Labor Mountain fire closes Blewett Pass, triggers evacuations
Sep 22, 2025, 4:46 PM | Updated: 4:47 pm
A Washington State Highway Department map from the early 1960s shows the proximity of Blewett and Swauk Passes on US Highway 97. (WSDOT)
(WSDOT)
A fast-growing wildfire in central Washington’s Cascade Mountains continues to threaten communities and disrupt travel, with no immediate signs of slowing.
Due to heavy smoke, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announced Monday that Blewett Pass (US 97) will remain closed overnight. The closure affects the section between the junction with SR 970 and Ingalls Creek Road, stretching from milepost 149 to 178.
With no estimated reopening time, WSDOT recommends travelers use US 2 (Stevens Pass) or Interstate 90 as alternate east-west routes. Drivers should also expect delays near the I-90 Vantage Bridge, where repair work is causing longer travel times.
Meanwhile, local authorities have issued Level 3 evacuation orders for Shaser Creek Road, King Creek Road, and Culver Creek Road, located between mileposts 172 and 174 on Highway 97. Residents in these areas have been urged to evacuate without delay.
The Labor Mountain Fire, which began on Sept. 1 after a lightning strike, has expanded to 11,679 acres as of Monday.
The fire is burning south of the Enchantments and west of Highway 97, near the Chelan-Kittitas county line.
The fire is only 7% contained, as of this reporting.
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