Retreat Fire Update August 19: Latest Incident Report

RIMROCK – California Interagency Incident Management Team 14 will turn over incident command back to local units at the end of the shift today, August 19, 2024. This will be the last incident update the team will provide. Should there be any significant changes regarding the Retreat Fire, local units will post appropriate information on their websites and social media platforms.

Current Situation: Thanks to the diligent work of firefighters, the Retreat Fire has been better contained and has reached a status where local authorities can regain control of the incident with minimal use of resources. The threat to surrounding communities, utilities, and at-risk assets has been minimized to the point that all evacuation orders have been lifted and US 12 has been reopened.

The total area of ​​the fires is 45,601 acres and is 85% contained. On-site personnel have been reduced to 228 people.

Due to the impact of the Retreat Fire, several fire closures (see below) remain in effect until further notice. Local authorities will continue to assign a small number of firefighters to the incident to continue to monitor the area for remaining hot spots and public safety hazards. These teams will ensure that containment lines continue to hold and the remaining portion of the fire line is secured.

The public is reminded to be alert for firefighters and fire crews along the roadways when using US 12. Travelers should allow for increased travel time due to single-lane, alternating one-way traffic as the Washington State Department of Transportation and emergency service crews work to replace guardrails and highway signs along US 12 between mile marker 185, near the intersection with State Route 410, and mile marker 168, near the Tieton Road intersection.

Weather: Low pressure persists off the Pacific Northwest coast, allowing some clouds, occasional light showers, and a slight chance of thunderstorms to persist. Cooler afternoon temperatures and high humidity are expected. Southwest winds are expected to remain light (1 to 5 mph) this morning, but will shift to northwest (3 to 9 mph) with gusts up to 16 mph in the afternoon. The highest chance of thunderstorms is forecast for Tuesday and Thursday.

Evacuations: All evacuation orders for the Retreat Fire have been lifted effective August 16, 2024.

Fire protection closures:

Information about the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Retreat closure due to fire can be found here.

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Southeast Region has temporarily closed part of the Ahtanum State Forest. The public can find the most up-to-date information on the closure here.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has closed most of the Oak Creek Wildlife Area to the public until August 23, 2024 due to the Retreat Fire. More information can be found here.

Air quality and smoke: Forecasts on air quality and smoke development can be found here.