Apple Acres and Pearl Hill Fire Updates

Updated 9/15/2020: Final Fire Update (unless conditions change)

Information compiled

The two separate fires burning in our area — Pearl Hill near Bridgeport/Mansfield and Apple Acres north of Union Valley — are currently being handled by one management and communications team: Northwest Incident Management Team 6. Instead of reporting fire updates in two separate stories, LakeChelanNow will use the information provided by the Public Information Officer (PIO) and publish updates simultaneously in this one area.

Links to LCN’s previous stories, interviews, video, pictures, and updates can be found at the bottom of this story.

Pearl Hill/Apple Acres FINAL Update: Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Northwest Incident Management Team 6

Shawn Sheldon, Incident Commander

Ken Paul, Deputy IC

Shane Theall, Deputy IC

Northwest Incident Management Team 6 will be transferring management of the Pearl Hill Fire to a Type 3 team led by Incident Commander David Nalle on Wednesday morning. The Apple Acres Fire will transition to a local Type 4 organization consisting of DNR, USFS, and BLM personnel. The incoming firefighters will be shadowing the outgoing team members today for a seamless transition tomorrow. Firefighters from both fires will be based at Chelan High School.

As the fires near full containment, and even after full containment is achieved, interior pockets of fuel may continue to burn. As conditions change, smoke may become more visible at times. Smoke observed within the fire area is to be expected and will be no cause for alarm. Firefighters are working to mop up all hot spots near structures and inside the fire area within at least 100 feet of the outer edges of the fire.

Fire behavior will be reduced after last night’s rain. A low- pressure area is expected to pass through this area on Friday, bringing a chance for showers and possible breezy westerly winds, further reducing the amount of smoke in the air.

This will be the final written update regarding the Pearl Hill and Apple Acres fires unless conditions change.

For continued information regarding closures and evacuation levels, please check with the Chelan County Emergency Management Facebook page for Apple Acres Fire (https://www.facebook.com/CCSOEM/ ) and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Facebook page for the Pearl Hill Fire (https://www.facebook.com/DouglasCountySheriffsOfficeWA).

Team 6 appreciates the cooperation and support of the surrounding communities, agencies, fire districts, and school districts. The sense of cohesiveness and productive attitudes within the community contributed to the successful completion of this incident. Thank you for the welcome you provided to our firefighters.

Fires at a Glance

Size:

Pearl Hill Fire – 223,730 acres Apple Acres Fire – 5,753 acres

Containment:

Pearl Hill Fire – 90% Apple Acres Fire – 97%

Location: Pearl Hill Fire is located at Bridgeport, WA. Apple Acres Fire is located four miles north of Chelan, WA.

Total Assigned Personnel: 193

Assigned Resources:

Dozers – 1; Type 2 Crews – 4 Engines – 17 Water Tenders — 3 Helicopters — 0

FIRE INFORMATION:

(360) 489-8731

NOT STAFFED AFTER TODAY

RED CROSS SERVICES:

Staffed 24 hours (509) 670-5331 (571) 595-7723

Fire Info via InciWeb:

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7169/ for Pearl Hill Fire.

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7181/

for Apple Acres Fire.

Facebook: Northeast Washington

Pearl Hill/Apple Acres Fire Update Monday, September 14, 2020

Northwest Incident Management Team 6

Shawn Sheldon, Incident Commander

Ken Paul, Deputy IC

Shane Theall, Deputy IC

Both the Pearl Hill and Apple Acres fires are approaching full containment after days of firefighting effort, recently aided by shading from the heavy smoke layer.

Structure impacts: Since the Labor Day fire start, local firefighters have directly protected about 100 residences from burning within the perimeter of these two fires. The overall fire suppression effort kept an additional 1,000+ homes from harm by stopping the advance of the fire. To date, 26 residential and commercial structures have been verified as burned by the fire and additional assessments are underway.

Resources: While a sufficient force of firefighters is being retained, many firefighters and crews are being reassigned or sent home for some well-earned, if temporary, rest. Covid-19 tests are available for firefighters prior to their return home.

