by Richard Uhlhorn
The Ruby Theater held its second presentation on Fire in the Valley featuring Chelan Fire and Rescue Fire Chief Brandon Asher and Fire Commissioner Mark Donnell. This event took place on Thursday evening, May 1 to a crowd estimated at 50 interested residents.
Chief Asher described Chelan Fire and Rescue’s mission that includes responding to structural fires and wildfire incidents in a district that is 125 sq. miles. In addition, the district responds to all EMS calls, automobile accidents including victim extraction, water rescue on the lake, Regional rope rescues and Hazmat situations.
The district has just hired two new career firefighters to fill out its needs for all situations. It also carries up to 35 volunteers and is always looking to attract more. The largest percentage of volunteers are over the age of 60. While there are a number of younger volunteers Asher said, “It’s hard to attract younger men and women who have jobs and are unable to respond to calls.”
The district responds to more wildfire than it does structural incidents, but its firefighters are trained in both types of firefighting techniques.
Wildfire is the most worrisome event that visits the valley each year. It is rare that the Lake Chelan Valley escapes having a wildfire during the fire season with the exception of small brush fires that are contained quickly.
Asher described the downtown fire siren as a method of letting people know that a second alarm fire or incident is ongoing. “When it goes off, step outside and look around,” said Asher. “We also try to inform the public through KOZI Radio and social media.”
Fire Commissioner Mark Donnell moved to the Valley in 2015 as a retired westside paramedic and firefighter. He quickly signed up as a volunteer and eventually ascended to the position of Fire Chief before retiring.
Donnell presented his story as a Union Valley resident. He shared photos of his Union Valley home prior to preparing it for a wildfire incident to a photo of the work he has accomplished to save it in a wildfire event.
In September, 2022, a wildfire started adjacent to the Union Valley road just below his residence. This fire was human caused, probably by a spark from a trailer hitch safety chain dragging on the ground.
Chelan Fire and Rescue’s initial attach crew responded quickly which helped with control, but command was handed over to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). At the time, Asher reported that a unified command was set up quickly. “We had good response on this fire.”
Donnell along with many other residents living in this fire prone area have taken advantage of a program offered by the DNR to make their property defensible.
It wasn’t always like that. Prior to any real defensible space being created in Union Valley a resident in summer of 2001 started a trash burn on his property which got away and ended up burning 46,000 acres on Union Valley.
The DNR and residents began working on defensible space and are still at it.
The most recent and devasting fire in the Valley began in 2015, burning 56,000 acres of land before it was contained. This wildfire began as a lightning strike on Chelan Butte. Eventually an afternoon wind picked it up and it roared through the south end of Chelan causing millions in damage to homes and fruit warehouses.
Wildfire has a long history in the Lake Chelan Valley. Most of the lakeshore has been engulfed over the years and many thousands of acres have been consumed.
Last year’s Pioneer Fire was just the latest in a series of large wildfires at a cost of millions to the taxpayer. The Pioneer Fire has been reported to have cost $100 million plus to contain.
The August 1970 lightning fire in the Entiat and Chelan Mountains burned a total of 122,000 acres. This fire can be seen in a documentary narrated by Loren Green, as detailed by HistoryLink.org and YouTube. Chelan residents had to evacuate and were sheltered in an evacuation center, but returned the next day to scenes of devastation.
In 1994, the Tyee Complex, another lightning fire that began in the Entiat drainage burned over 135,000 acres and forced evacuations of resident on the south side of Chelan.
As more and more people move to the area and build homes in the wildland/urban interface, constructing defensible space is an important part of building here. The following link will help you negotiate the ins and outs of working with the DNR.
Defensible Space – Prepare Your Home | WA – DNR
All Things Lake Chelan 