Washington state's two largest wildfires of the 2026 season continued to make containment progress Monday, offering some relief to communities that have lived under evacuation orders and smoke-filled skies since summer. The Little Giant Fire in Chelan and Okanogan counties stands at 172,695 acres with 81 percent containment, while the Sinlahekin Fire in Okanogan County has reached 166,026 acres — with all evacuation orders officially lifted on September 12.

Little Giant Fire: Washington's Largest Active Blaze

Ignited by lightning on July 15 in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, the Little Giant Fire surpassed the Sinlahekin Fire in early September to become the largest fire currently burning in Washington state. The blaze has burned through the rugged terrain of Chelan and Okanogan counties, threatening more than 6,000 structures at its peak and earning the designation of second-highest firefighting priority in the United States during August.

Evacuation levels 1 through 3 remain in effect for portions of the Lake Chelan corridor. Recent rains have helped crews reinforce control lines and halt spot fires near Stormy and Baldy mountains. Fire managers credit a shift in weather patterns in early September with slowing the fire's advance and allowing ground crews to make significant progress on containment.

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest is operating a fire information hotline for residents and travelers. Extensive trail and road closures remain in effect across the fire perimeter.

Sinlahekin Fire: Evacuation Orders Lifted After Months

After more than six weeks under evacuation orders and warnings, Okanogan County officials announced on September 12 that all evacuation orders and advisories for the Sinlahekin Fire area have been lifted. The fire, which burned 166,026 acres of mixed forest and rangeland in Okanogan County, is now a watch-and-monitor operation as crews continue mop-up on interior hot spots.

Fire managers caution that interior stump holes and fire-weakened snag trees remain significant hazards throughout the burn area. Residents returning to properties should watch for unstable trees and avoid burned areas during high winds. Public lands within the fire perimeter remain closed pending safety assessment.

Other Active Washington Fires

Washington's 12 active large fires include several additional significant incidents being tracked on InciWeb:

  • Three Queens Fire: 9,527 acres, Okanogan-Wenatchee NF
  • Border 2 Fire: 8,171 acres, northeast Washington near Colville NF
  • Luna Fire: 7,879 acres, northeast Washington
  • King Fire: 3,278 acres, Okanogan region
  • Sisi Fire: 3,193 acres
  • Goat Fire: 816 acres

Air quality alerts issued by the Washington Department of Ecology, the Colville Confederated Tribes EPA, and the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency remain in effect for Adams, Asotin, Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Garfield, Grant, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, and Whitman counties.

Governor's Emergency Declaration

Governor Bob Ferguson's statewide wildfire emergency declaration, issued August 1, remains in effect. The declaration activated National Guard resources, accelerated mutual aid agreements with neighboring states and Canadian provinces, and enabled emergency procurement for firefighting equipment and personnel. The Washington Department of Natural Resources continues to coordinate with federal agencies on priority resource allocation across active incidents.

Residents in eastern Washington are urged to maintain their go-bags, monitor local emergency management alerts, and review their evacuation zones on the state's online mapping portal. The fire season is not over — dry, windy conditions can still produce rapid fire growth well into October in the eastern Cascades and Columbia Basin.