1 dead as WA's Chelan Hills wildfire prompts 'Go Now' evacuations
LAKE CHELAN, Wash. - Residents and holiday travelers in Douglas County, near Lake Chelan, woke up to evacuation orders from a spreading wildfire in the distance on Fourth of July. It joins several other Washington wildfires FOX 13 is monitoring.
By Monday, the fire area had enveloped about 10,000 acres, with 0% containment. Multiple agencies, including statewide resources, were activated to fight the flames about one mile north of Orondo.
Chelan Hills fire burns in Douglas County near Lake Chelan, Washington
One resident in the area of the fire was previously reported missing. Douglas County Sheriff's Office confirmed on Monday that they found a burnt car that had gone off the road. Human remains were located inside the vehicle. The coroner's office continued work to positively identify the person heading into the week.
Chelan Hills fire burns in Douglas County near Lake Chelan, Washington (Source: Josh Harris)
Douglas County Sheriff's Office representatives say the fire jumped McNeil Canyon Road and was seen spreading to the north and north-east by the end of the weekend. These circumstances prompted an expansion of the Level 3 "Go Now" evacuation to north of Road 20NW and Beebe Ranch.
Chelan Hills fire map (Source: Douglas County Emergency Management)
Highway 97 was reopened in the area by Sunday, after crews had the stretch of road shut down for most of Saturday, according to the District 6 Public Information Officer for the Washington State Patrol. However, McNeil Canyon Road remained closed on July 5.
People are asked to stay clear of the area near the Douglas County fire as intense firefighting operations remained underway heading into the work week, including continued air drops of water on the burn areas.
Firefighting planes scoop water to battle the Chelan Hills fire in Douglas County, Washington near Lake Chelan on July 4, 2026
Why you should care:
People at Box Canyon Road, Heidi Lane, Combine Road and Jerrys Lane in Douglas County were ordered to evacuate at a Level 3 "Go Now" status on July 4.
Wildfires spread in Lake Chelan area over Fourth of July weekend
There was also a Level 2 evacuation ordered in Douglas County for the following areas:
"The affected area is all of Chelan Hills Acres Rd, Baty Way, Jackson Cyn Road, Riverview Road, Canyon View Drive, Rocky Road, Big Ranch Road, Spring Ln, King Bird Ln, Farnham Ln, Spur Ln and High Corner Road," according to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.
Governor Bob Ferguson releases statement on Chelan Hills wildfire near Lake Chelan
"My thoughts are with the people impacted by the Chelan Hills fire, and the firefighters working to contain the blaze. If you are in the area, please follow any evacuation orders," said Governor Ferguson in a post to X (formerly Twitter) on July 4.
The Chelan Hills fire marks the 15th fire incident that has received state mobilization in 2026, according to the Washington Fire Marshal.
For most of the day, there were airplanes scooping water to dump on the flames in a series of aerial attacks on the Chelan Hills fire.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the Dougals County Sheriff's Office, the Washington State Patrol, and original FOX 13 Seattle reporting from staff located in the Lake Chelan region.