Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest 

Forest Service News Release

Deborah Kelly
(509) 664-9247
deborah.kelly@usda.gov
 

Fall prescribed fire and fuels reduction work to occur soon

(Wenatchee, WA, Sept. 28, 2026) —The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest is preparing to conduct fall prescribed fires across central Washington, with up to 14,026 acres planned for treatment as conditions allow. Burning may begin in late September and continue into winter if burn piles are accessible. Smoke may be visible in various areas depending on weather and burn locations.

After a summer of wildfire smoke, the Forest understands public concern about additional smoke. However, prescribed fire remains one of the most effective tools for reducing hazardous fuels, improving forest health, and lowering the risk of severe wildfires.

“Even after a smoky summer, prescribed fire is essential for maintaining healthy forests and reducing extreme wildfire behavior,” said Brandon Lewis, Fire Management Officer, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. “These burns allow us to safely reduce dense vegetation under controlled conditions, helping prevent the large, destructive wildfires and prolonged smoke events we’ve experienced in recent years.”

Prescribed burns are planned this fall across the Forest on the Methow Valley, Chelan, Entiat, Wenatchee River, Cle Elum, and Naches Ranger Districts.

Crews will implement prescribed fire to burn naturally accumulating forest fuels like pine needles, brush, and branches as well as slash and piles created by thinning and past suppression work.  All projects follow detailed burn plans and will proceed only when weather and fuel conditions meet safety and air quality standards coordinated with Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The Forest is also participating in the Central Washington Prescribed Fire and Smoke Pilot Project, a federal–state and local partnership involving the Forest Service, DNR, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW), State and County Public Health Districts, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The pilot expands shared expertise, smoke monitoring and modeling, and improved public notification to support safe, strategically timed prescribed burns aligned with Washington’s updated Smoke Management Plan. The goal is to reduce long-term wildfire risk and smoke exposure by increasing well-managed prescribed fire today.

Communities are encouraged to plan ahead using Washington Department of Health’s smoke ready tips and this 2-page handout. Check your local air quality using this fire and smoke map or planned burns using this interactive map.

The fall burning project areas include:

Methow Valley Ranger District (a total of 3,315 acres of prescribed burning is planned this fall)

• Libby Creek Area, West of Carlton, WA.  Smoke will be visible from Carlton.
• Nickel Canyon underburn- 183 acres in South Fork Libby Creek
• Mission Creek underburn- 974 acres in Mission Creek
• Hornet Draw underburn- 526 acres in Libby Creek
• Smith Canyon underburn- 372 acres in Smith
• Mission Piles- 500 acres of piles in Mission Creek
• Twisp Area, West of Twisp, WA.  Smoke will be visible within the Twisp River corridor and from Twisp. 
• Twisp Piles- 550 acres of piles within Buttermilk, Newby, Poorman and Alder Creeks
• Winthrop Area, 8 miles northwest of Winthrop, WA.  Smoke will be visible from Winthrop
• Upper Rendezvous underburn- 210 acres, South of Rendezvous Mountain, North of Rendezvous Pass.

Entiat & Chelan Ranger Districts (a total of 3,896 acres of prescribed burning is planned this fall)

• No broadcast prescribed fire this fall.
• First Creek Piles- up to 640 acres, 5 miles west of Manson, WA.
• Pioneer Fire Repair Piles- up to 100 acres, 12 miles north of Manson, WA
• East Pine Zone Piles- up to 215 acres 2 miles northeast of Ardenvoir, WA.
• Tillicum Piles- up to 2,941 acres 2 miles west of Ardenvoir, WA.

Wenatchee River Ranger District (a total of 2,157 acres of prescribed burning is planned this fall)

• Upper Peshastin Units, south of Blewett Pass, West of Hwy 97.  Upper Scotty Creek.  Smoke will be visible along Hwy 97 and Hwy 2 (Leavenworth to Wenatchee)
• Upper Peshastin_2 underburn- 91 acres
• Upper Peshastin_6- 281 acres of piles
• Upper Peshastin_3- 641 acres of piles
• Low Pole Units 14, 15, 16, 17, 18- 41 acres of piles.  6 miles north of Plain, WA.  Just north of Fish Lake.  Smoke will be visible in Plain. 
• FRB Units 5, 15, 18, 19, 32, -212 acres of piles, 1 mile northwest of Plain, WA.  Smoke will be visible in Plain. 
• Canyons 6- 76 acres of piles
• Meadow/Raging machine piles. 100 acres. Smoke will be visible from Plain.
• Skywalker machine piles. 235 acres. 5 miles North of Leavenworth. Smoke will be visible from Eagle Creek and the Chumstick Highway.
• BLAG machine piles. 324 acres. 4 miles North of Cashmere. Smoke will be highly visible in the Wenatchee Valley between Peshastin and Cashmere.
• Canyons machine piles. 156 acres. 3 miles west of Leavenworth. Smoke will be visible in the Peshastin & Leavenworth.

Cle Elum Ranger District (a total of 1,533 acres of prescribed pile burning is planned this fall).

• Smoke may be visible along the I-90 corridor (Easton to Ellensburg). 
• North Taneum hand-pile units 1-16, 505 acres. 4 miles South of Cle Elum
• Gnat Flat hand-pile units 1-36, 505 acres. 6 miles South of Cle Elum
• Walter Springs machine-pile units 6-14 and B1-B3, 416 acres.  9 miles South of Cle Elum
• South Fork Taneum machine-pile 107 acres. 6 miles South of Cle Elum

Naches Ranger District (up to 3,125 acres of prescribed burning is planned this fall)

• Canteen Project - Up to 525 acres of broadcast burning may occur in the vicinity of FSR 1701 Bald Mountain Road, 28 miles NW of Yakima. Smoke may be visible from Nile-Cliffdell, Naches, Tieton, and Yakima.
• Little Crow/Little Naches Uplands Projects - Up to 2500 acres of pile burning and up to 100 acres of broadcast burning may occur in the vicinity of the Little Naches. Units are located on FSR 1900, 1902, 1906, 1911, 1913, and 1922. The project areas lie 45 miles NW of Yakima. Smoke may be visible within the Little Naches and Cliffdell.

All burn operations are weather‑dependent and will stop if conditions become unfavorable.Follow our Facebook profiles at https://www.facebook.com/OkaWenNF. General forest information can be found at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/okanogan-wenatchee.For more information about these projects, contact the appropriate district office.Cle Elum Ranger District: 509-852-1100 Entiat- Chelan Ranger District: 509-682-4900 Methow Valley Ranger District: 509-996-4000 Naches Ranger District: 509-653-1401 Wenatchee River Ranger District: 509-548-2550