Big Fire Near Leavenworth Closes Part of Highway 2

The Tumwater Canyon Fire grew to approximately 100 acres overnight. The Tumwater Canyon Fire is six miles north of the city of Leavenworth and is located on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Wenatchee River Ranger District.

There are approximately 90 fire personnel assigned to the fire, including Forest Service Fire Crews from the Wenatchee River, Entiat, and Cle Elum Ranger Districts, Chelan County Fire Districts 3 and 9, with air support from the Forest Service and the Department of Natural Resources.

The fire is burning in steep, rugged terrain. It is burning in the Tumwater Canyon, south of the Wenatchee River Bridge and east of Highway 2 in a mix of grass, shrub and mixed conifer vegetation. The strategy today is to keep the fire out of private timber lands, protect resources, and ensure firefighter and public safety.

The Incident is now being managed by a Type 3 Incident Management Team with Randy Whitehall as Incident Commander.

For firefighter and public safety, the Washington State Patrol has temporarily closed Highway 2 from Coles Corner to Leavenworth. A detour has been set-up through the Chumstick Valley.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.