Local News

Some Firefighters Are Being Released From Sun Mountain Fire

Jul 16, 2013

The Entiat Hotshot Crew will be flown out of the Sun Mountain Fire at the end of their shift tonight. They will be returning home to rest-up and prepare for the next assignment. La Grande Hotshots will continue working to strengthen containment lines.

“There are at least a couple more days of work before the fire is ready to go into monitor status,” according to Incident Commander Inaki Baraibar.

Firefighters have been mopping up along the fireline; working in about 40 feet on the left flank and the portions of the right flank that are accessible to them. The three helicopters still assigned to Sun Mountain Fire are providing crew transport, making bucket drops and filling the portable tank used to support mop-up efforts.

The 35 acre fire is in the steep terrain of the Lake Chelan Sawtooth Wilderness; in the south fork of War Creek drainage, southwest of Winthrop, Washington. It is estimated to be 50% contained.

An area closure is in place to provide for public and firefighter safety. It begins at the confluence of War Creek and the South Fork War Creek and extends southwest following Black Ridge to Sun Mt, then following Chelan Crest from Sun Mt. to Battle Mt. continuing northeast along Snowshoe Ridge to the wilderness boundary, then north along the wilderness boundary back to the beginning. A map of the closure area is available online at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/3507.

Though the name may cause some confusion, Sun Mountain Lodge is not threatened by the fire, and is in fact separated from the fire by several miles of forest, rivers and ridgetops.