2025 Washington wildfires | |
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![]() Hope Fire smoke plume over the Columbia River | |
Date(s) | June 2025 – present |
Season | |
← 2024 |
The 2025 Washington wildfire season is an ongoing series of wildfires in the U.S. state of Washington.
While the typical "fire season" in Washington varies every year based on weather conditions, most wildfires occur in between July and October. [1] However, hotter, drier conditions can allow wildfires to start outside of these boundaries. Wildfires tend to start at these times of the year after moisture from winter and spring precipitation dries up. Vegetation and overall conditions are the hottest and driest in these periods. The increase of vegetation can make the fires spread easier. [2]
Predictions for the 2024 fire season made by the National Interagency Fire Center in May 2025 included above normal fire danger across the entire state of Washington by August, one of only two U.S. states so predicted (the other was Oregon). [3] The Washington State Department of Natural Resources stated that the 2025 fire season could begin as soon as June. [4]
The Red Bridge Fire near Cle Elum burned 60 acres (24 ha) by June 9, including two structures. [5] Immediate evacuations were ordered on June 9. [6]
A fire in the Tumwater Canyon of the Wenatchee River closed U.S. Highway 2 on June 10. [7]
"Go now" evacuations from Copper Creek/Staircase area due to Bear Gulch Fire were ordered on July 30. [8] Staircase Campground was ordered evacuated on July 31. [9] Haze from the fire reached Seattle and other Puget Sound communities the same week. [10] The fire caused unhealthy air conditions in Bellevue on August 4. [11] On August 12, the fire caused pyrocumulus clouds to form, [12] and darkened the skies around the central Puget Sound area, including Seattle. [13] The pyrocumulus cloud above the fire was visible from Seattle to Aberdeen on the Pacific coast. [14]
![]() | This article needs to be updated.(August 2025) |
The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), or produced significant structural damage or casualties.
Name | County | Acres | Start date | Containment date [a] | Notes | Ref |
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Firewater | Yakima | 3,820 | June 8 | June 9 | [ citation needed ] | |
Vansycle Canyon | Walla Walla | 2,026 | June 12 | June 14 | [16] | |
Pomas | Chelan | 3,468 | June 13 | Lightning-caused. Burning about 36 miles (58 km) northwest of Entiat. | [17] | |
Barstow | Walla Walla | 1,543 | June 22 | June 25 | Burned in brush and grass, and threatened crops near Prescott. | [18] [19] |
Apple Acres | Chelan | 3,410 | July 2 | Human-caused. Burning 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Pateros. Restricted U.S. Route 97 to alternating traffic. | [20] [21] | |
Bear Gulch Fire | Mason | 8,702 | July 6 | Human-caused, near Lake Cushman | [22] [23] | |
Hope | Stevens | 8,177 | July 8 | Under investigation. Burning 10 mi (16 km) SW of Northport | [24] [25] | |
Western Pines | Lincoln | 5,781 | July 9 | July 18 | Human-caused. Burned 10 miles (16 km) north of Davenport. Destroyed 21 homes and 26 outbuildings. | [26] [27] |
Boundary Road | Yakima | 1,210 | July 15 | July 17 | Human-caused. Burned 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Toppenish. | [28] |
Burdoin | Klickitat | 10,675 | July 18 | Undetermined cause. Burning 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Lyle and has destroyed numerous residential structures. | [29] [30] | |
Lake Spokane | Stevens | 2,550 | July 18 | Human-caused. Burned north of Spokane near Spokane Lake and U.S. Route 395. Two residential structures burned as of July 22 | [31] [32] | |
Central Ferry | Whitman | 6,597 | August 13 | Caused by a motorhome fire. Burning 26 miles (42 km) west of Pullman and prompting Level 2 evacuations. Closed State Route 127. | [33] [34] |