Eagle Bluff Fire 80% Contained, Has Blown Smoke Into Wenatchee

Smokey air that's reached the Wenatchee area the past couple of days is likely coming from the Eagle Bluff Fire in Okanogan County.

There have been strong winds blowing south from the fire, which is burning 16,428 acres just west of Oroville.

Crews have had good success battling the fire, which is now 80 percent contained.

The high-level Type 2 Northwest Incident Management Team 7 will likely hand over containment operations to local fire crews in the next day.

The Eagle Bluff Fire is burning on lands managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources and the Spokane District – Bureau of Land Management and has crossed into Canada.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Washington Department of Natural Resources.

Ongoing coordination with the British Columbia Wildfire Service will seek to tie in firefighting efforts on both sides of the border.

The Eagle Bluff Fire started Saturday, July 29 and was originally threatening the city of Oroville.

The use of state resources was activated that night with a Type 3 state level management team handing the fire with crews and aircraft from the state being sent in.

Early on, the fire was estimated at 2500 acres and was burning in sage and scattered timber while threatening homes, crops, and infrastructure.

The fire grew to 15,000 acres in the following days.

Several local roads were closed during the fire, but U.S. Highway 97 has remained open for the duration.