve been able to stop a potential incursion into the towns,” he said.
Parts of Tierton and Couche were under a Level 2 evacuation advisory, warning residents to prepare to evacuate immediately.
Temperatures in Stehekin are expected to cool slightly, with a high of 73 degrees on Monday, according to the National Weather Service. Showers are likely in the area, but National Weather Service meteorologist Dustin Guy said it’s unclear whether the rain will be heavy enough to help contain the fire.
“It wouldn’t be impossible [Stehekin] “We’re going to get up to a half-inch of rain,” Guy said, “but it’s not going to be a big help in the long run. It may die down a bit tomorrow, but we’ll see warmer, drier weather return later in the week.”
