Little Giant Update: Threat Grows For Stehekin On Lake Chelan

The Little Giant Fire in Chelan County was buffeted on Saturday with strong winds, thunderstorms, and lightning strikes that produced several small fires north of Manson on Lake Chelan.

Concerns are growing over the threat to Stehekin from the 800-acre Sisi fire in the Glacier Peak Wilderness, according to Watch Duty.

The Sisi fire was reported August 14th and is burning 8 miles northwest of Stehekin, in remote, steep, and rugged terrain. It is now threatening historic heritage sites, the Pacific Crest Trail, natural and cultural resources, private land and infrastructure at the Stehekin State Airport, the Company Creek Hydro Power Plant, and outdoor recreation in the area.

The Saturday thunderstorms pushed the fire activity, and a helicopter helped slow the spread of the fire. Crews are now installing sprinkler systems around structures, clearing excess vegetation along Stehekin River Road, and improving protection lines around Stehekin.

Sisi Fire shown to the left and proximity to Stehekin at the north end of Lake Chelan is shown at the right. Map: Inciweb

New Management Team For Little Giant Fire

The California Interagency Incident Management Team 5 (CIIMT5) is now under command of the Little Giant Fire. Storms produced just light rain, which had little impact on the Little Giant, listed at 144,800 acres with 15% containment as of Sunday. Gusty winds reached up to 40 miles per hour on Saturday, which increased the fire's activity. Helicopters slowed the fire's spread toward the Twin Lakes area, Stormy Creek, and near Maverick Peak.

In the Entiat drainage, firefighters held the fire at Tyee Ridge Road and within its footprint for several days. Firefighters are looking for hot spots and doing mop work around structures in the Entiat Valley up to the Cottonwood Guard Station.

The result has been significant changes to evacuation levels in the Entiat Valley. Level 3 evacuation notices on Entiat River Road have been reduced to level 2. The level 1 alert has been removed. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) is asking non-residents to stay out of the area. The Forest Service roads in the area remain closed, including Entiat River Road beyond the Sno Park. CCSO cautions evacuation notices can change at any time

The Little Giant was listed at 144,800 acres with 15% containment as of Sunday. It is now the largest fire ever in Chelan County, according to the state Department of Natural Resources, topping the Tyee Creek Fire in 1994 that consumed 135,000 acres in the Entiat Valley.

A virtual community meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 24, at 6:30 pm.

SEE THE INTERACTIVE EVACUATION MAP

A virtual community meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 24, at 6:30 pm. The public is encouraged to submit questions in advance by emailing;

2026.littlegiant@firenet.gov with the subject line: Community Meeting.

WATCH: Little Giant Fire Briefing Sunday, August 23rd

New Lightning Strikes

The Robison Fire was reported Sunday morning on Lake Chelan and went to a third alarm, threatening homes on Robison Lane at the end of South Lakeshore Road. Crews stopped the advancing flames in trees and brush down to the lake, where the fire burned into previously blackened areas.

The Kinsey Fire in grass and brush near Upper Joe Creek Road and Kinsey Road in Manson was contained at 12 acres on Saturday. Additional lightning-sparked blazes were reported north of Manson and were under an acre, and the largest of the four is the slow-creeping Brown Fire, 12 miles northeast of Chelan, listed at 5 acres.

Okanogan County Fires: Sinlahekin and Kaiser Canyon