Horse Lake Road closes out of concerns for wildfires
Out of concern for potential new wildfires and limited firefighting resources, Chelan County has closed Horse Lake Road in Wenatchee, which leads to the popular Horse Lake Reserve.
The closure, which starts at the gate on the dirt portion of the road, comes at the request of the Wenatchee Valley Fire Department and the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust and with the support of the Chelan County fire marshal.
Eric Pierson, Chelan County Public Works director and county engineer, said people should be prepared for the road to be closed for several weeks.
“We will close the road today (Aug. 18) and open it back up when conditions allow,” Pierson said. “Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to put a hard date on reopening, but we will make those decisions after future discussions with the fire department and land trust.”
Chelan County code allows the Board of County Commissioners to close a roadway if extreme hazardous conditions exist or there are concerns for public safety. Areas around Horse Lake Road are extremely dry and the vicinity is vulnerable to wildfire, according to the resolution commissioners signed today.
The National Interagency Fire Center has declared a Level 5 Preparedness across the nation, which means national firefighting resources are dedicated to major wildfires burning throughout the country. In Washington, three large wildfires are now burning a combined 428,000 acres.
Chelan County currently has one of the largest wildfires in the state. The Little Giant Fire was reported at nearly 136,000 acres and 10 percent contained as of Tuesday morning.
Last Updated: 08/18/2026 11:27 AM
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