More than 122,000 acres have burned statewide in 2025; Bear Gulch Fire in Olympics now exceeds 10,000 acres.
LEAVENWORTH, Wash. — Fourteen large wildfires are burning across Washington state, consuming more than 122,000 acres this year as firefighters battle rugged terrain, shifting weather, and evacuation alerts.
State officials report 1,602 total fires in 2025, with 122,301 acres scorched as of Saturday, according to the Department of Natural Resources.
In northern Washington’s Cascades, the Perry fire near Sedro-Woolley has grown to 1,477 acres. Firefighters are ferried daily by boat into the Little Beaver drainage to protect park infrastructure, while helicopters continue water drops. Steep, cliffy terrain has limited hand-crew work, though smoke inversions have moderated fire behavior.
In central and southern Washington’s Cascades, the Pomas fire is holding at 3,533 acres with minimal creeping and smoldering activity. The Wildcat fire, burning in the William O. Douglas Wilderness above Bumping Lake, has reached 2,752 acres with no containment. Level 1 evacuation notices remain in effect for the Goose Prairie community, and the fire has merged with the Fish Lake and Swamp Lake fires.
The Lower Sugarloaf fire near Entiat has surpassed 2,500 acres, with smoke visible from Plain, Leavenworth, Wenatchee and Entiat. Level 1 evacuations are in effect in parts of the Chumstick.
Near Cle Elum, the Labor Mountain fire is burning through brush and timber across 125 to 150 acres. Officials warn hot, dry weather could fuel more growth. Smokejumpers and rappel crews have been deployed into the steep terrain.
On the Olympic Peninsula, the Bear Gulch fire has spread to 10,275 acres, making it the state’s largest active blaze. Minimal fire growth has been reported thanks to cooler winds and higher humidity, but closures remain in effect around Lake Cushman and within Olympic National Forest and Park. Evacuation orders are active near the Dry Creek Trail area, with nearby communities advised to be ready to leave.
