Smoke gone, blue skies back: Chelan just needs tourists to return

CHELAN -- The water is sparkling, the air is clear, and sky blue. Still, because of the recent wildfires and smoke, Miki and Brian Welfringer nearly skipped their visit to Lake Chelan.

“I kept saying, ‘should we, shouldn’t we?’ At the last minute, we figured, let’s just go,” said Miki.

It’s a decision that payed off. The Welfringers were greeted with clear air and sun. But they also feel like they are the only visitors around, calling Chelan “a ghost town.”

The fires and the smoke chased away visitors during the heart of the tourist season, and they haven't returned.

“August for all of this area is a very tough month to lose,” said Cindy Engstrom, who manages the Lady of the Lake ferry system. Ridership is down so much, Engstrom just made the tough call to dock one of her boats. Her motel is also empty. She believes the fires have cost the business $200,000 dollars.

“It has been a very unusual and extreme event,” said Engstrom. “It has rocked a lot of people.”

Chelan Mayor Bob Goedde says tourist businesses in town, on average, have lost $10,000 dollars, and he’s asking for help from visitors to help the town rebound.

“Everyone understands that this community revolves around the apples and the tourists,” said Goedde. “So let these people work a couple more weeks, and serve the people on the lake.”

Business at Bob Doggett’s ‘Local Myth Pizza’ is down 30 percent but he’s hoping fans of Chelan and regulars who cancelled their August trips, will re-book for September, during the apple and grape harvests.

“I’m getting texts from customers all around the world just wanting to check in,” said Doggett. “Many of them are making plans to come back, come see us, and support us.”