Single Publication

Pioneer Fire Update for July 9, 2024  

 Incident Commander Jeff Dimke

Complex Incident Management Team Northwest 12

541-861-5808, staffed 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 2024.pioneer@firenet.gov 

Start date: June 8, 2024  

Location: 31 miles northwest of Chelan, WA  

Containment: 14%  

Fire size: 10,266 acres  

Cause: Human caused, under investigation  

Total personnel: 736

A community meeting will be held at the Manson Grange on Wednesday July 10 at 5:30 p.m. and will be available for viewing on the Pioneer Fire Facebook page.

The Pioneer Fire is burning within a mountainous and remote area on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest near Lake Chelan. Although much of the fire is in the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness, firefighters are using a full suppression response to protect values at risk, life, and property, while always keeping firefighter and public safety as the primary objective.

The communities of Chelan, Manson, and Stehekin are open and continue to welcome visitors. Many recreation sites along Lake Chelan remain open and accessible (see closure information below).

The fire crossed Meadow Creek yesterday and headed toward Horton Creek as helicopters worked to slow the advance and cool the fire with water drops. The small spot fire west of Goat Mountain continues to be monitored and no smoke has been observed in that area. Firefighters also continue to prepare the FS 4330 and 4010 roads for use as potential fire control lines. Hotshots and engine crews are continuing to construct contingency lines and install hose lays along Nelson Ridge, preparing for a tactical firing operation if needed. Firefighters at the north end of the lake are working to reopen old firelines around Stehekin, clearing and preparing these control lines in case fire activity increases. Fire crews are also installing hose lays along strategic firelines around Stehekin and are removing hazardous trees along transportation corridors.

Additional resources continue to arrive today on the Pioneer Fire. The Lakeshore Group is being bolstered with more staff while the Manson Fire Department coordinates with the incident management team to assess structures in the Manson area. Four more boats arrive today, allowing for more efficient transport of firefighters and supplies along the remote Lake Chelan coastline. Three wildland fire modules also arrive today and begin specialized roles to support and implement fire operations in this remote and rugged terrain. Fire managers on the Pioneer Fire also have initial attack responsibilities within the footprint of the Temporary Flight Restriction, and they are ready to rapidly shift resources as needed to respond to any new fire starts in the area. 

WEATHER AND SMOKE: The combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and hot temperatures expected led the National Weather Service to again issue a red flag warning today. The air quality outlook can be found at https://bit.ly/PioneerFireSmoke. Learn more about smoke at smokeready.org. The fire marshal issued fire danger ratings and restrictions; see https://t.ly/WLBds for more information. 

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES: Level 1, 2, and 3 evacuation levels remain in effect around the Pioneer Fire; please visit https://t.ly/QoH9w for more information. The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has a closure order in place for much of the fire area. Details and maps are available at: https://bit.ly/PioneerClosure. 

https://linktr.ee/pioneerfirechelan