Multiple Wildfires Burning Across Washington State as Fire Season Accelerates

Washington state is tracking three active wildfire incidents as the 2026 fire season enters full swing, with firefighters battling blazes from the Olympic Peninsula to the Okanogan Highlands. While two fires that drew significant attention last week have been contained, crews remain engaged on multiple fronts as conditions across Central and Eastern Washington continue to deteriorate.

Mt. Tom Creek Fire — Olympic National Park

The Mt. Tom Creek Fire continues to burn in a remote, high-elevation section of Olympic National Park on the park’s west side. The fire, ignited by a lightning strike on June 23, has grown to 86 acres and remains 0% contained as of July 2. Fire officials say the blaze is burning roughly six miles from the Hoh Rain Forest, though all park trails in the area remain open to the public.

The remote terrain and steep slopes make direct suppression difficult, and crews are monitoring fire behavior while focusing on resource protection. Visitors to the Hoh corridor are advised to remain aware of potential smoke impacts and check park alerts before traveling.

Henderson Fire — Lake Chelan Area, Chelan County

The Henderson Fire, which broke out near Henderson Road in Chelan County on July 1, grew rapidly before crews gained the upper hand. The human-caused fire reached 350 acres before firefighters achieved 80% containment within 24 hours. Evacuation levels that had briefly reached Level 3 “Go Now” status for some nearby residents were quickly downgraded by Chelan County Emergency Management as containment progressed.

Fire managers credit favorable overnight humidity recovery and rapid initial attack resources for the quick progress. Residents in the immediate area should remain alert for any level changes through the July 4th holiday weekend.

Hamilton Fire — Near Winthrop, Okanogan County

The Hamilton Fire, which sparked west of Winthrop on the morning of June 28, prompted some of the most dramatic evacuation activity in the region this season. The fire burned grass and brush and grew quickly to approximately 300 acres by that afternoon, prompting Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation orders for Hamilton Ranch Road, Black Bird Road, High Ridge Road, and Hamilton Ranch Loop Road, as well as a broad evacuation of areas west of Winthrop.

Subsequent firefighting efforts, including aerial and ground resources from across the region, slowed forward progression. As of July 2, evacuation levels have been significantly reduced — all former Level 3 areas have been downgraded to Level 2 “Get Set,” and former Level 2 areas have been reduced to Level 1 “Get Ready” advisories. The fire is holding at approximately 82.7 acres.

Okanogan County Emergency Management continues to advise residents to respect road closures and remain prepared to act quickly should conditions change over the holiday weekend.

Recent Containments

Two significant fires that drew attention in recent weeks have now been fully contained:

Kartar Fire (Colville Reservation, near Omak) — 11,746 acres, 100% contained as of July 2. The human-caused fire required 276 firefighting personnel over more than two weeks.
Garred Road Fire (Grant and Douglas counties, near Coulee City) — 3,369 acres, 100% contained.

Outlook

With a strengthening high-pressure ridge forecast to settle over the region through the July 4th weekend, fire weather concerns will continue to grow, particularly in the Columbia Basin, Yakima Valley, and Central Washington, where cured grasses can ignite readily from any spark source. Fire officials and emergency managers are closely monitoring fuel conditions and will be staffing additional resources through the holiday period.