Washington state's wildfire season has stretched into early October with five large fires still listed as active on the National Interagency Fire Center's daily situation report, collectively accounting for more than 361,000 acres. While several incidents have reached high containment levels, significant fire activity continues to challenge firefighters and threaten communities in the Cascades and the Okanogan Highlands.

Current Active Fires in Washington

As of the NIFC Incident Management Situation Report dated Sunday, October 4, 2026, five large fires remain tracked across Washington state:

  • Little Giant Fire — 172,899 acres, 93% contained. Burning 30 miles northwest of Leavenworth on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, the Little Giant has been one of the defining fires of Washington's 2026 season, burning for more than 77 days. Fire behavior has been minimal in recent days — smoldering, backing, and creeping — but structures remain threatened and area, road, and trail closures are still in effect. A Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT Northwest Team 12) is managing the incident.
  • Sinlahekin Fire — 166,007 acres, 98% contained. Located 12 miles west of Tonasket in Okanogan County, this lightning-caused fire started July 26 and is nearing full containment. Washington DNR's Northeast Region manages the incident. Road and trail closures remain active.
  • Three Queens Fire — 9,575 acres, 33% contained. Burning six miles east of Snoqualmie Pass in Kittitas County within the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, the Three Queens continues to burn in steep terrain through timber and understory, presenting ongoing challenges for ground crews.
  • Hatch Grade Fire — 9,023 acres, 70% contained. Located six miles southwest of Touchet in Walla Walla County, managed by the Washington State Fire Marshal's Office. The fire has slowed significantly in recent days.
  • Sisi Fire — 4,343 acres, 29% contained. The lowest-contained fire on Washington's active list, the Sisi is burning 10 miles northwest of Stehekin in Chelan County on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Minimal fire behavior — smoldering and creeping — is reported, but structures remain threatened and road and trail access remains restricted.

A Season That Challenged the State

Washington's 2026 fire season was punctuated by an extraordinary late-summer weather event when the National Weather Service issued a rare Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Red Flag Warning across parts of eastern Washington and Oregon, including the Spokane and Pendleton areas. That warning — reserved for the most extreme fire weather conditions — coincided with rapid fire growth across multiple fronts.

At its peak, Washington's wildfire activity spread across more than 7,700 new acres in a single operational period, damaging or destroying approximately 600 structures. The Little Giant and Sinlahekin fires grew to become two of the largest incidents in Washington state history during that stretch.

Resources and Outlook

The CIMT Northwest Team 12 has been simultaneously managing both the Little Giant and Sisi incidents on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, reflecting the consolidated approach that long-duration, multi-fire seasons require. Nationally, 4,093 firefighters and support personnel remain assigned to incidents, backed by 65 crews, 119 engines, and 26 helicopters — with Washington accounting for five of the ten currently tracked large fires in the country.

Fire managers are cautiously optimistic that cooler temperatures and shortening days will help suppress remaining activity. Energy Release Component (ERC) values — a key measure of fire intensity potential — have been dropping across the Northwest as of early October. However, road and trail closures remain in place across multiple fire areas, and residents near active fires are urged to monitor evacuation orders through local emergency management channels.

For updated fire information, visit InciWeb at inciweb.wildfire.gov or the Washington Department of Natural Resources Wildfire Portal at dnr.wa.gov.