Residents near the Lake Kachess and Lake Cle Elum areas of Kittitas County received positive news this week as fire officials reduced evacuation warning levels in portions of the areas affected by the Goat Fire and Three Queens Fire on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in central Washington.

Current Evacuation Status

The Kittitas County Sheriff's Office announced on September 18 that evacuation warning levels have been adjusted in several zones:

  • The area north of French Cabin Creek Road on the east side of Salmon La Sac Road has been reduced from Level 3 (Go Now) to Level 2 (Get Ready)
  • All facilities, lands, and roads west of Salmon La Sac Road remain under Level 3 – Go Now evacuation orders
  • French Cabin Creek Road and Cooper Lake Road systems remain closed to protect public safety and firefighting operations

Residents are reminded that reduced evacuation levels do not reopen surrounding Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest lands to public recreation — recreational closures in the broader forest area remain in place.

Goat Fire Status

The Goat Fire, located approximately 15 miles north of Ronald, Washington, has reached 815 acres at 85% containment as of the latest InciWeb update. The fire is burning in timber understory and brush fuels, with 1,000-hour fuel moisture around 19% — still capable of supporting smoldering in heavy fuels and deep duff layers.

Incident Commander Nick Wigle of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Incident Management Team reports minimal to creeping fire behavior. Fire crews have transitioned from active suppression to monitoring and evaluating opportunities to add containment using natural terrain features. The estimated containment date is October 31, 2026.

Three Queens Fire

The Three Queens Fire, located six miles east of Snoqualmie Pass, has been burning primarily in high-elevation subalpine fir stringers above Lake Kachess. The mountainous terrain — featuring extreme slopes and unstable material — required crews to carefully monitor conditions and adjust tactics throughout the incident.

Weather Improving

A low-pressure system is moving into western Washington, bringing rain overnight Thursday into Friday. Temperatures in the fire area have been in the upper 50s to mid-60s, with relative humidity returning to the mid-40% range. These conditions are expected to continue suppressing fire behavior through the weekend.

Residents under evacuation warnings should monitor the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office Facebook page for real-time updates and any changes to evacuation boundaries. Current evacuation levels and exact boundaries are also available on the Kittitas County Live Evacuation Map at experience.arcgis.com.