High Level Type 1 Team Back in Charge at the Twentyfive Mile Fire at Lake Chelan

The Twentyfive Mile Fire at Lake Chelan is back under the watch of a high level Type 1 team after being handled by a lower level team in recent days.

Commander Randy Johnson with the new team says the fire has been actively burning in some areas, but is not currently threatening any homes or buildings.

"This Fire, the operational tempo we're going to have, we want to match what the fire is telling us it needs," said Johnson. "So, we'll engage where appropriate, when appropriate and take advantage of the opportunities that we have with the fuels and the weather and the topography."

Johnson says conditions are making the Twentyfive Mile Fire progressively more manageable for crews to handle, although the outbreak of wildfires in the west this summer is putting a strain on resources.

"We have the resources we have," said Johnson. "We continue to order resources as we see the need, but understanding that there's a pretty tight squeeze on available resources right now."

Investigators are still trying to find out how the Twentyfive Mile Fire started. Almost 500 personnel are working on the blaze, which is 37 percent contained as of Thursday afternoon. Roughly 680 homes could be affected by the fire. One structure has been lost.

All evacuations notices are at the least serious Level 1 (Be Ready) condition. They include: All properties along South Lakeshore Road (from just north of Lake Chelan State Park to the end of the roadway), First Creek Road and Granite Falls Road.

South Lakeshore Road is open to Fields Point Landing, but travel in the area is being discouraged because of heavy fire traffic.

Some National Forest System lands in the vicinity of the Twenty-five Mile Creek Fire are closed. Campfires are currently prohibited throughout the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.