Little Giant Fire Update - Monday, August 17, 2026 - Lake Chelan News and Information

Community Meeting Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. at Lake Wenatchee Recreation Club

information released; photo by Chelan County Management

There will be a community meeting tomorrow at 6:30 PM at Lake Wenatchee Recreation Club. The meeting will also be streamed to the Little Giant Facebook Page. Presenters will answer questions after the meeting, and you can also submit questions in advance via email to 2026.littlegiant@firenet.gov.

Current Situation:

Higher moisture levels and calmer winds created favorable weather conditions for firefighters to make significant progress with strategic firing operations working southward along Chiwawa River Road. Firefighters conducted careful, deliberate firing operations last night anchoring into Forest Road 6208 and its connecting spur roads. This operation is successfully strengthening and deepening the control line. Tomorrow, crews will shift operations eastward at Forest Road 6208 and tie into McDonald Ridge if conditions allow. Firefighters will continue to adjust these operations as needed based on weather and fire behavior. Hotshot crews are mopping up behind the firing operations to extinguish remaining pockets of heat and address hotspots, ensuring the reinforced control line remains secure. Masticators continue clearing fuels along Pole Ridge, with work expected to continue throughout the week.

In the Entiat River drainage, crews conducted strategic firing in small areas of unburned fuels along Tyee Ridge Road to Tyee Lookout, where firefighters have successfully held the line for multiple days. On the east side of the Entiat River, firefighters laid hose and set up sprinklers in Gene Creek to cool the fire’s edge and support efforts to tie the line into Baldy Mountain. Crews are working to clear mud and debris from the roadway and have progressed to Entiat Falls. Mastication work is nearing completion in Potato Creek, and crews have moved to Slide Ridge to continue reinforcing contingency lines toward Navarre Coulee. Near Lake Chelan, crews safely engaged the fire directly along Devil’s Backbone and around Junior Point and Grouse Mountain. Firefighters continue to monitor the spot fire across Lake Chelan using infrared imaging. Concern over the spread of the spot fire is diminishing as only small pockets of interior heat linger. Structure protection preparation is complete at Domke Lake, and the Wildland Fire Module will shift its focus northward to Lucerne.

Structure protection efforts continue throughout the fire area. Firefighters are maintaining and improving hoselays, sprinkler systems, and defensible space around structures. Crews and resources assigned to the incident remain available to respond to new fire starts.

Closures and Safety: Remember to stay near the shore and clear of firefighting aircraft scooping water from area lakes and rivers.

A new, larger fire camp has been established in Chelan to help ease traffic congestion and safety concerns on Highway 97A in Entiat. Please use caution when driving by these camps. Remember to stay near the shore and clear of firefighting aircraft scooping water from area lakes and rivers.

There is a closure order for the Wenatchee River and Entiat Ranger Districts and Chelan Ranger District due to the Little Giant Fire, as well as a forest-wide campfire ban. There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over the fire area. Unauthorized drone activity is prohibited under this TFR, as firefighting helicopters and aircraft cannot fly when drones are present.

Evacuations:

An interactive map shows the level 1, 2, and 3 evacuations in Chelan County for communities near the fire and you can sign up for evacuation notifications in your area on Everbridge. Residents should be prepared for changes in evacuation levels as fire conditions can rapidly change. A Red Cross shelter has been established at Entiat Warehouse Community Church, 14916 US-97A, Entiat, WA. For info call 509-784-2710.

Weather and Smoke:

Temperatures will be 75-85 degrees today with southwest winds 4-8 mph this afternoon. Smoke information is available on the daily smoke outlook and WASmoke Blog.

Air quality alerts and tips to protect from smoke impacts and additional resources from Chelan-Douglas Health District are also available.