A catastrophic wildfire erupted in Douglas County, Washington in the early morning hours of July 4, 2026, and within 36 hours had grown to an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 acres, destroyed at least 100 structures, and forced roughly 500 residents to flee their homes. The Chelan Hills Fire — managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) — is one of the most destructive fires to hit central Washington in recent years.

Rapid Growth Fueled by Wind and Dry Conditions

The fire was reported at approximately 12:05 a.m. on Saturday, July 4. By 6:30 a.m., Washington State Patrol estimated it at 400 acres. Hours of strong winds pushing through bone-dry fuels caused the blaze to explode: by 10 a.m. it was 2,000 acres, by 2 p.m. 3,000 acres, and by early evening 9,200 acres. By Saturday night, DNR confirmed the fire had grown to approximately 10,000 acres. Overnight and into Sunday, July 5, it surged again — with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office reporting between 15,000 and 20,000 acres by Sunday morning, though officials acknowledged the actual size was likely larger given the pace of spread.

"A significant response from state resources will be going on throughout the night and tomorrow," Washington DNR's Ryan Rodruck told reporters Saturday night. "Dozens of homes have been destroyed as the blaze continues to grow."

Evacuations and Road Closures

Douglas County Sheriff's Office issued Level 3 "Get Out Now" evacuation orders for a large number of roads and communities in the Chelan Hills and Columbia River corridor, including:

  • Beebe Ranch Road, North Shore Drive, East Short Drive, Frederick Court, River Glen Drive, South Shore Drive
  • Rockhill Road, Hillrange Lane, Pine Bluffs Lane, Herring Lane, Columbia River Bluffs Road
  • Wolf Holler Road, Long Draw Road, Road 20 NW/Peach Road
  • McNeil Canyon Road and all connected roads
  • Coyote Curve Lane, Mountain Springs Road, Utopia Drive, Thomas Drive, Eagles Nest Road

The fire jumped McNeil Canyon during Saturday afternoon, spreading rapidly to the north and northeast. U.S. Route 97 was reopened by Sunday, though McNeil Canyon Road remained closed to through traffic. No major injuries had been reported as of Sunday morning.

Aerial and Ground Response

Air crews were dispatched and actively working the fire through the holiday weekend. Firefighting planes were spotted scooping water from Lake Chelan to make retardant drops. State resources were mobilized in force, with DNR coordinating resources overnight through Sunday.

As of the July 5 NIFC Incident Management Situation Report, the Chelan Hills Fire was listed at 10,000 acres with zero containment under Washington DNR's Southeast Region management. The NIFC listing likely reflects an earlier acreage estimate; on-the-ground reports from Douglas County indicate the fire has grown significantly since that report was filed.

Looking Ahead

Above-normal temperatures and critically low relative humidity are expected to persist across central Washington through the coming days, which will challenge firefighting efforts. Residents in the affected areas should monitor the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and Washington DNR for the latest evacuation levels and road closures. Those displaced by the fire can contact local emergency services for shelter information.