OKANOGAN COUNTY, Wash. — The Ptarmigan Fire has burned over 23,700 acres in Okanogan County, fire officials confirmed Tuesday.
Fire officials believe the wildfire, which is burning about 20 miles NW of Mazama, was started by lightning. It was discovered on July 17 and is around 8% contained as of Tuesday, August 11.
Fire Information
Below is a partial update from Tuesday morning’s press release. You can find the full release here.
“Fire activity on the Ptarmigan Fire was most notable in Pleasant Valley, where the fire continues to back down into the Middle Fork and, on the west side, into the Rock Creek drainage. Growth across the remainder of the fire area remains minimal.
Given the current fire environment, residents in Lost River and Mazama are encouraged to stay prepared for potential wildfire impacts by signing up for Okanogan County Alerts, improving home wildfire preparedness, and ensuring emergency plans are in place should evacuations become necessary.
Operations: Work in the Harts Pass area is nearing completion, with only limited equipment remaining to finalize tasks. Crews formerly assigned to this area have shifted east to support ongoing control line construction between Yellowjacket Sno-Park and Sweetgrass Butte. Agency Resource Advisors remain engaged with crews and heavy equipment to guide implementation and mitigate resource concerns. A reconnaissance flight is scheduled for later today, weather permitting, to support updated situational awareness in the Pasayten Wilderness."
Safety and Closures: The public is asked to avoid the FSR 5200 while improvements occur. Several closures remain in place on the Okanogan‑Wenatchee National Forest, including Harts Pass Road at Monument Creek Trailhead and the PCT from the West Fork Methow Trail. Level 2 fire restrictions are in effect. More details: fs.usda.gov/r06/okanogan-wenatchee
Evacuations: There are no current evacuations in place for this fire. For more information, visit the Okanogan County Emergency Management page: okanogancounty.gov
Fire Restrictions: Level 2 fire restrictions are in effect. More details: fs.usda.gov/r06/okanogan-wenatchee
More details: inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/waowf-ptarmigan-fire and facebook.com/ptarmiganfireinfo2026
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