For the most up-to-date on these fires and ones in surrounding areas, follow our Facebook page.
FROM THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE:
Additional resources are arriving on the Methow Valley Ranger District to support crews who were able to contain at least three fires. District Ranger Mike Liu said he was pleased with the hard work accomplished Friday in very challenging conditions. Firefighters had to pull back from fires in the Black Canyon area due to extreme fire behavior.
FIRES
Current status of fires on the Methow Valley Ranger District:
• Black Canyon Fire is burning about 6 miles southwest of the community of Methow; it is growing from the 2,700 acres reported Friday. A crew from Indiana and a local engine are currently working to protect homes and property. Management for the fire has been delegated to a Type 1 team.
• South Fork Fire in the gold Creek drainage 7 miles south of Carlton it remains contained and in mop-up stage.
• Bear Mountain Fire is a 30-acre fire 12 miles northeast of Twisp, currently staffed with a Cle-Elum District hand crew.
• Starvation Ridge Fire and Beaver Lake Fire are two fires several hundred acres in size, 15 miles northeast of Twisp, burning in timber in steep terrain that are being managed by the Tonasket District.
• Tatie Peak Fire about 20 miles northwest of Mazama received rain overnight. Size is stable at approximately 140 acres. Jumpers and a Tonasket hand crew are staffing.
• Cutthroat Fire and a small spot fire 9 miles west of Mazama are both contained – patrol status.
• Squaw Creek Fire 20 miles south of Twisp. A local hand crew is being assigned to assess and initiate suppression actions.
• Eagle Creek Fire – 13 miles west of Twisp. Still less than 1 acre. The Wenatchee rappellers and their helicopter are assigned.
• Crater Mountain – near Ross Lake. Reconnaissance planned.
• Unnamed fire – 11 miles north of Winthrop in Eightmile Drainage new reported small fire. Four smokejumpers assigned.
• Lower Beaver – local crew assisting Okanogan County Fire District 6 in small fire close to Twisp.
ROAD AND TRAIL CLOSURES
• Hart’s Pass Road is closed due to fire activity on the Tatie Peak fire.
• The Pacific Crest Trail is closed between Glacier Pass and Holman Pass – www.pcta.org has information for hikers about alternate PCT routes.
• Beaver lake trail 15 miles east of Winthrop is closed.
• Squaw Creek Road is closed at the Forest Boundary.
• McFarland Creek Road is closed at the Forest Boundary.
• Black Canyon Road is closed at the Forest Boundary.
• South Fork Gold Creek Road is closed at the Forest Boundary.
• Cooper Mountain Road is closed between Antoine Creek and the bottom of S. Fork Gold Creek.
FROM THE TONASKET RANGER DISTRICT:
Crews are working on the many lightning caused fires on the Tonasket Ranger District. Firefighters are doing everything possible with the resources at hand to fight the wildfires. The safety of both firefighters and the public is always the number one priority.
Firefighters have responded to four fires on the Tonasket Ranger District:
• Mt. Phoebe Fire 11 miles northeast of Tonasket, near the Havillah Snopark, is contained at less than 1/4 acre.
• Dunn Creek Fire located 5 miles northwest of Conconully, is less than 1/2 acre and is contained and controlled.
• Lime Belt Fire (three lightning fires that moved together) is about 3 miles northeast of Conconully on lands managed by the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management. Three rapellers and a handcrew are assigned to the 800-acre fire. It is burning in grass, sagebrush and small pockets of timber. There is a level 1 evacuation for the Silver Hill and Scotch Creek areas. Evacuation information is available on the Okanogan County Emergency Management Facebook page or by calling (509) 422-7206. Okanogan County Emergency Management also maintains a website at www.okanogandem.org.
• Beaver Mountain Fire near Beaver Lake is 300 acres. Initial attack forces are scouting for safe and effective containment line locations.
Initial attack resources are poised to respond to new fire starts.
• The North Star Fire, burning on lands managed by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Indian Reservation is spotting north on to the Tonasket Ranger District. Information about the North Star Fire is available at (509) 634-3100.
