A wildfire burning about six miles west of Snoqualmie Pass has exploded in size over the past several days, forcing mandatory evacuations around Cooper Lake and shutting down a 50-mile stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail. The Three Queens Fire, sparked by a lightning strike near Hibox Lake at the north end of Lake Kachess, has grown to more than 3,300 acres with zero percent containment as crews battle steep, hazardous terrain.
The fire began around July 16, 2026, and initially smoldered with minimal activity for weeks before gusty winds and dry timber fuels drove rapid growth in early August, according to NewsRadio 560 KPQ. Kittitas County emergency management officials have issued Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation orders for cabins and campgrounds around Cooper Lake, Cooper River Road, and French Cabin Creek Road, meaning residents must leave immediately without delaying to gather belongings. Level 2 “Get Set” warnings remain in place for Kachess Campground and adjacent residential areas.
As reported by KOMO News, the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has issued an updated closure order for portions of the Cle Elum Ranger District, and law enforcement and forest protection officers are enforcing it. Officials have posted signs at trailheads, campgrounds, roads and other access points, and the closure prohibits off-road vehicle use, travel on forest service roads and trails, and public entry throughout the designated area. The order remains in effect through October 31, 2026, though officials say it may be modified sooner if conditions improve.
Firefighters Deploy Aircraft and Sprinklers to Protect Cabins
Northwest Complex Incident Management Team 13 has assumed command of suppression operations, deploying 209 personnel along with ground engines and aircraft, the station's report notes. Firefighters have installed sprinkler systems and cleared flammable vegetation around Cooper Lake cabins to protect structures, while aerial crews dropped more than 54,000 gallons of water in a single day using Type 1 helicopters and fixed-wing super scoopers, according to the Three Queens Fire Information 2026 Facebook page.
Ground crews continue suppression efforts in rugged terrain within the fire area, per the same account from KPQ, but extreme fire behavior in heavy sub-alpine fir timber has severely slowed progress. Steep slopes, rolling boulders and burning logs have made the ground hazardous for firefighters, limiting how quickly they can build containment lines. The Northwest Complex Incident Management Team held a public community meeting on Tuesday at Cle Elum High School to update residents and property owners on fire progression, suppression tactics and safety protocols, according to the Kittitas County Sheriff.
Trail and Campground Closures Stretch Across the Alpine Lakes Wilderness
The closure has hit recreation hard across the eastern Cascades. KOMO News reports that Pacific Crest Trail #2000 is closed for roughly 50 miles between Snoqualmie Pass and Deception Pass, with numerous feeder trails and developed recreation sites also shut down or inaccessible. Affected sites include Little Kachess Trail 1312, Lake Lillian Trail 1332, Mineral Creek Trail 1331, Gold Creek Valley Trail 1314, and Rachel Lake Trail 1313, along with Kachess Campground, Salmon la Sac Campground, Owhi Campground, Red Mountain Campground and the Owhi Boat Launch.
The Pacific Crest Trail Association notes that beyond the main PCT closure, officials have also shut down Pete Lake Trail #1323, Deception Pass Trail #1376, Cathedral Rock Trailhead and Speelyi Beach — popular eastern access points heavily used by day hikers and backpackers entering the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Forest officials are asking visitors to comply with current fire restrictions and use caution around fire-affected lands, and anyone who spots a wildfire is urged to call 911.
Violating the Closure Carries Federal Penalties
The closure order on the Cle Elum Ranger District is a legal matter, not just a safety recommendation. Violations can bring federal penalties of up to a $5,000 fine for individuals or $10,000 for corporations, along with up to six months imprisonment, or both, under authority cited by the USDA Forest Service. Law enforcement and forest protection officers are initially emphasizing educating visitors about the restrictions, according to KOMO News.
Fire Fits Into a Historic Washington Wildfire Season
The Three Queens Fire is one piece of a much larger statewide crisis. Washington's three largest wildfires had burned more than 390,000 acres statewide by mid-August, a surge driven by widespread mid-July lightning storms and persistent dry, windy conditions, according to the Columbia Basin Herald. The U.S. Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program has also issued advisories warning that smoke from the Three Queens Fire and surrounding blazes is settling into Cascade mountain valleys and drifting across Central and Eastern Washington, posing health risks from fine particulate matter to vulnerable populations.
Containment on the Three Queens Fire will likely hinge less on firefighting tactics than on the weather. Significant autumn rain typically does not arrive in the Cascades until late September or October, meaning aerial drops and structure protection measures around Cooper Lake may need to hold the line for weeks to come. Hoodline previously reported on forest thinning near Cle Elum aimed at reducing wildfire fuel loads in the region, underscoring how persistent the threat has become in these mountain communities.
