FIRE AND AIR QUALITY REPORT: Sept. 23, 2025

An aerial photo of the Lower Sugarloaf Fire, now the largest active blaze in Washington. The fire grew around 8,000 acres since Thursday and is now sitting at around 28,000 acres as of Monday. The fire is located north of Wenatchee in the Entiat mountains.
COURTESY PHOTO/INCIWEB/JACOB GEAR

by NANCE BESTON
Staff Writer | September 23, 2025 2:35 AM

MOSES LAKE – The fires below have burned nearly 130,000 acres combined across Washington as of Monday afternoon. This is around 20,000 acres more than Thursday.

Fires that showed a lot of growth over the weekend include the Lower Sugarloaf Fire, which grew around 8,000 acres over the weekend, making it the largest fire in the state. The growth caused the Rattlesnake Fire to become the second-largest inferno in the state. The Bear Gulch Fire has also grown by around 3,000 acres since Thursday. This blaze is the third largest in the state.

These fires were causing air quality concerns regionally.

Three largest fires:

Lower Sugarloaf Fire: 28,387 acres. 22% contained. Chelan County. Started Sept. 1. Lightning-caused.

Rattlesnake Fire: 21,845 acres. 93% contained. Lincoln County. Started Sept. 2. Undetermined cause.

Bear Gulch Fire: 19,092 acres. 9% contained. Mason County. Started July 6. Human-caused.

Other fires:

Crown Creek Fire: 14,192 acres. 78% containment. Stevens County. Started Aug. 29. Lightning-caused.

Hawk Creek Fire: 186 acres. 25% contained. Lincoln County. Started Sept. 20. Unknown cause.

Katy Creek Fire: 4,674 acres. 56% contained. Stevens County. Started Aug. 30. Lightning-caused.

Labor Mountain Fire: 11,679 acres. 7% contained. Kittitas County. Started Sept. 1. Lightning-caused.

Lynx Mountain Fire: 8,785 acres. 44% contained. Ferry County. Started Sept. 2. Under investigation.

Martin Fire: 188 acres. 30% contained. Chelan County. Started Aug. 27. Under investigation.

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

Pomas Fire: 3,533 acres. 30% contained. Chelan County. Started June 13. Lightning-caused.

Red Mountain Fire: 85 acres. No containment. Snohomish County. Started Aug. 28. Unknown cause.

Snow Peak Fire: 904 acres. No containment. Stevens County. Started Sept. 1. Lightning caused.

Tacoma Creek Fire: 3,951 acres. 75% contained. Stevens and Pend Oreille counties. Started Sept. 1. Under investigation.

Tunnel Creek Fire: 515 acres. No containment. Jefferson County. Started Sept. 6. Unknown cause.

Wildcat Fire: 9,348 acres. 7% contained. Yakima County. Started Aug. 25. Under investigation.

Air quality:

The air quality index number decides air quality labels. 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 – Monday: moderate, 68 Air Quality Index. Tuesday: moderate. Wednesday: moderate. Thursday: moderate. Friday: moderate.

Moses Lake – Monday: moderate, 64 Air Quality Index. Tuesday: moderate. Wednesday: moderate. Thursday: moderate. Friday: moderate.

Othello – Monday: good, 42 Air Quality Index. Tuesday: moderate. Wednesday: good. Thursday: good. Friday: moderate.

Quincy – Monday: moderate, 68 Air Quality Index. Tuesday: moderate. Wednesday: moderate. Thursday: moderate. Friday: moderate.

Ritzville – Monday: good 49 Air Quality Index. Tuesday: moderate. Wednesday: good. Thursday: moderate. Friday: moderate.