FIRE REPORT: Sept. 26, 2025
NANCE BESTON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 months, 3 weeks AGO
The Labor Mountain Fire crew poses for a photo on the fire line. The blaze showed the largest growth in the fires in Washington since Monday. The fire, growing nearly 7,000 acres, is sitting at around 17,000 acres as of Thursday. Despite the growth, the Lower Sugarloaf (nearly 31,000 acres), Rattlesnake Fire (about 22,000 acres) and Bear Gulch Fire (around 20,000 acres) remain the largest three fires in the state.
COURTESY PHOTO/INCIWEB/CHRISTOPHER KIRSCH
MOSES LAKE – The fires below are burning nearly 139,000 acres across Washington as of Thursday afternoon. This is around 9,000 acres more than Monday and 29,000 more acres than last Thursday.
Fires that showed a lot of growth over the week include the Lower Sugarloaf Fire, which grew around 3,000 acres, making it the largest fire in the state. The Labor Mountain Fire also had growth of around 7,000 acres from Monday to around 17,000 acres as of Thursday.
These fires were causing air quality concerns regionally. As the Columbia Basin goes into the weekend, there are several cities where the air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups until Monday.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, sensitive groups include people with lung or heart disease, older adults, children, teenagers, pregnant women, minority populations and outdoor workers.
When the air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups EPA recommends making outdoor activities shorter and less intense. It also recommends watching out for symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath. For those with asthma, be sure to keep medicine readily available. For those with heart disease, if symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath or unusual fatigue happen, EPA recommends reaching out to a health care provider.
To look at the current air quality in the area, visit AirNow.gov.
Three largest fires:
Lower Sugarloaf Fire: 31,049 acres. 27% contained. Chelan County. Started Sept. 1. Lightning-caused.
Rattlesnake Fire: 21,845 acres. 96% contained. Lincoln County. Started Sept. 2. Undetermined cause.
Bear Gulch Fire: 19,981 acres. 5% contained. Mason County. Started July 6. Human-caused.
Other fires:
Crown Creek: 14,192 acres. 93% containment. Stevens County. Started Aug. 29. Lightning-caused.
Katy Creek: 4,680 acres. 93% contained. Stevens County. Started Aug. 30. Lightning-caused.
Labor Mountain: 17,181 acres. 7% contained. Kittitas County. Started Sept. 1. Lightning-caused.
Lynx Mountain: 8,979 acres. 56% contained. Ferry County. Started Sept. 2. Under investigation.
Martin: 188 acres. 50% contained. Chelan County. Started Aug. 27. Under investigation.
Overon Road: 10 acres. No containment. Grant County. Started Sept. 25. Under investigation.
Perry: 1,772 acres. 61% contained. Whatcom County. Started Aug. 27. Under investigation.
Pomas: 3,533 acres. 45% contained. Chelan County. Started June 13. Lightning-caused.
Snow Peak: 1,100 acres. No containment. Stevens County. Started Sept. 1. Lightning caused.
Tacoma Creek: 3,960 acres. 86% contained. Stevens and Pend Oreille counties. Started Sept. 1. Under investigation.
Tunnel Creek: 558 acres. No containment. Jefferson County. Started Sept. 6. Unknown cause.
Wildcat: 9,411 acres. 7% contained. Yakima County. Started Aug. 25. Under investigation.
Air quality:
Air quality labels are decided by the air quality index number. Between zero and 50 is good, 51-100 is moderate, 101-150 is unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151-200 is unhealthy, 201-300 is very unhealthy and above 301 is hazardous.
Ephrata – Thursday: moderate, 83 Air Quality Index. Friday: unhealthy for sensitive groups. Saturday: unhealthy for sensitive groups. Sunday: unhealthy for sensitive groups. Monday: moderate.
Moses Lake – Thursday: moderate, 80 Air Quality Index. Friday: moderate Saturday: moderate. Sunday: moderate. Monday: good.
Othello – Thursday: moderate, 54 Air Quality Index. Friday: moderate Saturday: moderate. Sunday: moderate. Monday: good.
Quincy – Thursday: moderate, 83 Air Quality Index. Friday: unhealthy for sensitive groups. Saturday: unhealthy for sensitive groups. Sunday: unhealthy for sensitive groups. Monday: moderate.
Ritzville – Thursday: moderate 53 Air Quality Index. Friday: moderate Saturday: moderate. Sunday: moderate. Monday: good.
ARTICLES BY NANCE BESTON
Soap Lake council tables tourism committee plan, debates planning services
SOAP LAKE — Soap Lake City Council approved several administrative resolutions Wednesday but postponed decisions on tourism funding and planning services after an hours‑long discussion over staffing, contracts and oversight.
Soap Lake council unanimously votes no-confidence in Mayor Sharp
SOAP LAKE – The Soap Lake City Council unanimously passed a vote of no-confidence against Mayor Peter Sharp Wednesday evening, taking effect immediately after passage. Councilmember Kayleen Bryson read the resolution as the only comment on the matter. Sharp did not comment during the meeting.
Measles reported in Grant County
EPHRATA — Grant County health officials are urging families to check their vaccination records after two unvaccinated children in the same household tested positive for measles, marking the county’s first confirmed infections of 2026. Grant County Health District said it was notified on March 17 that both children, who were recently exposed during international travel, had contracted the virus. One child was briefly hospitalized; both are now recovering at home. Health Officer Dr. Alexander Brzezny said the cases underscore how quickly measles can spread — and how effectively it can be prevented.