Chelan Hills fire 80% contained, evacuations lifted

ORONDO, Wash. — FINAL UPDATE 8/3/18: The fire is now 100 percent contained.

UPDATE 8/1/18: The Chelan Hills Fire is now 97 percent contained.

UPDATE 7/30/18 7:00 AM: The fire is now 87% contained. It’s still mapped at 1,842 acres and 259 people are working on it.

There are no road closures or evacuations at this time.

UPDATE 7/29/18 2:00 PM:

All evacuation orders have been relaxed to level 1. The fire is 1,842 acres, 40% contained and no longer growing in size. 135 firefighters are currently fighting the blaze.

UPDATE 7/27/18 10:00 PM:

Officials in Douglas County say the Chelan Hills fire has now burned about 1200 acres.

Mandatory level 3 evacuation notices are currently in place for the Chelan Hills area, residents there should leave their homes immediately.

The Red Cross has set up an emergency shelter for those displaced by the fire at the Orondo School

Level 2 evacuation notices are in place for residents of the McNeil Canyon and Beebe Rance area, people in that area should be ready to leave their home at a moment’s notice.

Meanwhile those in the Beebe Park and Lone Pine area are under level one evacuation notices.

Fire officials say winds in the area are creating challenges as they try to get the fire under control.

Smoke and flames in the area have also shut down Highway 97 from Bebee Bridge to Orondo. Those who need to travel through the area are advices to use State Route 97A as an alternate route.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Fire control teams in Douglas County were deployed to cover two brush fires Friday afternoon.

A fire near Farnham canyon off Highway 97 caused a statewide mobilization and calls for residents to evacuate the area. Level 3 and Level 2 evacuation notices have been ordered for homes in the area.

The fire burned through grass and sagebrush; contacting one home causing it to ignite.

Douglas County deputies were sent to rescue children from a nearby house who were home alone.

A second fire was reported which caused a highway closure near Highway 172’s intersection with road M.

In total, six aircraft were deployed to assist ground resources.

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