Officials urge caution as social media fuels misinformation on Central Washington fires

Getting to Leavenworth Oktoberfest? Expect a longer trek with Blewett Pass shut down

A month-old wildfire in the Cascades has shut down a major route to Leavenworth just as visitors prepare to travel for Oktoberfest.

CLE ELUM, Wash. - With Highway 97 shut down by the Labor Mountain Fire, local officials say travelers to Leavenworth’s Oktoberfest should prepare for a longer trip. But alongside the inconvenience, they are also warning about the spread of false information online.

Videos and photos of the wildfire, which started Sept. 1 and has burned across Blewett Pass, have circulated widely on social media. Some of those posts have contained misleading or inaccurate claims, according to officials.

One widely shared video showed roadside flames and claimed evacuations were underway near Cle Elum along Interstate 90. Officials say that is not true — the fire is burning far from I-90, and no evacuations have been ordered in that area.

"Large wildfires in central Washington are generating lots of dramatic video and images on social media," said Inspector Chris Whitsett of the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office. "Once those images are published to social media, they can be shared by anyone, whether or not they know anything about a fire. Sadly, we’ve seen this in the case of the Labor Mountain Fire, when at least one attention-hungry social media account posted a video of a roadside fire with inaccurate information about where it was shot."

Whitsett urged the public to seek out accurate information before resharing content. "To learn about fires or other public safety incidents, or verify what you’ve seen or heard on someone else’s feed, please check official websites or social media accounts for vetted, accurate, and reliable information," he said.

Washington wildfires continue to grow in Chelan County

Wildfires in Chelan County are rapidly expanding, with the Labor Mountain Fire nearing 30,000 acres and the Lower Sugarloaf Fire surpassing 37,000 acres.

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