Little Giant Fire Increases To 59,000+ Acres, Still Fully Uncontained As Crews Work To Eliminate Spot Fires

A Large wildfire in Chelan County that sparked nearly three weeks ago is still raging with no containment on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.

The Little Giant Fire was ignited by a lightning strike on July 15, and has since grown to a current estimated size of 59,345 acres with 0% containment.

Over the weekend, the blaze spread rapidly in gusty winds under a Red Flag Warning, prompting new evacuations for the south side of Lake Chelan.

The windy weather also blew embers from the fire zone over two miles across the lake, sparking a spot fire roughly 25 miles to the northwest of Manson and causing additional evacuations to be issued for numerous campgrounds and a handful of homes.

Chelan County Sheriff's Office Chief of Operations Ryan Moody tells KPQ News that firefighters have not been able to access the spot fire for any direct attacks as of yet.

"Right now, it's (spot fire) stuck in a really rocky area that's also very steep," explains Moody. "It's been challenging for any fire crews to get to it. I was in a briefing this morning, however, and it sounds like the goal is to get some air support going to try and get it out as soon as the ceiling of this smoke lifts a little bit. So, if they can get some air attacks going on it and get it corralled before it gets too much bigger, that'll be one less thing we have to worry about."

Meanwhile, crews are taking advantage of lower wind speeds and reduced fire behavior to begin the week in containing a number of spot fires on the south side of Lake Chelan, as well as in other areas around the blaze's perimeter.

Firefighters are also working to fashion dozer lines near Mud and Tommy Creeks, McKenzie and Slide Ridges, and into Snowberry Bowl.

Structure protection efforts are continuing in the Entiat River Valley, where crews were able to directly engage the flames and prevent them from advancing towards Shady Pass and Entiat Ridge.

Crews are also actively attacking the flames near the Chikamin Ridge Trailhead on the fire's northeastern flank, while its northwestern edges remain in check around the Maple Creek vicinity.

In addition, handline crews are finishing their work along Chiwawa Ridge and performing burnouts from Dirtyface Lake to the Chikamin Creek Trail, as firefighters also made inroads on a fuel break near Pole Ridge on the fire's southern flank.

There are currently a total of 1,432 personnel assigned to the fire, along with 65 engines; 30 water tenders; and four helicopters.

Smoke impacts from the inferno have expanded as its growth increased in recent days, creating unhealthy air quality readings in the Chelan and Manson areas, and impacting air quality levels in other nearby communities such as Azwell, Bridgeport, Brewster, Entiat, Mansfield, Orondo, Pateros, Waterville, Withrow, and at times the Wenatchee Valley.

Over 1,800 structures are currently being threatened by the blaze, but none have been damaged or destroyed.

One injury has been reported as a result of the fire.