‘Pure hell’: Residents stay back to guard homes from Pioneer Fire

STEHEKIN, Wash. — After more than eight weeks, the Pioneer Fire was just 13% contained Friday night, as the fire continued its charge up Lake Chelan.

According to fire crews, no structures have been damaged or lost, though the flames have sometimes come within 20 feet of properties.

Crews credit a significant sprinkler system and hose line they’ve deployed across 27 miles.

The center of the fight is now in Stehekin, a small community on Lake Chelan that’s only accessible by boat (or air).

“It’s been pure hell,” Stehekin resident Darrel Newman said.

Newman’s cabin has been in his family for nearly 75 years.

“We’ve fought many fires down there but this was unbelievable,” he said.

Fire crews were able to keep his cabin standing, but Newman says backfire burned about 75% of his property.

Stehekin’s rugged and steep terrain has proven challenging and dangerous for firefighters. With no roads in or out, crews have had to rely on barges and ferries to ship personnel and equipment from Chelan.

“I have to say, in my 20-plus career of doing this I don’t think I’ve ever been on a fire that was almost entirely supported logistically via boat,” said Stephen Fillmore, Deputy Incident Commander with California Fire Incident Management Team 15.

Nearly 800 firefighters were fighting the fire on Saturday. Crews have been deployed from all across the country, including California and New York.

Fillmore estimates that somewhere between 75-90 residents have remained in Stehekin, despite the community being under a Level 3 Evacuation.

Some have jumped into action to save lives and structures.

“It was a panicked phone call,” said Nick Davis, who lives in Stehekin. “She said, ‘Hey the fire’s jumped the line.’”

Davis gathered a few others and rode a boat down to assist his friends in crisis.

“We set up lines and pumps,” he said. “Spent about four to five hours knocking down the fire.”

Even though all of the town’s structures are still standing, Davis knows the impact will be long-lasting.

“Here in Stehekin, we’ve got about four months to earn our living,” he said.

Without the business of the fire crews battling the fire, his business, Stehekin Reservations, would have been shut down all summer.

“Not only are you staring down the barrel of a 50% reduction of annual income, but the money that you have in the bank is disappearing quickly because you’re processing refunds,” he said.

While fire officials advise residents to leave, those who have stayed behind have done their part to assist crews on the ground.

“They’ve been transporting firefighters,” Fillmore said. “They’ve kept the bakery open.”

“Families here all pulled together and helped the fire service,” Newman said.

Crews continue the fight 24 hours each day, both on the ground and by air. They’re also using an infrared drone to monitor for hot spots. Still, no end is in sight.

The U.S. Forest Service has warned multiple firefighters in the Pacific Northwest that the fire may continue to burn until the region experiences significant rainfall or snowfall this fall.

You can monitor the latest updates on the Pioneer Fire here.

©2024 Cox Media Group