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The Pioneer Fire is burning in the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness Area on the Chelan Ranger District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and on private land 31 miles northwest of Chelan. The communities of Stehekin, Chelan, and Manson continue to welcome visitors, with limited smoke and minimal fire activity expected for the coming holiday week. Pioneer Fire managers are using a full-suppression firefighting strategy to protect private property, infrastructure, and resources, while minimizing risks to responders and the public.  

Firefighters continued structure protection work along the lakeshore towards Stehekin yesterday. They made good progress opening preexisting handlines towards Rainbow Falls, removing vegetation and burnable materials. On Sunday, crews focused on improving Prince Creek as a natural holding feature by removing vegetation along the creek. A helicopter delivered an eight-member rappel crew into the Meadow Creek drainage. This is the first opportunity fire managers have had to directly attack the fire. The crew worked near the fire’s edge, improving a helicopter landing site location and beginning to construct handline. Down lake, contingency lines continue to be reinforced. Firefighters have completed grading on the Black Canyon Road, and focused yesterday on improving road systems by removing hazardous trees and brush. Crews also improved two miles of Gold Creek Road. Overnight precipitation and cool cloudy conditions this past weekend moderated the fire behavior and spread and reduced smoke impacts.  

Today, crews will continue clearing vegetation and burnable materials from preexisting handlines from Boulder Creek to Rainbow Falls in the Stehekin area. They will also continue structure protection and assessments. Down Lake, firefighters will continue to clear and open up historic dozer line on the ridgetop east of Lake Chelan. Air operations will continue to address hot spots and support firefighters. 

WEATHER: Expect continued moderate temperatures and humidity, with a warming and drying trend progressing toward the holiday. Down lake winds will continue with increased ridge top winds. The air quality outlook is at https://bit.ly/PioneerFireSmoke. Learn more about smoke at smokeready.org. 

EVACUATIONS: Evacuation levels have not changed. Visit https://t.ly/QoH9w for more information. 

CLOSURE: The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has a closure in place for the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness and surrounding areas. Further details, including maps, are available at: https://bit.ly/PioneerClosure. Many recreation sites remain open and accessible.