Pasayten's Methow Valley Bulletin Board

Pomas Fire Update 07-14-2025
Pomas Fire 2025
Publication Type: News - 07/14/2025 - 09:43
The Pomas Fire continues to burn within the Entiat River drainage, remaining largely within the Glacier Peak Wilderness inside multiple previous fire scars. Firefighters face significant challenges accessing the fire due to the lack of road access and extremely steep and rugged terrain. More than 600 firefighters are actively engaged in a full suppression response to minimize the fire footprint and acres burned.

Current situation: Firefighters will face challenging wind conditions today with gusts up to 30 mph this afternoon on ridges and upper slopes. Firefighters are proactively scouting along Phelps Creek for opportunities to directly engage the fire should high winds drive it out of the Entiat drainage to the west. Helicopter managers located a safe landing site for potential firefighter insertion along the north side of the fire. Crews are also removing numerous hazard trees and overgrown vegetation in Holden Village as another proactive step. On the eastern portion of the fire, crews are staging water handling equipment and portable tanks along the dozer lines in the event they are needed to fight the fire. Crews and masticators are also working to remove dense brush and small trees along the Entiat River Road so firefighters can more safely engage the fire should it move down drainage.

Evacuations: A Level 1 Fire Advisory has been issued for Holden Village, including the Rio Tinto Mine water treatment plant; this advisory does not include Lucerne.

Closures: The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has a closure order in place for the Glacier Peak Wilderness along with associated trails, roads, and campgrounds due to the Pomas Fire. The fire is 12 air miles from the Pacific Crest Trail and currently poses no threat to that trail. There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in place over the fire. Unauthorized drone activity is prohibited under the TFR, as helicopters and aircraft cannot fly when drones are present.

Weather and Smoke conditions: There is a Red Flag Warning in place today for winds and low relative humidity at lower elevations from 1 to 11 PM. Temperatures will be cooler than yesterday, with breezy to gusty northwest to northeast winds forecasted for this afternoon and evening. Smoke may become more visible from nearby communities, including Entiat, Chelan, and Winthrop. Learn more about smoke at the Washington Smoke Blog.

Pomas Fire Update 07-10-2025
Pomas Fire 2025
Publication Type: News - 07/10/2025 - 15:28
Email: 2025.pomas@firenet.gov

Fire Information: 509-219-9543

Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-i ... -fire-2025

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Pomas-F ... 716655967/

Size: 3,333 acres

Incident start date: 06.13.2025

Cause: Lightning

Location: 36 miles northwest of Entiat, WA

Fuels: Grass and shrubs, timber, and heavy dead and down timber

Resources:

16 crews

15 engines

8 helicopters

3 dozers

9 water tenders

Total personnel: 526

Current situation: Firefighters are implementing a full suppression strategy to keep the fire as small and limited duration as possible. Most of the recent fire growth has been in the inaccessible upper reaches of Ice Creek and Entiat River, surrounded by steep rocky cliffs with no safe or effective place to put firefighters. While the fire remains checked up those granite cliffs, fire managers have used air tankers with retardant drops on the ridgeline between Entiat drainage and Railroad Creek drainage to limit the fire’s potential to threaten the Holden area. The fire remains three air miles from Holden Village and 12 air miles from Stehekin.

Hotshot fire crews have built direct fire line and installed fire hoses above the Mrytle Lake area to stop the fire’s southward spread down the Entiat Valley. Should winds push the fire through this combination of direct fire line and natural barriers, construction of an alternative containment line is nearly complete to protect homes and property in the Entiat. Firefighters are using masticators, dozers, chippers and feller-bunchers to build and strengthen those containment lines extending from Tommy Creek to Shady Pass Road and Twenty-five Mile Creek. Chelan County Fire District 8 and the US Forest Service hosted a public meeting July 9 in Entiat with a virtual attendance option. The meeting was well-attended by a very supportive community, both in person and virtually. A recording is posted on the Facebook site linked above.

The Incident Management Team will turn command of the Apple Acres fire back to the local unit this evening and will assist with initial attack efforts as needed on other new fires in surrounding areas.

Fire Restrictions: The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has issued Stage 2 Public Use Restrictions that prohibit campfires, recreational shooting, and other activities, due to increasing fire danger.

Evacuations: In cooperation with the US Forest Service, Chelan County has issued a Level 1 Fire Advisory for the Holden Village, including the Rio Tinto Mine water treatment plant. The advisory DOES NOT include Lucerne, which is on Lake Chelan. A Level 1 advisory asks that people in the impacted area monitor fire activity. See Chelan County Emergency Management.

Closures: The Glacier Peak Wilderness on the Entiat Ranger District, including Ice Lakes, Silver Falls Trail and Campground are closed. The fire is 12 air miles from the Pacific Crest Trail and currently poses no threat to that trail.

