Fire 100% Contained – In Mop-Up Mode Now
By LakeChelanNow, Photos courtesy Jimmy Martin & DeAnn Kruiswyk
Fire Update: 11:30 a.m., 8/4/18
Crews continued to mop up and solidify containment lines on Friday. Smoke and interior heat can be expected, however, aggressive winds tested the fire and the containment lines held. A strike team will be in the area but the fire officially went to patrol status. Management of the fire has been transferred to the local Washington DNR district.
Fire Update: 8:00 a.m., 8/3/18
Fire officials report a slight downgrade in number of acres today on the Navarre Coulee Fire due to improved mapping. It is now estimated at 151 acres with 85% containment.
Overnight a debris pile kicked up, causing concerns about a new fire in the area. The flare-up was contained within the original lines, and extinguished by local fire department resources. The containment lines remain strong, and crews will continue to strengthen the lines and look for any hot spots that could flare up in this extreme fire weather.
Fire Update: 8:00 p.m., 8/1/18
LakeChelanNow stopped by the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center headquarters at Entiat to get some good news. Although the Navarre Coulee fire has grown to approximately 130 acres, Gary Jennings, Deputy Incident Command Commander indicated they are pleased with the overnight progress.
“There is a containment line established which held during the day,” Jennings said. “The goal tonight is to reinforce the perimeter and hold the containment line.”
High heat and winds are not helping, but the strategic deployment is in place and crews are in place for containment reinforcement through the night.
Listen to an Interview with the Deputy Incident Commander
Fire Update: 2:00 p.m., 8/2/18
Officials report the Navarre Coulee fire is currently at 165 acres, with 85% containment.
Northwest Interagency Incident Managment Team 11 took command of the Navarre Fire at 4 pm yesterday. Crews assisted local agencies on initial attack and built containment lines effectively yesterday. Fire crews spent the night shoring up the containment lines. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Fire Update: 10:15 a.m., 8/1/18
Fire crews are transitioning into DNR Incident Command on the Navarre Coulee fire. The fire is currently reported at 50 acres, with crews spending the night preparing and strengthening lines. No homes have been lost to this point, although several have been threatened. Chelan Co. Fire Dist 8 Fire Chief Mike Asher stated that 4 outbuildings burned to the ground – storage units and a chicken coop or animal outbuilding, a boat and construction debris.
Fire Update: 8:00 a.m., 8/1/18
Information Provided by Chelan Fire & Rescue
Chelan Fire and Rescue responded Auto-Aid with Chelan County Fire District 8 to a reported smoke investigation in the area of 6710 Navarre Coulee Road. The smoke investigation was up-graded to a brush fire near a residential house and other out buildings. The first unit on scene reported a working brush fire near structures and that the fire had spotted across SR971 mid-slop. Both fires were wind driven.
A second alarm was requested and CWICC was notified bring additional resources from neighboring department, USFS, DNR, BLM and the State Mobile Strike Team that was staged in Entiat for the Cougar Creek Fire. Jurisdiction established a Unified Command while ground resources were engaging both fire fronts. Navarre Coulee was closed to emergency access only and a Level three evacuation was issued for those homes on the north side of Navarre Coulee between the fire and SR 97A.
Level one evacuation notice were issued to those homes on Knapp Coulee. The fire was turned over to DNR this morning and is still consider an active fire. Most local fire resources involved in the Initial fire attack have been released and returned to their district for some much need rest while DNR and strike Team resources have taken up their positions.
Fire Update: 6:30 a.m., 8/1/18
Fire Officials report the Navaree Coulee fire burned through the night but is not actively growing. No structures have been lost at this point.
DNR took over the fire at 5 a.m. this morning and have requested aerial support today along with two strike teams.
Navaree Coulee is still closed to traffic on both ends and level 2 and level 3 evacuations are in place. Sheriff deputies have gone door to door to inform residents of their evacuation notice.
Fire Update: 10:45 p.m., 7/31/18
Chelan Fire & Rescue confirms that Level 3 evacuation notices have been issued for the 6300 block of Navarre Coulee to Hwy 97-A. Officials are going door to door and the Red Cross has been asked to provide emergency accommodations for evacuees.
Initial Fire Report: 9:15 p.m., 7/31/18
A fire was reported around 9:00 p.m. in Navarre Coulee near Lake Chelan. There are Level 2 evacuations in place in the 6700 block of Navarre Coulee, and deputies are moving door to door to notify Level 3 evacuees. Navarre Coulee is closed to traffic on both ends, please yield to emergency vehicles.
The photo was submitted by Jimmy Martin, who took this in Navarre Coulee near Mile Marker 6.
There are not currently evacuations at the State Park or First Creek. While the Lake Chelan Valley is very smoky at this time, it is likely due to shifting winds and smoke from existing fires in the Entiat Valley.
We will update this story as we have more information.
