Scattered showers aid response on Little Giant, Sisi Fires

LEAVENWORTH — Fire officials said scattered rain showers over Wednesday moderated fire activity over several areas of the Little Giant and Sisi fires. More rain in the forecast is expected to help firefighters strengthen established containment lines.

As of Sept. 3, Little Giant is holding at around 170,000 acres, with containment jumping from 51% to 65% between Wednesday and Thursday’s updates. The Sisi Fire, 10 miles northwest of Stehekin, has remained at 2,244 acres. Containment jumped from 0% to 5%.

Protecting communities and developed areas west of Lake Chelan has continued to be a focus on the Little Giant Fire, with crews, aircraft and dozers working to hold fire growth and increase containment. Officials said crews successfully stopped forward progress on multiple spot fires along the southeastern perimeter on Wednesday.

Thursday, firefighters will focus on strengthening the primary control line ahead of a pocket of unburned fuel between Stormy and Baldy Mountains. Firefighters are also continuing to prioritize holding the fire west of Devil’s Backbone Ridge.

In the western perimeter, near Trinity, fire activity moderated and is expected to back into a natural containment feature, said officials. Crews completed prep work from Phelps Road to Chipmunk Creek over Wednesday. Crews at Twin Lakes also finished their spike-out operation, where they constructed direct handline to hold the fire east of the lake. 

Fire activity has also moderated south in Cougar Creek, where the fire is holding above Mad River. Tyee Mountain, Alder Creek, and areas east of the Chiwawa River remain in patrol status. Crews continue removing fire‑weakened trees and snags along Chiwawa River Road to protect both firefighters and the public. This project may take a week or more to complete, according to officials.

The northern perimeter of the fire, near Cardinal Peak and Pomas, has shown minimal growth as well, particularly in previously burned areas and along inaccessible natural features.

On the Sisi Fire, some heat pockets were identified Wednesday in the areas where the fire advanced toward the Cabin Creek and Moon Creek drains, as well as along Heather Ridge and Sisi Ridge. Rock terrain and fuel shortages continue to limit the movement of the fire in the southern part of the fire.

Ground crews continue working on structure protection in Stehekin Valley, and approximately 85% of the planned preparation work has already been completed.

Officials said operational priorities may change due to ongoing wet and rainy conditions. However, no significant concerns related to mud and debris flows in the area have been identified.  

In Stehekin, an increase in personnel and firefighting equipment is expected. Residents and visitors are advised to exercise caution when traveling through the community roads, due to the expected increased traffic.

Current evacuation orders for the area can be found on the Chelan County Emergency Incidents Map. Residents can also sign up to receive direct evacuation notifications via the Everbridge Emergency Alert Program.

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has issued a closure order for the Little Giant Fire Area, spanning the Wenatchee River, Entiat and Chelan Ranger Districts. A forest-wide campfire ban is also in place. The North Cascades National Park issued a closure for portions of the Pacific Crest Trail (Agnes Creek Trail) as well as other trails and a cross-country zone. 

A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in effect over the fire area. Unauthorized drone activity is prohibited under this TFR, as firefighting helicopters and aircraft cannot fly when drones are present.

The incident management team is asking people to stay near the shore and clear of firefighting aircraft scooping water from area lakes and rivers.

The lightning-caused fire started July 15 in the upper Chiwawa River drainage of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, about 20-30 miles northwest of Leavenworth. It is burning near the communities of Plain and Chelan, near Lake Wenatchee, and along the Lake Chelan shoreline. The Sisi Fire was also started by lightning Aug. 14.

Smoke information is available on the daily smoke outlook and WASmoke Blog. Air quality alerts, tips to protect from smoke impacts, and additional resources from Chelan-Douglas Health District are also available.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media