Smoke will be visible in the forest as crews are doing spring prescribed burning

information released; USDA Forest Service photo by Josh Verellen — Smoke from a prescribed burn east of Ardenvoir, WA, on March 3, 2026

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest is planning prescribed fire operations across approximately 6,046 acres on the national forest this spring, pending all required approvals.

Prescribed burning operations began a little earlier this year due to less snowpack at lower elevations. Piles of forest debris and a few underburn units were ignited in February and early March, with plans to begin additional burning across the national forest as soon next week.

We use prescribed fires to help reduce overgrown vegetation to help protect local communities, infrastructure and natural resources from wildfires.

For prescribed fire maps and updates, check the forest website and forest Facebook page.

Though the smoke impacts from prescribed fire are minimal and short-lived compared to those caused by wildfire, those who are sensitive to wildfire smoke should be prepared to take similar precautions for a prescribed fire in their area:

Prescribed burning operations, consisting of mainly underburning projects with some hand pile units, are planned in the following locations across the forest.

Okanogan County: (874 acres of underburning on the Methow Valley Ranger District) 

  • Nickel Canyon underburn – 54 acres in the Libby Creek Drainage 5 miles west of Carlton, WA
  • Upper Rendezvous underburn – 220 acres in the Cub Creek Drainage 7 miles northwest of Winthrop, WA
  • Mission Creek underburn – 50 acres in the Libby Creek Drainage 5 miles west of Carlton, WA
  • Elderberry underburn – 200 acres in the Libby Creek Drainage 5 miles west of Carlton, WA
  • Hornet Draw underburn – 350 acres in the Libby Creek Drainage 5 miles west of Carlton, WA

Smoke will be Visible from Winthrop, Twisp and Carlton, WA for the burns in Libby Creek. For the Upper Rendezvous burn, smoke will be visible from Mazama and Winthrop, WA.

Chelan County: (3,847 underburn acres on the Chelan, Entiat, and Wenatchee River Ranger Districts)

  • EPZ 679 underburn – 697 acres in Morical Canyon, 7 miles northwest of Entiat, WA
    • Approximately 300 acres were completed in this unit on March 3, 2026.
  • EPZ 589 underburn – 589 acres in the Mud Creek drainage, 11 miles northwest of Entiat, WA
  • EPZ 585 underburn – 585 acres in the Mud Creek drainage 9.5 miles northwest of Entiat, WA
  • EPZ 130 underburn – 130 acres in North Fork Potato Creek 13.5 miles northwest of Entiat, WA
  • EPZ 175 underburn – 175 acres in Johnson Creek drainage, 10.5 miles north of Entiat, WA

Smoke from these burns may be visible from the communities of Entiat, Ardenvoir, Manson, and Chelan.

  • Bear Mountain underburn – 329 acres near Navarre Coulee, approx. 8 miles west of Chelan, WA
  • Washington Creek underburn – 150 acres, located 8.5 miles north of Chelan, WA
  • Echo Ridge underburn – 162 acres, located 7 miles north of Chelan, WA

Smoke from these burns will be visible from Manson and Chelan.

  • Martin Ranch underburn – 1,030 acres located in the Mission Creek drainage near Horse Lake Mountain and Number 2 Canyon, about 4 miles west of Wenatchee and 10 miles south of Cashmere, WA
    • There may be short duration impacts to some trails while burning operations occur.

Smoke will be visible from Wenatchee, WA. Number 2 Canyon residents may experience some smoke impacts during these operations.

Kittitas County: (725 underburn acres on the Cle Elum Ranger District)

  • Liberty units – 250 acres 2 miles east of Highway 97 and directly south of Liberty, WA
Smoke will be visible in the Highway 97 corridor and Liberty community area.
  • Walter Springs units – 475 acres located 11 miles south of Cle Elum, WA

Smoke may be visible within the surrounding area.

Yakima County: (600 acres of prescribed burning on the Naches Ranger District)

  • Canteen Underburn Project – 500 acres, located near Nile, WA off the Bald Mountain Road in the Highway 410 corridor

Smoke will be visible from Nile, Cliffdell, Tieton, Naches, and surrounding communities.

  • Little Naches Underburn Project – 100 acres, located off the Little Naches Road in the Highway 410 corridor near Cliffdell, WA

Smoke may be visible from Cliffdell.

The right conditions for prescribed fire include correct temperature, wind, fuel moisture, and ventilation for smoke. When these criteria are met, firefighters implement, monitor, and patrol each burn to ensure it meets forest health and public safety objectives while following air quality standards. All Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest prescribed burns are weather and prescription dependent and fire specialists will cease burning if objectives are not being met. Some units may not be burned this spring if the correct conditions aren’t available for burning.

About the Forest Service:

The USDA Forest Service has for more than 100 years brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology– and rooted in communities–the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.