The wildfire known as the Blewett Fire has forced a closure of Highway 97 over Blewett Pass, affecting a stretch from milepost 177 near Valley Hi to milepost 149.5 at the Highway 970 junction. The blaze, rated at seven acres, is located approximately 21 miles to the northeast of Cle Elum, as reported by the Forest Service. This disruption has brought northbound and southbound traffic to a halt, severely impacting transit through this key route in the state's transportation artery.

King5 notes that there is considerable firefighting efforts underway which include the mobilization of four fire engines, two 20-person crews, and the utilization of two bulldozers. In the skies, helicopters and air tankers have been dispatched to combat the flames from above. The collective endeavor aims to curtail the spread of an inferno that poses imminent danger to surrounding locales.

Echoing the urgency, Wenatchee World conveyed the Department of Transportation's confirmation of the pass closure, offering precise markers of the road's non-navigable segments. Yet, amidst the measured response by authorities, there appears no estimated time of reopening, an uncertainty that looms large for travelers and the communities depending on this pass.

Residents in the regions of Kittitas Valley, Cashmere, and Wenatchee will likely witness smoke, a testament to the Blewett Fire's presence, as per Fox 13 Seattle. Despite the visual evidence of the wildfire's reach, no evacuations have been mandated thus far.