One fire blazing in WA

ENTIAT — The Pomas Fire, reported June 13, has rapidly grown to 910 acres in size as of Thursday. The fire is situated 36 miles northwest of Entiat, within the rugged Glacier Peak Wilderness, according to a report on Inciweb. There are no updates on containment as of Thursday.   

“This is an extreme(ly) tough piece of ground with all the dead and down timber from the 2015 Wolverine Fire and 10 years’ worth of thick regeneration,” said Holly Krake in a statement from Entiat-Chelan District Ranger for the Forest Service. “The smokejumpers and pilots are doing everything they safely can to keep fire from becoming established on the east side of the Entiat River and down in Snowbrushy Creek.”    

Firefighters are contending with challenging conditions as the blaze extends mid-slope at elevations exceeding 5,000 feet, fueled by heavy dead and down timber from the 2015 Wolverine Fire. 

In an effort to contain the fire, aerial operations have dropped over 377,000 gallons of water. 

Ground crews, including two hotshot teams and smokejumpers, are actively working to limit the fire's spread toward the Entiat River and ultimately protect nearby communities, according to a statement from Inciweb. The rugged terrain and persistent winds have complicated firefighting efforts. 

As air quality concerns mount, smoke from the fire is visible in the Holden Village and Lake Chelan areas. In response to the situation, the Entiat Ranger District has instituted closures in the Glacier Peak Wilderness for public safety, impacting several trails and access points.  

According to Airnow, the air quality in Grant County is good. 

    An aerial view of the smoke and flames from the Pomas Fire on Monday. The fire has no updates on containment as of Thursday.