Single Publication

Pioneer Fire Daily Update

August 12, 2024

Quick Facts

Size:  38,299 Start Date: June 11, 2024 Location: 31 miles NW of Chelan, WA

Containment: 13 percent Personnel: 649 Cause: Human-caused, under investigation

CURRENT SITUATION: A Red Flag Warning will be in effect until 12:00 P.M. for abundant lighting and thunderstorms in and around the fire area.  The weather will determine the focus of today’s firefighting efforts. Firefighter and public safety continues to be the incident’s number one priority. When necessary, firefighters will take a tactical pause until conditions allow resumption of suppression efforts. Crews assigned to the incident continue to respond to multiple new fires caused by recent the thunderstorms. Initial attack crews and aviation resources will respond to all new fires with an aggressive initial attack strategy.

On the evening of August 10 firefighters responded to a lightning caused fire in the area of safety harbor. The two-acre fire immediately had hose line put in around it and was suppressed. There is currently no heat or smoke coming from the area.

TODAY’S ACTIVITIES: Today fire resources will continue structure protection and road preparation efforts along the Stehekin Valley road. As weather permits, firefighters will take advantage of moderating fire activity and construct direct handline along the Boulder ridge to stop the northern progression of the fire. 

WEATHER AND SMOKE: There were scattered thunderstorms that impacted the Pioneer fire last night and this morning. Temperatures will be cooler today but remain unsettled with a 30 percent chance for showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Winds will start off light then become gusty from the northwest, especially along Lake Chelan. Temperatures will continue to cool into Tuesday with high temperatures in the upper 70s to lower 80s with drier conditions.  Winds will remain breezy from the northwest with gusts of 20 to 25 mph possible in the late afternoon into evening hours. 

For Monday, expect increased smoke to communities southeast of the Easy and Pioneer fires in the lower Lake Chelan and Entiat areas. In these areas, there will be Moderate air quality in the morning , decreasing  to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups in the evening and overnight. Overall air quality in the Stehekin Valley will be at Unhealthy, while the Newhalem area and Methow Valley communities will have overall Moderate air quality. Read the full report https://outlooks.airfire.org/outlook/f79a6d6d.

EVACUATIONS: Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuation levels remain in effect around the Pioneer Fire. Please contact Chelan County Emergency Management or visit https://t.ly/QoH9w for more information.

FOREST CLOSURE: Closures for the North Cascades National Park: https://www.nps.gov/noca/index.htm

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has a closure order in place for much of the fire area: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest - Alerts & Closures (usda.gov). Campfires are prohibited. There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in place over the fire: https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_6779.html. Unauthorized drone activity is prohibited under the TFR. 

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/wases-pioneer 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560760893080 

Fire Information Line: 541-861-5808, 8 AM to 8 PM

Email: 2024.pioneer@firenet.gov