The Little Giant Fire burning across Chelan and Okanogan counties in north-central Washington has grown to more than 171,000 acres, making it the largest active wildfire in Washington state and one of the largest in the state's recorded history. As of the most recent reporting period, the fire is 81 percent contained, with crews making steady progress on the perimeter despite challenging terrain.

The fire is burning through the remote backcountry of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, extending through rugged terrain around the Entiat River, Chiwawa River, Glacier Peak Wilderness, and the Lake Chelan drainage. The landscape — a mix of dry ponderosa pine, mixed conifer, and steep rocky ridgelines — has made ground operations difficult and pushed aerial resources to the forefront of the suppression effort.

Command Transition Signals Progress

A significant milestone occurred over the Labor Day weekend when command of the Little Giant Fire transferred from California Incident Management Team 5 (CA-CIMT 5) to Northwest Incident Management Team 12 (NW-CIMT 12). Command transfers of this nature typically signal that a fire has moved from an aggressive initial containment phase to a more measured mop-up and patrol operation — a positive sign for firefighters and nearby communities.

The transition reflects the broader trend of improving conditions on the fire as cooler temperatures and incoming moisture begin to moderate fire behavior across the Pacific Northwest. However, the 19 percent of uncontained perimeter still represents tens of thousands of acres of active fire edge in terrain that remains difficult to access and suppress.

Sinlahekin Fire: Washington's Second Largest Active Blaze

Not far behind in the rankings, the Sinlahekin Fire in Okanogan County has burned 166,116 acres and is approximately 59 percent contained. The Sinlahekin, which burns across a mix of ponderosa pine and shrub-steppe terrain in the Okanogan Highlands, preceded the Little Giant Fire as Washington's largest active incident before being overtaken as the Little Giant expanded dramatically in late August.

Together, the two fires have consumed more than 337,000 acres of north-central Washington's landscape — a combined footprint that stretches across an enormous swath of the state's interior, affecting wildlife habitat, watershed values, and recreation access across multiple ranger districts.

Community Impacts Across Chelan and Okanogan Counties

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has maintained extensive road and trail closures throughout the Little Giant Fire incident to protect public safety and facilitate firefighting operations. Numerous residences and communication infrastructure remain threatened along the fire's active edge, and evacuation orders and warnings have been in effect for portions of both counties throughout the fire's run.

The Modrite Fire, burning across Ferry and Stevens counties to the northeast, has reached 98 percent containment — good news for communities that had been monitoring that incident's progress through August.

Washington's Record 2026 Season

Washington's 2026 fire season has been marked by a historically severe late-summer fire weather event that produced a Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning across eastern Washington in late August. The event drove explosive fire growth on the Little Giant, Sinlahekin, and multiple other incidents, while also sparking the catastrophic Spokane area fires that destroyed more than 900 structures in the greater Spokane metropolitan area.

  • Little Giant Fire: 171,163 acres, 81% contained — Chelan/Okanogan counties
  • Sinlahekin Fire: 166,116 acres, 59% contained — Okanogan County
  • Modrite Fire: 98% contained — Ferry/Stevens counties
  • Three Queens Fire: ~9,000 acres, 5% contained — Kittitas County (Alpine Lakes Wilderness)

As of September 6, Washington reported 13 active large fires — the highest count of any state in the nation — reflecting the extraordinary pressure the 2026 fire season has placed on the state's landscape and firefighting resources. Residents in fire-adjacent communities should continue to monitor local emergency management communications and maintain evacuation readiness through the remainder of the season.