Weather: Air quality continues to be severely impacted by wildfire smoke coming from Oregon and California. Hazardous air quality is expected to remain today. Washington smoke monitoring and forecasting can be found at Washington Smoke Blogspot. Today’s expected weather conditions include high temperatures of 71-78 degrees, minimum relative humidity of 25-30%, and morning northwest winds of 5-8 mph early, becoming southwesterly 3-8 mph. Mostly cloudy conditions are predicted for tonight, with a slight chance of sprinkles.

Evacuation Levels and Roads: Evacuation Levels remain unchanged, with an Evacuation Level of 2 to the north of Hwy 2 and in McNeil Canyon, and rescinded evacuation orders in all other areas.

Highway 173, Bridgeport Hill Road, and Crane Orchard Road have been reopened. For specific information regarding closures and evacuation levels, please check with the Chelan County Emergency Management Facebook page for Apple Acres Fire (https://www.facebook.com/CCSOEM/ ) and the Douglas County Sherriff’s Facebook page for the Pearl Hill Fire (https://www.facebook.com/DouglasCountySheriffsOfficeWA).

Fires at a Glance

Size:

Pearl Hill Fire – 223,730 acres Apple Acres Fire – 5,753 acres

Containment:

Pearl Hill Fire – 87% Apple Acres Fire – 97%

Location: Pearl Hill Fire is located at Bridgeport, WA. Apple Acres Fire is located four miles north of Chelan, WA.

Cause: Both are under investigation Total Assigned Personnel: 355

Assigned Resources:

Dozers – 4

Type 2 Crews – 7 Engines – 51 Water Tenders — 8 Helicopters — 0

FIRE INFORMATION:

(360) 489-8731

Staffed 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

RED CROSS SERVICES:

Staffed 24 hours (509) 670-5331 (571) 595-7723

Fire Info via InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7169/for Pearl Hill Fire.

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7181/ for Apple Acres Fire.

Facebook: Northeast Washington Fire Information

Update Friday, September 11, 2020: 1:00 p.m.

Northwest Incident Management Team 6:

Shawn Sheldon, Incident Commander
Ken Paul, Deputy IC
Shane Theall, Deputy IC

There will be a virtual public meeting today at 5:00 p.m. for the Pearl Fire and at 6:00 p.m. for the Apple Acres Fire. You do not need to be Facebook members to bring this meeting up on your computer or other mobile device. Just follow this link. Additionally, if you cannot attend the meeting live, you should be able to view it at a later time also from the link.

Pearl Hill Fire Update: The significant increase in today’s reported acreage is due to smoke clearing and new terrain becoming observable in the northwest portion of the fire. Very little additional acreage was burned yesterday.

A two-day push begins today with hand crews trying to tie off the backing and flanking flames in the northwestern corner of the Pearl Hill Fire across steep slopes and challenging terrain. Suppression activity will be complicated by the change in wind direction as described in the weather section below. Flare-ups continue along the western edge of the Pearl Hill Fire while power poles and fence posts hold fire deep in the ground throughout the burned area. Fuel indices indicate that fuels such as grass, brush, and tree are at their maximum volatility and are receptive to fire spread.

Apple Acres Fire Update: Fire Firefighters continue to make excellent progress suppressing the fire. Today patrol of the fire and mopping up hot spots will continue.

Expected Weather and Fire Activity: Today’s weather is forecast to be two to five degrees warmer than Thursday. Winds will begin light from the north, and start shifting in the early afternoon to 15-20 mph from the southeast. Relative humidity will remain at a very dry 15-20%.

The Fire Danger Index is very high for this time of year due to the dry weather and warm temperatures according to Fire Behavior Analyst Brett Smith, and fire volatility may be high with possible ignition of spot fires.

Evacuation Level Reduced: In response to improved conditions at the southern portion of the Pearl Hill Fire, the Douglas County Sheriff has reduced the evacuation level in the area south of Hwy 172 (Road 14NE) from a Level 3 to a Level 2. The Rimrock Meadows Estates area remains at Level 2. SR 173 remains closed with pilot car for locals.

All areas related to Apple Acres Fire are at Level 1.

For more specific information please check with the Chelan County Emergency Management Facebook page for Apple Acres Fire (https://www.facebook.com/CCSOEM/ )and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Facebook page for the Pearl Hill Fire (https://www.facebook.com/DouglasCountySheriffsOfficeWA).

Public Meetings (Virtual) Tonight! On Facebook Live: Pearl Hill, 5:00 p.m. Apple Acres, 6:00 p.m.