9,800-acre Chelan Hills fire that killed 1 investigated as ‘human-caused'

CHELAN - Under the sweltering Tuesday sun, two sweating, dirt-covered firefighters whacked their axes into a Central Washington hillside, clouds of dust swirling around their boots. Hazy smoke clouds billowed nearby, where hose-wielding firefighters aimed jets of water at patches of scorched earth.

The workers were among about 185 firefighters trying to contain the Chelan Hills wildfire, a nearly 10,000-acre blaze - likely caused by a person - just east of the Columbia River that had killed one resident and forced several hundred others to evacuate since it was first spotted on Saturday.

Just 3 miles southeast in Chelan, a Smokey Bear fire danger sign that read "Very High!" was one of the only indications of the disaster unfolding nearby. Swimsuit-clad children and hand-holding couples carrying ice cream cones strolled the sidewalks of the city, a popular tourist destination on the eastern border of Lake Chelan.

None appeared to notice the large white trailer labeled "Incident Command Post" in the parking lot outside of the city's community gym, where state and local officials gathered somberly to discuss the fire's toll.

Communities surrounding Lake Chelan have experienced wildfires before. But the life-altering damage brought by this week's blaze - and the possibility of more ahead - was "heartbreaking," Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove said.

"I know it's a strong and resilient community that is going to rebuild," Upthegrove said. "It's going to be hard for these families, but I know this community is going to pull together."

The small brush fire was first spotted at 12:06 a.m. Saturday on the east side of the Columbia River near U.S. Highway 97, just southeast of Chelan Falls Park.

Flames quickly spread east and up the steep hillside in the early hours of Saturday, fueled by dry grass, brush, timber and agricultural fields.

Firefighters from state and local agencies descended on the area within hours, and planes scooped water from Lake Chelan and the Columbia River and dumped it over the area. But the fire exploded to about 5,000 acres hours later as hot, strong wind gusts caused flames to jump across McNeil Canyon Road and spread north, officials said.

The wind and fast-moving flames "created a firestorm" for firefighters and people trying to flee. Some firefighters were forced to retreat to a designated safe zone, sustaining minor smoke inhalation and burn injuries, said Douglas County Sheriff Tyler Caille.

Two fire engines were consumed by the blaze, damaging one of the vehicles too severely to drive away after the winds subsided, officials said.

Deputies ordered all residents living along McNeil Canyon Road and more than 30 connecting roads Saturday afternoon to evacuate immediately, according to the sheriff's office. Some residents hoping to protect their property stayed behind.

One of those residents was reported missing Sunday. Deputies searched for the person and found human remains inside a burned vehicle that appeared to have slid off the side of a road, authorities said.

The death is the only one connected to the fire so far. The Douglas County coroner will identify the remains.

Sheriff's detectives and dogs trained to detect human remains will search the area Wednesday for anyone else who may have died in the fire, said Southeast Washington Interagency Incident Management Team spokesperson Ben Shearer.

Dangerously hot, dry and windy weather across Central and Eastern Washington this week is threatening to fuel the 9,776-acre fire, which was 20% contained by Tuesday afternoon. The National Weather Service warned this week's "critical fire weather conditions" - including high temperatures in the 90s and wind gusts as fast as 28 mph - could make it easier for ongoing wildfires to escape control.

The agency issued red flag warnings that will be in effect in the area between 4 and 10 p.m. Tuesday and 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. Wednesday.

By Tuesday afternoon, the fire had likely destroyed about 75% of structures in the area of McNeil Canyon Road, including 19 homes and several dozen other structures, Caille said. There are about 185 registered addresses in the rural area, and many people who live there have "lost everything," he said.

The fire is being investigated as "human-caused," Caille said during a news conference Tuesday. He declined to provide additional information.

"A lot of us know people who lost their homes in that canyon," Caille said. "It's personal."

Gov. Bob Ferguson said the state is now focusing its resources on battling the blaze, but it soon will turn to investigating the fire's cause and helping the community recover.

"The state's here for the long haul," Ferguson said.

A Red Cross shelter was opened at the Chelan School of Innovation near North Bradley Street and East Johnson Avenue, where evacuees can get food and water, charge their cellphones, receive first aid and get help accessing services like childcare, laundry and financial assistance.

Firefighters were aiming to have the fire fully contained by the end of Tuesday. But with such hot, dry and windy weather, "anything can happen," Shearer said. Dangers are high for communities everywhere in the state, where a single errant spark could turn into a massive inferno.

"In most of Washington state, there's a 90% chance of fire if you put a spark on the ground," he said. "It's really important that people understand that everywhere in the state is highly flammable right now."

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This story was originally published July 7, 2026 at 4:50 PM.