Chief Brandon Asher reported that the department responded to 128 calls In June and that July was on a record pace.
“We had multiple fires which really tasked both Chelan and Douglas Counties,” said Asher. “So it was a busy June and we had a lot of help from everyone.”
Asher reported that Mayor McCardle said the meeting in Washington D.C. seeking funds from the Senate didn’t work out but she was hopeful that Representative Schier would secure some funding for the East Chelan Water Project.
Fire Chief Brandon Asher
Pioneer Fire activity: Asher said, “We are not an official member of the team, but we are cooperating and helping out where we can.”
The Chelan Fire and Rescue’s Boat 71 is still attached to the Pioneer Fire and is 31 days in. “People are getting comfortable. Starting now, the boat will be working 24 hours a day.” Commissioner Russ Jones is captioning the boat on the night shift this week.
Brush Truck 73 is assigned to a Department of Natural Resources Strike Team. “It’s all local people on the team,” said Asher. The team is helping with structural assessments all around Manson. “We basically have a strike team in town.” Manson is providing one firefighter on Brush Truck No. 73.
Assistant Chief Report: Assistant Chief Shawn Sherman reported that the department has gained one new volunteer and that over the month of June there were no retention losses.
Assistant Fire Chief Shawn Sherman.
He also reported that that the department will be holding a training drill next month with Manson at the Chelan location with a dinner afterwards.
At the last update on July 7, the Pioneer Fire has grown to almost 10,000 acres and Level 3 evacuations have been extended to Safety Harbor. UPDATE: 4 p.m., 7.8.24 – The Incident Command Team is taking over Manson’s Singleton Park as its next fire encampment.
Chelan Fire and Rescue Commissioner Russ Jones has been driving the Fire & Rescue boat in support of personnel working the fire. In a telephone conversation, Jones stated that a back burn operation went well until the down lake wind came up at 7 p.m. on Saturday evening. “It was one hell of a night,” stated Jones who was evacuating fire fighters from the Prince Creek and Canoe Creek locations. “You can’t really see the shoreline at night and then there is all the wood,” he added.
The Pioneer Fire downsloped to the lake at Prince Creek. Photo by Stephanie Prehim – Chelan Fire and Rescue.
Jones said he was really happy when the rescue evacuation operation was over at 1 a.m. “I’m really impressed with the firefighters,” Jones said. “They are dealing with heat, dust and smoke, but are really courteous and nice.”
Firefighters watch the Pioneer Fire burn along the shores of Lake Chelan after being evacuated by Chelan Fire & Rescue personnel. Photo by Stephanie Prehim
The lower valley should prepare itself for the next week of extreme heat. Jones said that this coming Wednesday afternoon there will be another down lake wind coming out of the west reaching up to 20 mph gusts.
The high temperatures and relatively low humidity will continue to be a contributing factor to increased fire behavior. Fire fighting crews continue to work on protecting structures, both private and public.
Crews continue to bolster the old 2001 Deer Pt. fire breaks all the way to the lake.
Manson Fire Chief Arnold Baker said the down lake wind the other night really screwed things up and he’s not optimistic about the next week. “As I said at the Manson Community meeting, my job is to plan for the worstcase scenario. I still think that’s where we are headed.”
“If the fire jumps the Coyote Ridge breaks it will jump all the others,” stated Baker. He went on to say the Incident Team is really supporting the efforts to protect Manson. “The are doing real legitimate work. We are integrated into the team efforts,” added Baker. “We are preparing to protect Manson.”
District 5 and District 7 are working together. “Brandon and I just finished a meeting with the team here at District 7.”
Smoke has become a regular occurrence in the Lake Chelan Valley, which could help keep daily temperatures a little lower, but not by much.
It is predicted that excessive temperatures will drive fire behavior and continue to grow the Pioneer Fire until the snow falls in November. The fire is currently burning in the old Rex Creek Fire boundary which has a lot of old deadfall, grasses, bushes and other flammable material. The Rex Creek Fire burned over 60,000 acres back in 2001.
Further south of the Rex Creek Fire boundary there is the remains of the Deer Point Fire which took place in 2002 and actually threatened the northern reaches of Manson.
Work is being undertaken to strengthen and open up the old fire breaks on the Grade Creek Road north and along Coyote Ridge to the lake.
Currently, there are 604 personnel on this fire with only 14% containment. Aerial water drops are also continuing non-stop during the daylight hours.
All Things Lake Chelan will continue to stay on top of this emerging story and keep its followers updated as more information comes in.
Homeowner Insurance Issues: Chelan Fire & Rescue followed up on the suggestion from the State Insurance Commissioner’s office that the only way to change criteria on the way home owners insurance ratings are accomplished was to go through a legislative process.
Homeowners throughout the State are suffering from either cancellation or large increases in their home owners insurance
The District commissioners and administration immediately set up a meeting with State Representatives Michael Steele and Keith Goehner along with State Senator Brad Hawkins.
Commissioner Russ Jones opened the meeting by telling the State Representatives, “We need a lot of help from you guys.”
The issue is how the current insurance companies are approaching wildfire risk assessments that include wholesale Zip Code exclusions on whether or not to cancel and/or increase a home owner’s policy. Jone’s stated that both Chelan 7 and District 5 would like to see the insurance companies assess individual properties for risk. Jones told the them if legislation was crafted right, it could be beneficial.
