Washington state’s 2026 wildfire season burned more than 900,000 acres, making it one of the worst in the state’s history. While that figure pales in comparison to neighboring Oregon’s 2.5 million acres, the human and structural toll in Washington was severe—and the ecological damage across the North Cascades and northeastern counties will take decades to heal.

The Largest Fires of the Season

Forty-nine wildfires in Washington reached significant size during the 2026 season. The three largest dominated the landscape from July through October:

  • Little Giant Fire (Chelan County) — 172,912 acres. The largest fire of the season, the Little Giant burned through rugged terrain in the upper Entiat River watershed and became the largest fire in Washington in several years.
  • Sinlahekin Fire (Okanogan County) — 166,007 acres. Burning in the Okanogan Highlands near the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area, this fire prompted multiple evacuation orders across rural Okanogan County through early September.
  • Kaiser Canyon Fire (Okanogan County) — 138,293 acres. A second major Okanogan County blaze, the Kaiser Canyon Fire added to what was already a catastrophic smoke and evacuation situation for the region.
  • Modrite Fire (Ferry County) — 57,594 acres. Ferry County’s largest fire of the season burned in the northeastern corner of the state.

Lives Lost, Homes Destroyed

The Chelan Hills Fire, while smaller at 9,862 acres, was arguably the season’s most tragic event. Igniting on July 4 near Orondo and spreading rapidly to the north, the fire destroyed at least 100 structures and killed one person—a stark reminder that fire size does not always correlate with human impact.

Congressman Michael Baumgartner, whose district covers much of eastern Washington, noted after the season that “we lost more than 700 homes this summer” across Washington’s fire-affected communities.

Okanogan and Chelan Counties Hardest Hit

According to the Washington State Department of Ecology, it was an especially smoky year for Chelan and Okanogan counties, as well as several counties in northeastern Washington. The Walla Walla Valley experienced prolonged periods of unhealthy air quality as smoke from regional fires—compounded by plumes drifting in from Central Oregon—settled into the Columbia Basin.

What’s Next

With the season now winding down and fall rains arriving, Washington DNR and the U.S. Forest Service are conducting post-season reviews and beginning to plan fuel treatment priorities for next year. The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has resumed fall prescribed burning operations in areas that weren’t impacted by suppression work, aiming to reduce fuel loads before the 2027 season begins.