Wildfires threaten North Cascades and Chelan County structures

Wildfires are causing significant damage and forcing evacuations across Washington state. In Chelan County, the Little Giant Fire has expanded to approximately 111,428 acres with 2% containment. The blaze grew by about 35,000 acres in just three days, producing smoke columns reaching elevations of 20,000 feet. The expansion has triggered Level 3, 2, and 1 evacuation notices in the Entiat Valley, including areas along Entiat River Road.

In the North Cascades, two uncontained wildfires are threatening historic structures. The Luna Fire, caused by lightning, has grown to 3,583 acres and remains 0% contained. Meanwhile, the Border 2 Fire has reached an estimated 6,983 acres and is moving south along Little Jackass Mountain.

To protect vulnerable sites, firefighters are using aluminized structure wrap, a heavy-duty material designed to reflect up to 96% of intense radiant heat and block falling embers. This technique has been deployed on historic cabins in the Hozomeen area to shield them from the advancing flames.