Many home owners have expressed concern about the ability to even sell their property when no insurance is available for the buyer.
Hawkins replied that passing any kind of legislation is hard. “We can pre-file new bills as early as December so they are ready to go in January.”
Senator Brad Hawkins
Representative Keith Goehner
Goehner stated that the issue is very troubling to him. He talked about insurance companies risk assessing properties in one batch from Leavenworth to Stevens Pass. “There is a wide variety of properties where the risk isn’t that great,” said Goehner. “What is the real level of risk,” he asked?
Goehner went on to state that insurance companies have had some huge payouts. (the 2014 Carlton Complex had 365 homes destroyed.). “Any legislation pretty much has to be statewide. Representatives will be sensitive to their own area. We are going to have to have a more in depth conversation.”
Representative Michael Steele
“There are a lot of different insurance companies,” stated Steele. He brought up risk maps and wondered what a risk map of the entire state would look like. “We have a motivation…. There has been a giant swing in costs.” Steele added that the representatives have a lot of work to do to prepare a draft bill by December.
Jones said he was aware of the consequences. “I know that this isn’t going to happen overnight, but we have the obligation to try.”
Goehner asked about other states. Fire Chief Brandon Asher replied that he didn’t have all the details but there is a rumor that Oregon is preventing insurance companies from using a map.
Hawkins said bringing a bill forward sometimes results in positive things happening. “The insurance lobbyists are powerful,” said Hankins, adding that insurance companies try to recoup their costs the only way they can.
Goehner stated that the only way insurance companies can identify risk is be hardening. Asher replied that Chelan Fire & Rescue is always available for home inspections. He brought up the work that has been completed in Union Valley to keep fire from structures like homes.
Commissioner Mark Donnell said Union Valley where he lives has followed the DNR Fire Wise program but said they weren’t getting recognized. “What is hard… we are not being recognized,” he stated. “I’m doing all I can. Whatever insurance companies want, we would do,” he added.
Goehner said that Fire Wise was considered not effective and is not recognized.
Jones said the district was three weeks into this issue and that the items the representatives brought up were helpful. Asher said the current wildland map was way off. “We are coming up with a way more detailed map,” said Asher. He added that wildland/urban interface fire fighting capabilities is being evaluated.
Lisa Garvich asked how banks reacted when a home owners insurance is cancelled. Jones replied that the State has to satisfy insurance with banks, so homeowners are covered.
Goehner said the legislative staff has to immediately begin to work on what needs to be in the draft legislation.
Hawkins suggested that the Fire Districts ask the candidates running for Insurance Commissioner the questions. “Ask them the questions.” Steele added that they should be a part of the conversation.
The insurance issue will continue to be a hot topic amongst property owners and agencies responsible for protecting that property. Fire District No. 6 and No. 5 will continue to address the issue and try to force some reasonable changes to the criteria insurance companies use to assess fire risks with home owners.
The Pioneer Fire looking up-lake on June 16..
In other business: Chelan Fire and Rescue responded to 88 calls in May. They have also sent personnel out on State Mobilizations. The District’s fire and rescue boat is deployed to the Pioneer Fire.
Backup in the lower Wapato Basin for any on water emergency will be handled by the Sheriff’s Department. Assistant Chief Shawn Sherman has put his personal boat into service with rescue gear on board.
State Representative’s Michale Steele and Keith Goehner will be attending the Chelan Fire Commission meeting on Wednesday, June 19 beginning at 3 p.m. at the Chelan Fire Hall.
They will be discussing the next steps in the Homeowner’s Insurance Issue.
In a conversation with Commissioner Russ Jones on Thursday, Jone’s said most of the attendees of the meeting held last Tuesday had either had their home insurance cancelled and/or the price increased substantially. “It seems the insurers have been cancelling by Zip Code,” said Jones.
What Jones and homeowners would like to see changed in the Washington State Insurance Codes is a requirement for insurers to individually assess a homeowner’s risk to wildfire before raising fees and/or cancelling a homeowner’s policy outright.
Insurance companies had to pay out millions of dollars in the aftermath of the 2014 Carleton Wildfire risk is on their risk assessment agenda.
Wildfire risk is also on the public’s agenda and major impetus is being placed by Fire agencies to make sure homeowner’s are prepared and Fire Safe.
PIONEER FIRE UPDATE – 6.14.24 The Pioneer Fire has grown to 1,756 acres as of today.
Firefighter access difficulties in the steep, rugged terrain on the north shore of Lake Chelan, 31 miles north of Chelan continue to challenge the 186 firefighting personnel battling the blaze.
Firefighters are maintaining handlines and sprinkler systems to protect both private and public structures from Rex Creek to Pioneer Creek. Six aircraft are assigned to support the firefighting efforts.
Wind and a cold front with low humidity has been a major contributor to the fire’s growth.
The Incident Commander has stated that this fire will be an on-going battle into the distant future.
It is burning well within the confines of the old July, 2001 Rex Creek fire that consumed 60,000 acres and left plenty of dry logs and fuel to reburn.
2001 Rex Creek Fire
Some are now saying it will burn until the first snow in November.
Chelan County Emergency Management has expanded its evacuation levels as follows:
Level 3 – Rex Creek to just north of Moore Point.
Level 2 – To include Flick Creek
Backpackers still wishing to hike the Lakeshore Trail can access the trail at Moore Point.
More information as it the fire situation becomes available.
All Things Lake Chelan 