Emergency Management
Resources
The Emergency Incidents Map allows people living in Chelan County to type in their addresses to see if they are under an evacuation level.
Rely on InciWeb for larger wildfires. Here you will find information such as how large a fire is and how much of it is contained.
WildCAD: Central Washington Interagency Communications Center
WildCAD lists recent incidents. It provides minimal information but is updated regularly.
Active Emergencies
Pioneer Fire: On Lake Chelan's upper north shore
Updated 9:30 p.m. on July 24, 2024: Boat departures added
Date of origin: June 8, 2024
Cause: Unknown
Location: 10 miles southeast of Stehekin
Number of personnel: 776
Acres: 30,352
Containment: 14%
Evacuation Levels, going down lake:
- Level 2: Extends through the Stehekin Valley, including the Stehekin Landing to High Bridge. Visitors must leave now.
- Level 3: From Hazard Creek to Safety Harbor (Get out now!)
- Level 2: From Safety Harbor to Camas Creek
- Level 1: From Camas Creek to Mitchell Creek
- Evacuation routes and established areas of refuge
Go to the Chelan County Emergency Incidents Map to view evacuation levels.
Level 1 means there is a fire advisory, be alert and monitor resources.
Level 2 means be prepared to leave the area in an emergency.
Level 3 means get out now!
Boat schedule for July 25 evacuations:
The Lake Chelan Boat Company will have transportation leaving Stehekin from the landing at its normal scheduled times on July 25:
Express - 12:30 p.m. departure
Liberty - 3:30 p.m. departure
The Stehekin Ferry will continue to operate at normal hours for now, leaving Stehekin dock at 10:40 am.
Notice from Emergency Management to Stehekin Community (posted July 24, 2024):
Chelan County Emergency Management has issued a Level 2 evacuation notice for the community of Stehekin, from Hazard Creek through the Stehekin Valley, including the Stehekin landing and west to High Bridge. The Level 2 goes into effect at 8 a.m. on Thursday, July 25.
A Level 2 evacuation means no tourism-related visitors will be ferried into Stehekin. The ferrying of goods and services, such as mail and supplies, will continue unless otherwise determined to be unsafe by those contractors.
We are requiring the following groups to leave Stehekin now:
- All tourism-related visitors
- All campers and hikers
Emergency Management and the Chelan County Sheriff’s office will be staged in Stehekin. Because of firefighting efforts, it is vital the above groups leave Stehekin under the Level 2 order.
We will post the boat schedule as soon as we have it. (See above.) We will also send a follow-up email with the times to be at the landing for transportation out of Stehekin.
Parking is extremely limited at the landing; the space is needed for fire equipment and emergency personnel. Please use the recommended parking area at the airfield. Shuttle buses running along Stehekin Valley Road will provide transport to the landing.
Areas of Refuge, with shuttle service, have also been established at the Stehekin Ranch, airfield, Buckner Orchard and Stehekin bakery. See the evacuation locations and routes.
For residents and property owners, we strongly advise you begin to prepare to leave at a moment’s notice. Have your valuables packed and an exit strategy to the airfield. In the event of a Level 3 evacuation, we typically go door-to-door, advising people to leave. However, in an emerging situation, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to reach you.
Residents can find fire information on the fire information board at the Stehekin landing. A public Information Officer (PIO) is stationed in Stehekin and is available to answer questions. PIOs visit local businesses daily to provide current updates. A PIO can provide visitors with information to assist with their plans to leave the area.
Sources of updates on this fire:
- Pioneer Fire Information Facebook page
- InciWeb fire page
- Chelan County Emergency Incidents Map for evacuations
- Pacific Crest Trail Closures & Updates
- Pioneer Fire Information: A collection of links for updates, including newsletter signup and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest alerts and closures
- A message from the Chelan County Sheriff's Office
Evacuation Protocols
Ready. Set. Go! It's wildfire season in Chelan County. Do you know the evacuation levels, and what you should be doing at each level? Sgt. Jason Reinfeld of the Chelan County Sheriff's Office and Emergency Management talks about what you can expect if you are in an evacuation area this wildfire season. He also talks about tools you can use to stay updated on evacuations. Watch the Youtube video here.
Be Prepared!
With its topography and location, Chelan County can be subjected to many types of disasters, from wildfires and mudslides to flash floods and snowstorms. While we hope such occurrences never happen, we know that being prepared for a disaster may save lives when minutes count.
Take the time to make an evacuation plan, build a preparedness kit that suits your family and pets, and learn what sources to go to monitor an evolving situation. Here are some tools to help you get started:
| Evacuation Guide | Guía de Evacuación |
| Be Prepared Checklist | Lista de Verificación de estar Preparado |
| Flooding After a Fire | Inundaciones después de un incendio |
Posted: 07/06/2024 11:03 AM
Last Updated: 07/25/2024 10:18 AM