Two of Washington State’s most significant wildfires of 2026 are approaching the finish line, with firefighters continuing mop-up and perimeter patrol work as cooler and moister conditions settle across the eastern Cascades and Okanogan Highlands.

Little Giant Fire — Chelan County

The Little Giant Fire, burning approximately 30 miles northwest of Leavenworth in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, has grown to 172,889 acres and stands at 81% containment as of this weekend. The fire has been burning in timber and dormant brush terrain in Chelan County, with crews from the Northwest Incident Management Team 13 (CIMT NW-13) managing the incident.

Fire behavior has moderated significantly, with crews reporting mostly creeping and smoldering activity and occasional interior flare-ups near the Trinity area. CIMT NW-13 is simultaneously managing the nearby Sisi incident, reflecting the ongoing multi-incident demands still placed on regional resources late in the season.

Firefighters continue hazard mitigation, mop-up operations, and containment line patrols. Numerous residences and critical infrastructure in the area were threatened at the height of the fire’s spread, though no major structural losses have been reported in recent agency updates.

Sinlahekin Fire — Okanogan County

The Sinlahekin Fire, which sparked July 26 via lightning in the Sinlahekin Valley roughly 12 miles west of Tonasket, has burned 166,007 acres and is now 93% contained. The fire became one of the largest on Washington state record after doubling in size on August 1 during a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) red flag warning event.

The Northeast Region of the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the managing agency. Current fire behavior is described as minimal, with crews reporting smoldering activity. Skies above the Tonasket area have largely cleared of wildfire smoke in recent days, though mop-up and perimeter integrity work continues.

The Sinlahekin Fire triggered evacuation orders and warnings for communities in the Okanogan Highlands at its peak in early-to-mid August, and its growth to historic scale drew state and federal resources from across the Northwest and beyond.

Ptarmigan Fire Also Making Progress

A third major Washington incident, the Ptarmigan Fire in Okanogan County, has burned 25,166 acres and is 73% contained. Crews are continuing containment line work in rugged terrain as conditions allow.

Outlook

The National Interagency Fire Center’s September 27 weather briefing indicates breezy westerly winds in the Columbia Basin accompanied by higher relative humidity above 30% and isolated to scattered showers. More widespread rainfall is expected near and west of the Cascades in Washington, which should further support mop-up efforts and reduce risk of flare-up activity on all three major incidents.

  • Little Giant Fire: 172,889 acres | 81% contained | Chelan County | Okanogan-Wenatchee NF
  • Sinlahekin Fire: 166,007 acres | 93% contained | Okanogan County | WA DNR
  • Ptarmigan Fire: 25,166 acres | 73% contained | Okanogan County

Residents near all three incidents are encouraged to continue monitoring local emergency management alerts. While evacuation orders in most areas have been lifted, some precautionary levels may remain in place. Check Okanogan and Chelan County Emergency Management for the latest zone status.