Wildfire Updates and Trail Closures: Lake Chelan Area

It's been a busy weekend for wildfires with the Wolverine Creek blaze growing substantially in the Lake Chelan area, reaching roughly 16,000 acres in size. Coupled with the nearby Blankenship Fire, there are a number of trail closures and evacuations currently in place. Here's the latest on current wildfires and closures in the area:

Wolverine Creek Fire

Update as of August 5, 2015 at 9:00am: The Wolverine Creek Fire continues to grow and has now burned a total of 25,640 acres. The Shady Pass Road (5900) is now closed from the junction with Slide Ridge Road up to Entiat River Road to allow firefighting equipment access. Snowberry Campground is still open at this time.

The Wolverine Creek Fire has grown considerably over the weekend and is now affecting additional trails and camping areas. The lightning-caused fire has now burned roughly 16,000 acres and has over 200 personnel fighting the flames. The following closures and evacuations are in place for the area:

• The Pacific Crest Trail from Suiattle Pass to Stehekin River and the detour through Holden are currently closed. Due to rapidly changing fire conditions, this area is unsafe to hike in and should be avoided if possible. Hikers heading north will be rerouted out on the Suiattle River Trail to the Suiattle River Road. Hikers can catch a ride there up to Rainy Pass to reconnect with the PCT at that point.
• The Pacific Crest Trail detour southbound into Stehekin at Harlequin Bridge is closed. Hikers heading into the area will need to backtrack or take the Lady of the Lake into Chelan. Additional trail closures in this area are expected as conditions worsen. For current trail closures please contact the National Park Service office in Stehekin or the Forest Service office in Chelan.
• Level 3 evacuations are currently in effect for Holden Village, Lucerne, Riddle and Lightning Creek. The Domke Lake, Lucerne and Refrigerator Harbor campgrounds are all closed until further notice due to fire conditions.
• The Domke Lake, Emerald Park, Agnes Creek, Copper Creek, Holden Lake and Ten Mile trails are within the fire area and are closed. Please avoid this area as the fire continues to shift and grow.

The Wolverine Creek Fire as seen from the air. Photo by InciWeb.

Blankenship Fire

The Blankenship Fire is still burning in the Agnes Creek area. The PCT north of Suiattle Pass is currently closed and rerouted, but the Wolverine Creek Fire has now closed the reroute as well. See the information above for rerouting in this area.

Tracking Fires

During fire season you can use our Hike Finder Map to track fire locations. Just click the USFS Fires button in the upper-right to toggle fire borders.

Use the Hike Finder Map to show fire locations.

Another resource for wildfire information is InciWeb, which shows all active wildfires currently in Washington with details on any closures.

Staying safe

Hiking in wildfire season can be unpredictable, so knowing what to do in the event that a fire crops up near you will help keep you safe. As always, we recommend picking hikes that are far away from any current fires due to their unpredictable nature, and it may help to review these tips before you head out.