VIDEO: Residents in Chelan County have been ordered to evacuate as the state’s largest wildfire, the Lower Sugarloaf Fire, continues to grow.
Chelan County Emergency Management issued a Level 3 “go now” evacuation order over the weekend for areas along Roaring Creek Road and Entiat River Road. The Warehouse Community Church in Entiat has been opened as a Red Cross shelter for displaced residents.
The fire, located about 40 miles northeast of Leavenworth, has burned nearly 29,000 acres and is only 22% contained. Fire officials said the blaze expanded rapidly over the weekend and will likely face more challenges later this week.
“To try and contain a natural event, to try and stop a natural disaster is always a complex endeavor,” said Brian Lawatch, a spokesperson for the Lower Sugarloaf Fire.
Lawatch said fire crews are preparing for difficult conditions in the coming days. “The next couple days will provide us with some critical fire weather,” he said.
