CHELAN — Another 40 firefighters and more engines arrived this afternoon to work on containing a wildland fire in Navarre Coulee.

The fire has acted as predicted today, actively burning as temperatures rise and the fuels dry out. The flames are moving south, away from homes, said fire spokeswoman Robin DeMario says.

About 160 fire personnel are staying in the Chelan High School gym.

A regional fire management team arrived this morning to oversee efforts to corral the brush fire that started around 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Evacuation notices remain in place for 33 homes, and the Navarre Coulee Road is still closed.

The blaze — which had blackened about 250 acres by this morning — is about 40 percent contained.

It forced the closure of Highway 97A between Entiat and Chelan for more than three hours Thursday afternoon. The highway is now open but has been closed for brief periods today as two helicopters dip water from the Columbia River to drop on the fire.

There is also a boating restriction on the Columbia River for a half mile in each direction of where helicopters are picking up water.

Navarre Coulee Road is closed, but may open later in the day. The highway between Lake Chelan State Park and Chelan is open, so campers can still reach the campground along that route.

The fire broke out early Thursday afternoon about 3.5 miles north of Highway 97A in Navarre Coulee. It moved up the Johnson Creek drainage, but slowed “considerably” when it reached green, wetter areas near the top of the ridge, said fire spokeswoman Robin DeMario with the U.S. Forest Service.

It then started heading south toward the Columbia River.

DeMario said one home in Johnson Creek is under a mandatory evacuation — Level 3. In addition, 13 homes and cabins in Johnson Creek are under a less severe Level 2 evacuation, advising residents to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice, and another 19 homes along Navarre Coulee Road are under a cautionary Level 1 evacuation.

No structures have been damaged so far, DeMario said.

“The fire laid down really well overnight,” she said today. “We had cold temperatures and higher humidity last night. That kind of nighttime recovery is really good for firefighters to be able to work right at the fire’s edge.”

She said hand crews and a bulldozer were able to dig lines around 40 percent of the fire by late Thursday night. Crews worked until 12:30 a.m. Friday morning, she said.

“The fire is not really doing anything this morning,” DeMario said. “It’s just smoldering along. Luckily we still have quite a bit of green fuel in the forest.”

The cause is under investigation. DeMario said it started on private property near Navarre Coulee Road. She said fire officials have requested the help of a fire investigator.

Michelle McNiel: 664-7152

mcniel@wenatcheeworld.com