Evacuations decrease as crews shift from suppression to recovery on Little Giant, Sisi Fires

LEAVENWORTH — More and more crews are transitioning from active suppression to recovery and repair on the Little Giant and Sisi Fires as the end of September nears.

The Sisi Fire, near Stehekin, is at 4,330 acres with 15% containment as of Sept. 28. Officials said crews are patrolling containment lines and monitoring fire movement, particularly where the fire is expected to back down toward lines along the Stehekin River and Agnes Creek.

Resources are being kept strategically positioned to implement aggressive suppression measures when conditions allow. The incident management team is using aviation assets to keep the fire within its current footprint, and providing aerial support where terrain or canopy density limits access.

As operations on the Sisi Fire transition from suppression to repair, resources that are no longer needed for active suppression are being released and reassigned to other divisions and incidents.

The Little Giant Fire remains just under 173,000 acres with 81% containment.

On the west side of the Little Giant Fire, firefighters are conducting repair operations throughout the Phelps Creek, Trinity and Chiwawa River drainages as debris flows are being cleared. On the east side, crews are advancing repair work in the Shady Pass and Twenty-Five MIle Creek areas.

Near Lake Chelan, firefighters are continuing to repair handline around campgrounds and rehabilitate recreation areas. Along Entiat River Road, crews are chipping, cleaning culverts and reducing stumps left by hazard mitigation to create a more natural appearing landscape.

Officials expect dozer line repairs on Cooper Ridge and Mitchell Gold Ridge to be completed in two to three more days, due to the help of additional  heavy equipment resources.

Personnel and equipment are transitioning from the southwest corner of the fire, where suppression repair is now completed, to repair and stabilization efforts in adjacent divisions.

Evacuation levels in areas surrounding the Little Giant Fire have significantly decreased over the last month. On Monday, Chelan County Incident Management reduced the last evacuation area, Trinity, to a level one.

With wildfire danger significantly reduced, construction work has started along Chumstick Highway near Plain. Chelan County Public Works is extending a retaining wall on Beaver Hill at the site of a landslide from the December 2025 weather event. Because the work zone requires a full closure of the key travel corridor, the county postponed the original Aug. 10 start date as a precautionary measure. The closure begins Sept. 28 and will continue for approximately three weeks.

Additionally, Public Use Restrictions (PURs), such as prohibitions on open fires and smoking near flammable materials, have been lifted on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. However, closures remain in effect for the Wenatchee River and Entiat Ranger Districts, as well as North Cascades National Park, including the Pacific Crest Trail (Agnes Creek Trail) from the park boundary to Bridge Creek Camp.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media