THREE QUEENS

Evacuation orders remain active as crews strengthen lines near Lake Kachess

The fire is burning in steep timber in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest north of Lake Kachess and east of Snoqualmie Pass. Over the last 72 hours, interior burning near Box Canyon Creek prompted helicopter water drops and direct suppression, while crews cleared brush along Forest Service roads and secured the western flank. Structure protection remains active around Kachess Campground and nearby cabins, with evacuation orders still in place.

Evacuations and Closures

• Level 3 (Go Now) evacuation orders remain active across designated areas of Kittitas County (September 8).
• Level 2 (Set) evacuation warnings remain in effect for designated areas of Kittitas County (September 8).
• Level 1 (Ready) evacuation notices remain in place for designated areas, including cabins on Baker Lane south of Kachess Campground (September 8).
• An emergency Forest Order for the Cle Elum Ranger District closes National Forest lands, roads, and trails through October 31, including the Pacific Crest Trail between Snoqualmie Pass and Deception Pass (September 9).
• Motorists are advised to use caution on local roads due to increased school bus traffic alongside heavy fire vehicles (September 9).

Impact

Wildfire smoke has affected nearby communities, prompting distribution of free particulate masks at the Kittitas County Public Health building in Ellensburg and the Upper Kittitas County District Court in Cle Elum. Structure protection lines remain staffed around Kachess Campground and cabins on Baker Lane, with no structural losses reported.

Conditions and Outlook

Winds will shift and become gusty from the east before turning light and west-northwesterly, bringing sharply higher humidity and widespread rain through the weekend. Fire behavior is expected to moderate under the cool, wet conditions as crews continue clearing fuels along Forest Service Road 4930, Forest Service Road 4948, and Cabin Creek Road, while tying contingency lines into prior burn scars.

Cause and Context

Lightning ignited the fire on July 15, 2026, in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Northwest Incident Management Team 2 is managing suppression efforts alongside international personnel, tying eastern firebreaks into the 2017 Jolly Mountain Fire burn scar.

Official updates current through September 10, 2026.