FIRE REPORT: Sept. 19, 2025

Firefighters cross Lake Cushman to work on containing the Bear Gulch Fire Aug. 13. The fire has grown by around 6,000 acres since Monday and is sitting at nearly 17,000 acres as of Thursday.
COURTESY PHOTO/INCIWEB

by NANCE BESTON
Staff Writer | September 18, 2025 6:02 PM

MOSES LAKE – The fires below are burning nearly 111,000 acres across Washington as of Thursday afternoon. This is around 11,000 acres more than Monday.

The two fires that showed the most growth were the Lower Sugarloaf Fire, gaining around 3,000 acres since Monday. It remains as the second largest blaze in the state. The Bear Gulch Fire also showed growth of around 6,000 acres since Monday. The growth makes it the third largest fire in the state and bumps the Crown Creek Fire out of the largest three.

The blazes were causing air quality concerns regionally.

Three largest fires:

Rattlesnake Fire: 21,845 acres. 90% contained. Lincoln County. Started Sept. 2. Undetermined cause.

Lower Sugarloaf Fire: 20,098 acres. 20% contained. Chelan County. Started Sept. 1. Lightning-caused.

Bear Gulch Fire: 16,530 acres. 9% contained. Mason County. Started July 6. Human-caused.

Other fires:

Crown Creek Fire: 14,191 acres. 58% containment. Stevens County. Started Aug. 29. Lightning-caused.

Katy Creek Fire: 4,009 acres. 21% contained. Stevens County. Started Aug. 30. Lightning-caused.

Labor Mountain Fire: 5,978 acres. 7% contained. Kittitas County. Started Sept. 1. Lightning-caused.

Lynx Mountain Fire: 8,344 acres. 39% contained. Ferry County. Started Sept. 2. Under investigation.

Martin Fire: 188 acres. 5% contained. Chelan County. Started Aug. 27. Under investigation.

Perry Fire: 1,772 acres. 50% contained. Whatcom County. Started Aug. 27. Under investigation.

Pomas Fire: 3,519 acres. No containment. Chelan County. Started June 13. Lightning-caused.

Red Mountain Fire: 65 acres. No containment. Snohomish County. Started Aug. 28. Unknown cause.

Snow Peak Fire: 846 acres. No containment. Stevens County. Started Sept. 1. Lightning caused.

Sugar Fire: 96 acres. 75% contained. Okanogan County. Started Sept. 6. Unknown cause.

Tacoma Creek Fire: 3,930 acres. 65% contained. Stevens and Pend Oreille counties. Started Sept. 1. Under investigation.

Tunnel Creek Fire: 410 acres. No containment. Jefferson County. Started Sept. 6. Unknown cause.

Wildcat Fire: 8,709 acres. 8% contained. Yakima County. Started Aug. 25. Under investigation.

Air quality:

Air quality labels are decided by the air quality index number. Between zero and 50 is good, 51-100 is moderate, 101-150 is unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151-200 is unhealthy, 201-300 is very unhealthy and above 301 is hazardous. Ephrata – Thursday: moderate, 65 Air Quality Index. Friday: moderate. Saturday: moderate. Sunday: moderate. Monday: moderate.

Moses Lake – Thursday: moderate, 74 Air Quality Index. Friday: moderate. Saturday: moderate. Sunday: moderate. Monday: moderate.

Othello – Thursday: good, 48 Air Quality Index. Friday: moderate. Saturday: moderate. Sunday: moderate. Monday: good.

Quincy – Thursday: moderate, 65 Air Quality Index. Friday: moderate. Saturday: moderate. Sunday: moderate. Monday: moderate.

Ritzville – Thursday: good 39 Air Quality Index. Friday: moderate. Saturday: moderate. Sunday: moderate. Monday: good.

SOURCES: INCIWEB, WATCHDUTY, AIRNOW.