Washington State's two largest active wildfires have simultaneously reached their highest containment levels in weeks, offering cautious optimism to firefighters and communities across north-central Washington as the 2026 season enters its final chapter.

Little Giant Fire — Chelan County

The Little Giant Fire, burning in Chelan County and now covering 172,814 acres, has reached 81% containment as of the latest update. The fire ignited on July 15 from a lightning strike and grew explosively through July and August, eventually becoming the largest fire in Washington State history before being surpassed by other incidents this season.

Crews have made consistent progress securing hotspots east of Devil's Backbone Ridge and have been engaged in structure wrap removal and hoseline backhaul from the Twin Lakes area. Suppression repair and hazard tree removal operations are ongoing across a large portion of the fire footprint.

The Sisi Fire, a separate lightning-caused ignition that started August 14 adjacent to the Little Giant Fire area, has grown to 3,691 acres and remains at only 5% containment — a reminder that new ignitions can still threaten communities even as larger incidents wind down.

Sinlahekin Fire — Okanogan County

The Sinlahekin Fire, burning in Okanogan County's Sinlahekin Wildlife Area and surrounding lands, has reached 166,026 acres with 81% containment — matching the Little Giant milestone. The fire has been particularly challenging due to rugged terrain, remote access, and recurring wind events that periodically disrupted containment lines through August and into early September.

Cooler overnight temperatures and higher relative humidity have aided crews in recent days, allowing mechanized equipment and hand crews to strengthen containment lines across the northern and eastern flanks of the fire.

Other Active Washington Fires

Several smaller but still-active fires continue to burn across the state:

  • Three Queens Fire: 9,562 acres, 20% contained — six miles east of Snoqualmie Pass (see related story)
  • Border 2 Fire: 8,284 acres, burning in the Okanogan Highlands near the Canadian border
  • Luna Fire: 7,879 acres, Okanogan County
  • King Fire: 3,304 acres
  • Goat Fire: 815 acres

Suppression repair work is also ongoing near Spokane, where three fires that ignited September 1 destroyed or damaged more than 800 structures and prompted the evacuation of approximately 64,000 residents. Those fires — the Old Trails (3,176 acres), Fairview (992 acres), and Autumn Lane (5,764 acres) — are all near 97% containment.

Outlook

Forecasters note that conditions across north-central Washington are expected to remain more moderate through the weekend, which should allow crews to continue building containment. However, isolated thunderstorm activity and gusty winds remain possible and could complicate operations. All residents in fire-affected areas should continue to monitor local alerts from Chelan and Okanogan County Emergency Management.