Washington State Fires Top 150,000 Acres: Ptarmigan, Luna, and Border 2 Expand in Northern Cascades

Washington state is fighting 13 large fires that have collectively consumed nearly 150,000 acres across lands managed by the state Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Forest Service, and other agencies. The fires are concentrated in the central and eastern portions of the state, with particularly active fire behavior in the northern Cascades and Okanogan County.

Ptarmigan Fire: Rapid Growth in the Pasayten Wilderness

The Ptarmigan Fire, burning approximately four miles south of the Canadian border in the Pasayten Wilderness within Okanogan County, has experienced explosive growth, jumping from approximately 2,500 acres to 10,842 acres as of July 27. The fire is burning in remote wilderness terrain with limited road access, making ground-based suppression difficult and increasing reliance on aerial resources.

The Pasayten Wilderness is one of the largest wilderness areas in Washington state — nearly 530,000 acres of remote, roadless backcountry — and the Ptarmigan Fire's location deep within the wilderness means direct suppression options are limited. Fire managers are working to protect values at risk along the fire's perimeter while closely monitoring behavior.

Luna and Border 2 Fires: Whatcom County's Remote Blazes

The Luna Fire has burned roughly 330 acres of mountainous slopes in Whatcom County since sparking on July 2. The fire is located east of Big Beaver Creek and north of McMillan Creek in terrain accessible primarily by trail or aircraft. The adjacent Border 2 Fire continues to expand in similar terrain just east of Whatcom County near the Okanogan County line.

The Northwest Interagency Coordination Center (NWCC) issued updates on both the Luna and Border 2 fires on July 27, noting continued growth and active behavior. The proximity of these fires to the Canadian border and the North Cascades National Park has prompted coordination with Canadian fire agencies and National Park Service personnel.

Washington's Broader Fire Situation

Washington's 13 large fires are burning primarily in the central and eastern portions of the state. Nearly 150,000 acres have burned across Washington in the current fire season. The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and other wildfire response agencies are providing information through InciWeb and the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center's morning briefings.

The fires are occurring across a variety of fuel types, from the dry ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir forests of the east Cascades and Okanogan Highlands to the mixed conifer and subalpine terrain of the northern Cascades. All have been experiencing extreme fire behavior driven by the same hot, dry, and windy conditions affecting Oregon and the broader Northwest.

Highway and Recreation Closures

Several roads, trails, and recreation areas across Washington have been closed due to active fire conditions. Visitors to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, North Cascades National Park, and Washington DNR lands in the affected areas should check with the relevant agency before visiting any backcountry or recreation sites. Updated closure information is available through the USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region at fs.usda.gov/r06.

What Washington Residents Should Know

Washington is under a statewide burn ban in many counties, and residents in eastern Washington are asked to: