Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that the Chelan Hills Fire has spread to between 15,000 and 20,000 acres, according to KIRO 7 News. As of July 5, the fire is actively burning in Douglas County, Washington, near Orondo and the Chelan Hills area. The blaze is burning in grass, timber, and ponderosa pine fuels west of U.S. Highway 97, south of Beebe Bridge,” according to IQAir.
Rapid fire growth, dry vegetation, and windy conditions triggered a large emergency response. Evacuation orders remain at Level 3, the highest level, KIRO 7 News reported. Everyone is urged to leave the area.
You can see the Chelan Hills Fire map here.
Check out a map of evacuation orders here.
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Washington Governor Bob Ferguson wrote on Facebook, “My thoughts are with the people impacted by the Chelan Hills Fire, and the firefighters working to contain the blaze. If you’re in the area, please follow evacuation orders and any directions from emergency personnel.”
The fire, burning near the intersection of US 97 and Chelan Hills Acres Road in Orondo, has burned at least a dozen homes and buildings, the sheriff said. No injuries or deaths have been reported. An evacuation shelter has been set up at Chelan Elementary School, which is located at 324 East Johnson Avenue.
Affected areas, containment status, evacuation orders, and videos
The cities and areas affected by the Chelan Hills Fire include the Beebe Bridge area, the Box Canyon Road area, Chelan Hills, Orondo, and the U.S. Highway 97 corridor, according to IQAir. As of July 5, the blaze has burned approximately 9,211 acres.
An official containment percentage has yet to be reported. Firefighters are battling the blaze using engines, hand crews, bulldozers, and aircraft where conditions allow.
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Level 3 (GO) evacuation orders remain in effect for portions of the Chelan Hills area in Douglas County. There are additional Level 2 (SET) evacuation warnings in place for Orondo and nearby communities. Meanwhile, a Red Cross evacuation shelter has been established at the Community Gym, 310 E. Johnson Ave., Chelan. U.S. Highway 97 remains closed between mileposts 232 and 235 due to fire activity.
Video of the fire and smoke have surfaced on X.
“Some footage of the fire near Chelan Washington earlier today,” one video is captioned.
Another footage is captioned, “Footage of fire near Chelan”.
