Little Giant Fire Update - Thursday, August 20, 2026 - Lake Chelan News and Information

Virtual Community Meeting Tonight, 6:30 p.m.

information released; InciWeb photo

There will be a virtual community meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m. 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:

Cloud cover moderated fire activity yesterday, while hotter, drier, and unstable conditions will increase fire activity today and tomorrow. Firefighters will remain vigilant during these heads-up weather conditions the next two days as they prepare for the predicted increased fire behavior. Northwest Team 12 took command of the Sisi and Agnes Fires (two small fires west of Stehekin) at 7 AM today. Helicopters and water scoopers worked to drop water on the Little Giant Fire throughout the day, and one heavy helicopter assisted with water bucket drops on a new fire near Winthrop yesterday.

In the Chiwawa drainage, heavy mop-up and chipping operations continued from Twin Lakes to Chiwawa River Road. Secondary fireline construction on Pole Ridge Road and near Dirtyface Lake continued. On the east side of the Chiwawa River, firefighters continued to successfully hold the Chiwawa River Road and made slow, deliberate progress with strategic firing operations along primary containment lines near Alder Creek Road. Structure protection groups in Alder Creek and Burgess Mountain remain active to protect homes.

In the Entiat drainage, crews continued protecting structures as they methodically locate and extinguish isolated heat pockets farther up the drainage. Masticators and crews continue clearing fuels along the dozer line extending south from the fire’s western flank, where the fireline continues to hold. On the east side of the Entiat River, firefighters made careful progress with limited strategic firing operations along the dozer line at the end of Forest Service Road 310 to remove fuels between the active fire edge and the containment line to strengthen control lines.

Contingency lines on the north shore of Lake Chelan are complete, freeing additional resources to work on the numerous contingency lines throughout the southeastern portion of the fire. The specialized Wildland Fire Modules working in Lucerne are nearing completion of their structure protection work and will remain in the area to patrol the northern end of the fire along the south shore of Lake Chelan.

Closures and Safety: 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. If you fly, we can’t.

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.

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 79-86 degrees today with southwest winds 4-8 mph this afternoon, gusting to 12 mph on ridges. 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.