The Little Giant Fire burning in Chelan County, Washington, has grown to approximately 139,486 acres and remains only 12% contained — making it the highest-priority wildfire in the United States. The fire is burning in the rugged terrain of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest northwest of Leavenworth, in an area that has challenged aerial and ground suppression efforts alike.

Fire Status

Located roughly 22 to 30 miles northwest of Leavenworth, the Little Giant Fire is burning across the Entiat-Chelan and Wenatchee River Ranger Districts of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. The fire's position in steep, heavily timbered terrain has made direct attack extremely difficult, and the combination of high temperatures, critically low relative humidity, and erratic winds continues to drive active fire behavior.

As of August 21, the fire was 12% contained and ranked as a Type 1 incident — the most complex classification in the federal wildfire management system, requiring a nationally dispatched Incident Management Team and the highest level of resource allocation.

Smoke Impact

The Little Giant Fire has been responsible for some of the most severe air quality events of the 2026 season. Earlier this month, the Air Quality Index in Leavenworth exceeded 849 — more than seven times the traditional index maximum of 500 — prompting Washington state officials to shut down transit services under Department of Labor and Industries safety rules. Smoke from the fire has blanketed communities throughout Chelan, Douglas, and adjacent counties for weeks.

Other Active Washington Fires

The Little Giant is far from the only significant fire burning in Washington. As of August 22, Washington has 13 large fires actively burning, including:

  • Kaiser Canyon Fire: 138,296 acres, 83% contained — burning on the Colville Indian Reservation near Nespelem in Okanogan and Ferry counties.
  • Sinlahekin Fire: Over 150,000 acres, 47% contained — burning northwest of Sinlahekin Campground near Tonasket in Okanogan County. Started July 26 and grew at an average of approximately 6,689 acres per day over its first 23 days.
  • Border 2 Fire: 14,604 acres, 10% contained — burning approximately 20 miles northeast of Marblemount in the North Cascades area.
  • Luna Fire: 4,475 acres, 0% contained — burning approximately 10 miles north of Newhalem.
  • High Lava Fire: 1,259 acres, 8% contained — approximately 11 miles northwest of Stabler.

State Emergency Declaration

Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide fire emergency earlier this month and issued an outdoor burn ban through September 30 as the scope of Washington's fire season became clear. The declaration unlocks additional state resources and facilitates coordination with the federal government and neighboring states.

Firefighting crews on multiple Washington incidents are conducting strategic burnout operations — intentionally burning fuels between control lines and the advancing fire head — to deprive fires of fuel before they can reach communities and critical infrastructure.

Residents near active fires are urged to monitor Washington's Department of Natural Resources wildfire portal at dnr.wa.gov and register for local emergency alerts through their county emergency management offices.