District ranger updates Chelan city council on wildfire, recreation, docks

CHELAN – “A pervasive band of red” is how Chelan/Entiat District Forest Ranger Holly Craig describes the above average significant wildfire potential from Washington state through Montana.

Craig delivered her remarks to the June 10 bimonthly meeting of the Chelan City Council based on predictions reflected in data gathered by the National Interagency Fire Center (nifc.gov) from drought conditions, snowpack, and what is shaping up with La Nina/El Nino forces.

“The good news is that in Chelan and Entiat we are almost fully staffed,” said Craig. “We have a full contingent of both Entiat Hotshot 20-person hand crews.”

Craig said the district is vacant one engine but “we move resources around to staff that, and we are planning bring up severity resources from the Southwest when their fire season end and ours starts.”

A question from the council asked about available auxiliary resources that provide support services. 

Craig said support services “are where we are understanding the impacts of Forest Service staffing both in terms of management team availability across the nation and the Pacific Northwest.”

Employees are fire certified

Craig said the district recently conducted an assessment of its staffing and assets.

“Every single employee of the Chelan and Entiat Ranger District has a wildland fire red card certification so we can support a wide range of things from making sure folks who set up fire camps, order lunches, provide heavy equipment operators, and everything in between,” said Craig.

Craig cautioned that providing those support crews will mean tradeoffs for services like recreation and other public services.

Another question was about upper lake fires that have been allowed to smolder and what USFS policy is about addressing fires in difficult terrain.

“Our direction this year is very clear, and that is to manage all of the fires to the extent we can with aggressive initial response, full suppression, and thoughtful risk mitigation as well,” said Craig. “There is always that balance of where we can safely put folks and get them out.”

Council member Bob Goedde asked if the Forest Service will consider using retardant on smaller fires rather than allow them to thousands of acres.

Craig said she is not aware of any minimum acre size that precludes the use of aerial retardant.

Recreation staffing down

Craig said the Lakeshore Trail has reopened following the 2023-24 Pioneer Fire. The district is working with Chelan County law enforcement for enhanced patrols, to deconflict any issues and ensure campers are using the right sites and respecting private land.

Craig said the district will attend to small conveniences like keeping the toilets pumped for trail users.

Recreation in Entiat and Chelan staffing – largely seasonal trails crews - is down 76 percent from what it was last year, said Craig. The district is working with partners like the Washington Trails Association to augment staff cuts and still keep trails open.

Dock repairs discussed

A council inquiry about the condition and availability of up lake dock facilities focused on several being replaced or repaired. Craig said the cuts to staffing and funding are making it difficult to find a clear path forward to get those installed this summer.

• Domke Dock is currently on dry land after undergoing repairs but contracting issues are a hurdle in getting it back in place.

“We are working through how to move Domke Dock up lake and get it installed,” said Craig. “It’s ready to go but costs about $10,000 to move it up lake via barge and the delay is being able to get that through the federal contracting process right now.”

• Fields Point Dock

“We have about $2.61 million in Great America Outdoor Act funding for Fields Point Dock replacement and we are working on that,” said Craig. “Right now, the focus is on contracting for fires, fuel, and timber contracts so recreation contracts are not moving as quickly as they might have in the past.”

• Safety Harbor Dock

Craig said Safety Harbor is another dock the district wants to return to service as soon as funding and staff can be acquired to get it done.

“Right now, at least locally, we are looking at a static budget to declining with inflation,” said Craig.

The overall message Craig delivered is one of the ranger district doing its best to prioritize wildfire and recreation projects in the wake of diminished staff and funding.

Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483 or michael@ward.media