The surge of wildfire activity that struck the Pacific Northwest over the Fourth of July holiday weekend prompted a major mobilization of firefighting resources in Washington and Oregon, with state agencies and federal partners deploying aerial assets, ground crews, and incident management support to several simultaneously active incidents.
Washington Response: Chelan Hills Fire
The Chelan Hills Fire in Douglas County, Washington triggered one of the largest state fire responses of the season so far. Washington State Patrol was among the first agencies to respond, issuing public safety alerts as early as 6:30 a.m. on July 4 as the fire rapidly exceeded 400 acres. By Saturday afternoon, the Washington Department of Natural Resources had deployed a "significant response from state resources" that continued through the night and into Sunday.
Air crews were dispatched to the Chelan Hills Fire and were actively working throughout the holiday weekend, with firefighting aircraft — including planes scooping water from Lake Chelan — visible in the area. Douglas County Sheriff's Office coordinated evacuations and road closures while DNR managed fire suppression operations. U.S. Route 97 was temporarily impacted before being reopened.
Oregon BLM and DOF Deployments
In Oregon, the Bureau of Land Management's Prineville District mobilized resources to the Antelope Creek Fire near Antelope in Wasco County, a new incident that started July 4. The Oregon Department of Forestry's Pendleton Unit is managing the North Cayuse Fire east of Mission, with crews working Sunday to defend the Bachelor Canyon area and keep fire from crossing to the east side of the Iskuulpa ridge.
National Resource Picture
The broader national resource situation is increasingly competitive. With 41 large fires burning across 14 states, incident management teams (IMTs), hotshot crews, Type 1 and Type 2 hand crews, engines, and aviation assets are all in high demand. NIFC's July 5 situation report noted that several large complex fires — including the Cottonwood Fire in Utah (94,768 acres, managed by a California Incident Management Team) and the Ferris Fire in Colorado's San Juan National Forest (41,337 acres) — are consuming significant national resources.
The 2026 fire season has already required record mobilization of personnel and equipment. Incident management teams, ground crews, and aerial firefighting assets have been extensively deployed to manage numerous large and complex fires across the country. This tight national availability means that additional out-of-region resources for PNW fires may take longer to arrive than in lighter years.
Coordination Structures
The Northwest Coordination Center (NWCC), based in Portland and serving Oregon and Washington, is responsible for coordinating firefighting resource requests across the region. When local and state resources are exhausted, the NWCC can request national resources through the National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC) in Boise. The Boise Interagency Dispatch Center coordinates resources for southern Idaho.
During periods of high national demand, NICC may implement national mobilization restrictions, prioritizing the most critical life-safety incidents. Fire managers and agency administrators are encouraged to order resources as early as possible to ensure availability.
Preparedness Reminder
The National Wildland Fire Week of Remembrance is currently underway, with July 5 marking Day 6. The National Wildfire Coordinating Group is highlighting incidents from the 2016 fire season throughout the week as a reminder of the risks faced by firefighters. This year's active conditions underscore the importance of that remembrance — and the need for continued investment in firefighter safety, training, and resources.