STEHEKIN, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The growing Pioneer Fire has prompted a Level 2 evacuation order for the community of Stehekin on Lake Chelan.
Chelan County Emergency Management upgraded the evacuation order from Level 1 on Thursday, July 25.
The evacuation order is in place from Hazard Creek through the Stehekin Valley up to the High Bridge campground on the Pacific Crest Trail.
At this point, no tourist related visitors will be allowed to take the ferry from the city of Chelan and all tourists, campers and hikers must leave the area.
The Stehekin Valley is a popular tourist destination and a major entry point to the North Cascades National Park.
The valley is home to the North Cascades Lodge, Stehekin Valley Ranch, Buckner Orchard and the Stehekin Pastry Company.
The Pioneer fire is currently burning almost 32,000 acres.
It comes as the Easy Fire is burning 397 acres as of Thursday near the North Cascades Highway (SR 20).
The highway and hiking trails remain closed between mileposts 148 at Granite Creek and MP 157 at Easy Pass, according to WSDOT.
The Easy Fire is burning in steep terrain and continues to move downslope towards SR 20.
Fire crews are setting up containment lines and continue fighting both fires with assistance from helicopters that are dumping buckets of water to slow the spread of the fires.
