Chelan County Declares Emergency As Little Giant Fire Threatens 1800 Structures
A state of emergency has been declared by the Board of County Commissioners in response to the Little Giant Fire that was initially ignited in northwestern Chelan County.
The emergency declaration was approved at the board’s meeting on Aug. 4, according to a news release.
The declaration was announced Tuesday and follows the announcement earlier today by Gov. Bob Ferguson that the federal government granted his request for an emergency declaration for the devastating wildfires burning throughout Eastern Washington. The state declaration covers Chelan, Ferry, Okanogan, Spokane, Stevens, and Yakima counties, as well as the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and the Spokane Tribe of Indians.
The county’s emergency declaration affords commissioners the ability to use local resources without going through the typical government bidding process for goods and services. It is also generally a prerequisite for most state and federal recovery assistance funding.
The wildfire, caused by lightning on July 15, was first reported in the area of Little Giant Mountain. As of Aug. 4, it had spread to nearly 59,346 acres, threatening the communities of Lake Wenatchee, Entiat, and the north and south shores of Lake Chelan. Currently, 1,814 structures are threatened, and Level 1, 2, and 3 evacuation orders are in place.
