Too Close For Comfort

A lightning bust sparked a wildfire on Bee Sting Hill across Shugart Flats from the Owl Conservatory on Saturday, August 17, initiating an evacuation notice for homeowners. The fire initially covered 10 acres when firefighters and air support from the State of Washington Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Forest Service arrived to battle the blaze.

The fire grew to 15 acres before saw crews dug fire lines along the irrigation ditch on the west side of Bee Sting Hill.Other firefighters prepared buffer zones around nearby structures. Fire activity then moderated with heavy rains. The next morning, a Forest Service air tanker strafed the fire with water from Lake Wenatchee to dampen the flames down more.

Initial attack crews then fell hazard trees and reinforced existing control lines for the rest of the week before establishing direct control lines and mopping up hot spots and heavy fuels. The steepness of the hillside terrain led to burning materials and rocks rolling downhill, creating hazardous challenges for firefighters. Hose lays were installed to provide firefighters with water support to mop up the conflagration.

Crews continued to create containment zones using hand crews on the sides and lower edges, and a bulldozer along the top edge. Multiple air resources were used to drop water within the fire's perimeter. Air resources included two helicopters with buckets, two "super scoopers," four "fire boss scoopers," and an air attack aircraft used to coordinate air traffic. The fire was declared contained on Thursday, August 22.

The Chiwawa-Wenatchee Irrigation District canal flows along the west side of Bee Sting Hill, and its summit stands about 600 feet above the little mountain community of Shugart Flats. On a clear day, the summit provides an excellent perspective toward the south, overlooking the pastoral village of Plain, along with Natapoc Mountain, Beaver Hill and Icicle Ridge near Leavenworth, Washington in the background.