Central Washington wildfire continues to grow, Level 2 evacuations issued

A central Washington wildfire has continued to grow.

As of Wednesday, the Sugarloaf Fire, which is burning about 25 miles northeast of Leavenworth, has torched 13,814 acres.

It grew more than 1,000 acres in the past two days and is currently 0% contained.

Bill Queen, spokesperson for the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center (NWCC), was expecting the fire to grow.

Sugarloaf Fire evacuations lowered to Level 2

Queen told KIRO Newsradio the wildfire was threatening 1,138 single residences, which were under varying levels of evacuation.

Level 3 “get out now” warnings were issued for the entire town of Ardenvoir and an area west of the Entiat River on Monday, but have been pulled back to a Level 2 “get set,” according to Chelan County Emergency Management.

Crews are working to establish a more secure line to fight the fire.

Sugarloaf Fire sparks end of August

The Sugarloaf Fire sparked more than a week ago.

“It actually started on August 31,” Jodie Schiffman, spokesperson for NWCC, said. “There was a dry lightning storm that passed over central Washington. So this fire started by lightning.”

Mario Martinez, who manages the Cooper’s General Store and Cafe in Ardenvoir, told KIRO Newsradio last week he could tell the wildfire was growing.

“You could just see the whole sky was glowing red—when it really caught fire,” Martinez said.

The 542 personnel fighting the wildfire in the Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest have faced challenges, including rough terrain and hot, dry weather.

“Even though the weather is changing—cooler, higher humidities—the fuels are still very dry. So there’s a time lapse between when moisture might be present in the area and when those fuels will actually absorb that moisture to the point that it reduces their ability—or propensity—to burn,” Queen said.

Numerous wildfires are blazing across Washington

The Sugarloaf Fire is one of several major wildfires burning across Washington right now.

In western Washington, the Bear Gulch Fire has consumed 10,629 acres on the Olympic Peninsula and is 9% contained, as of Wednesday. Homes near Lake Cushman have been evacuated, and some public campgrounds are closed.

The fire sparked on July 7. Investigators believe it was human-caused, but they’re not exactly sure how.

The state’s two largest wildfires are burning in eastern Washington, and they’ve also prompted evacuations.

That includes the 19,947-acre Rattlesnake Fire, which is 33% contained. It’s unclear what ignited that fire on the Colville Reservation on Sept. 1.

Further north, the Crown Creek Fire has burned 14,221 acres in Stevens County since it was sparked by lightning on Aug. 29. It is 10% contained.

This story was originally published on September 8, 2025. It has been updated and republished since then.

Contributing: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest

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