This graphic shows the Stayman Flats Fire Tuesday evening.
Provided graphic/DNR
ENTIAT — The Stayman Flats Fire was still listed at 1,200 acres and 30% contained Tuesday evening by the state Department of Natural Resources.
There was a possible "wind event" in the forecast that might hinder firefighters' efforts, said Ryan Rodruck, DNR PIO, but the wind didn't appear to be doing much.
Rodruck said if the wind didn't pick up, overnight crews would make significant containment progress in the next 24 hours because the fire behavior was moderate.
"We're keeping an eye on the winds," he said.
The fire has burned 1,168 acres so far, according to DNR's online wildfire dashboard.
Second update:
ENTIAT — The Stayman Flats Fire was listed at 1,200 acres and 30% contained Tuesday afternoon by the state Department of Natural Resources.
Twenty-six homes remained under Level 3, or “Go Now” evacuation notice, said Ryan Rodruck, DNR PIO.
He said six fixed-wing aircraft, two tanker planes and three helicopters battled the fire from the air, with at least two, 20-person hand crews on the ground with local agencies.
He added the fire was a “high resource allocation,” meaning DNR prioritized its initial attack and sent many crews to help keep the fire small.
The cause of the fire was undetermined, he said, which may change when investigators search the initial scene after the fire is out.
The Northwest Interagency Coordination Center initially listed lightning as the cause on its website.
“The initial official report from last night indicated the cause was from lightning,” wrote Carol Connolly, with NWCC. “NWCC is required to use the official status report.”
She added the cause would be updated to “undetermined.”
“This is somewhat normal for the first operational period of any fire. The first firefighters on the ground may report a cause and then a fire investigator would be assigned to either agree or determine the cause. In this case, it is still undetermined and our fire information page at NWCC has been changed.”
First update:
ENTIAT — Fire crews continue battling the now 1,800-acre Stayman Flats Fire Tuesday, according to Chelan County Fire District 7.
The lines were holding and the fire seemed “calmed down for now,” a District 7 social media post said.
About 120 firefighters from the U.S. Forest Service and state Department of Natural Resources were on the scene. Two planes and two helicopters helped from the air. District 7 firefighters were ready to respond as needed.
A fire line on Downie Canyon Road was holding as of 10:30 a.m., according to District 7.
A Chelan County Sheriff’s Office boat patrolled the Columbia River to ensure boaters stayed away from air support scooping up water.
Original story Tuesday:
ENTIAT — Firefighters were monitoring the 750-acre Stayman Flats Fire, north of Entiat and south of Chelan, Tuesday morning.
The fire was mostly contained Monday night, but “picked back up” around 3 or 4 a.m. Tuesday, said Chelan County Fire District 7 Capt. Taylor Rains.
“We’re a little worried about it,” he said. “Air support should be coming in any minute. … It’s going to be a long day for us.”
All of the Level 3 or “Go Now” evacuation notices were lowered to Level 1 or “Get Ready,” as of Tuesday morning, said Chelan County Fire District 1 spokesperson Kay McKellar.
Only one of the more than 100 structures threatened by the brush fire at its peak Monday was a home, she added, and was included in the Level 1 status.
The initial call came in at 2:37 p.m. Monday as two fires, Chelan County Fire District 1 Battalion Chief Peter Rigelman said. Both original fires were between 5 and 10 acres each in the Stayman Flats area off of Highway 97A and Stayman Flats Road.
McKellar and Rains said they didn’t know the cause of the fire.
Chelan County Fire District 1, Douglas County Fire District 2, state Department of Natural Resources and Forest Service were among the 10 agencies asked to respond at 3:07 p.m., when a second alarm went out.
The fire spread north toward Chelan by Monday evening, and about 27 structures were in a Level 3 or “Go Now” evacuation notice. Ninety-eight structures were under a Level 1 or “Get Ready” notice.
Two helicopters and two air tankers dropped water on the fire before nightfall, McKellar said, and “did a good job knocking the fire down.”
Crews from Chelan County Fire Districts 7 and 8 stayed overnight to monitor the fire.
Stayman Flats Road remained closed to through traffic. Downie Canyon Road also was closed.
An emergency shelter was set up at the Chelan High School for those who needed it, McKellar said.
Discuss the news on NABUR, a place to have local conversations The Neighborhood Alliance for Better Understanding and Respect ✔ A site just for our local community ✔ Focused on facts, not misinformation ✔ Free for everyone