Smoke conditions: For smoke and air quality information, please visit: Washington Smoke Blog

Pomas Fire Update 06-24-2025
Pomas Fire 2025
Publication Type: News - 06/24/2025 - 13:00
Phone: 509 219 9543

Email:2025.pomas@firenet.gov

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/OkaWenNF

Incident Commader : Ryan Nicholls

Size:1060 acres

Incident start date: June 13,2025

Cause: Lightning



Location: 36 miles northwest of Entiat, WA

Fuels: Dead and down timber

Resources:

2 crews 3 helicopters 1 water tenders 52 overhead

Total personnel:109



Current situation: The Pomas Fire is burning in heavy dead and down timber from the 2015 Wolverine Fire in the Glacier Peak Wilderness. Winds continue to spread the fire north into Ice Creek as well as south on both sides of the Entiat River in steep terrain. Crews are reporting active spotting and group tree torching as the wind pushes the fire.

Firefighters and heavy equipment are actively reopening containment lines that were used in past fires in the Tommy Creek and Shady Pass area. Crews have also been wrapping key infrastructure, such as the Myrtle Creek bridge, with protective fire-resistant materials.

“The forest is drier now than it was in 2015. After dropping 377,000 gallons of water on it starting on day one, the fire still is actively torching out there,” said Incident Commander, Ryan Nicholls. “Our main focus is life safety and protecting values at risk.”

The forecast is for warmer temperatures and windy conditions. The large amounts of dead timber in the area, winds, and low humidity with critically low fuel moistures continue to challenge safe and effective firefighting efforts.

The Southeast Washington Type 3 Incident Management team took over day to day operations of the incident on June 22, at 8 AM.

Evacuations:None, there are no structures or homes threatened at this time.

Closures: The Glacier Peak Wilderness on the Entiat Ranger District, including Ice Lakes, is now closed for fire operations and public safety. Additionally Silver Falls trail and campground are now also closed for firefighter and public safety. The fire is 12 air miles from the Pacific Crest Trail and currently poses no threat to that trail. https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/okanogan-we ... r-district

Smoke: Smoke is forecasted to be visible from nearby communities including Wenatchee,Chelan, and Winthrop. For more information on smoke and air quality please visit: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/

-END-

Pomas Fire Update – June 16, 2025
Acres: 362
Cause: Lightning
Location: 36 air miles northwest of Entiat, WA
Fuels/Topography: heavy dead and down timber, rugged terrain

Current situation:
Throughout the day Sunday, two helicopters and four airtanker scoopers focused on limiting new growth along the Entiat River. Firefighters successfully used a rocky avalanche chute to hold the Pomas Fire from spreading further down valley toward Mrytle Lake. However, the fire was actively torching in heavy dead and down timber moving towards the Pomas Creek area and spotted across the Entiat River below Borealis Peak late in the afternoon due to winds.

“This is an extreme tough piece of ground with all the dead and down timber from the 2015 Wolverine Fire and ten years’ worth of thick regeneration,” said Holly Krake, Entiat-Chelan District Ranger for the Forest Service. “The smokejumpers and pilots are doing everything they safely can to keep fire from becoming established on the east side of the Entiat River and down in Snowbrushy Creek.”

Monday, June 16: Additional firefighters, including two hotshot crews and rappelers, will bolster ground resources to continue suppressing the fire. Scoopers will continue dipping out of Lake Chelan while helicopters will use Fern and Myrtle Lakes for water bucket work. However, heavy dead timber in the area, west winds, and low humidity will continue to challenge safe and effective firefighting efforts.

“There are four months of significant wildfire potential ahead of us in Central Washington,” added Krake. “While the fire is deep in the Wilderness now, we want to make sure the Pomas Fire doesn’t linger to later threaten communities or tie up firefighting resources in July or August.”

Smoke: Smoke is visible from Holden Village and Lake Chelan areas as well as the Trinity/Chiwawa area. For more information on smoke and air quality please visit: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/

Closures: The Glacier Peak Wilderness on the Entiat Ranger District, including Ice Lakes, is now closed for fire operations and public safety. Mrytle Lake access is also closed. Specific trail closures include Entiat River Trail #1400 past Duncan Hill Trail #1434, Snowbrushy Trail #1230, and Garland Peak Trail #1408. A closure order and map will be posted to Inciweb once they are available. The fire is 12 air miles from the Pacific Crest Trail and currently poses no threat to that trail.

Evacuations: None, there are no structures or homes threatened at this time.

Fire Information: Updates will occur when there is significant new information on this Wilderness fire.
Photo caption: Smoke and flames from the Pomas Fire visible from the air on June 16, 2025.
Credit: USDA Forest Service