Awatchfire

Chelan County, Washington

Little Giant Fire

Burning 30.3 miles north of Leavenworth and 31.7 miles north-east of Skykomish, since Wednesday 15 July.

Map of Washington. The Little Giant Fire burns 72 miles from Ellensburg and 75 miles from Seattle, and 117 miles from the state capital, Olympia.
The fire sits 72 miles from Ellensburg and 75 miles from Seattle.

172,912

acres burned so far — about 270 square miles

91

days burning so far

95%

of the perimeter held

The picture as of 9:09am today

The Little Giant Fire is still listed as active, and has not been looked at lately. Nothing has given off fresh heat for 125 hours.

No fresh look at this fire for 125 hours. Everything on the map below was seen before then.

Shaded relief map of the Little Giant Fire. Amber flames mark every place that gave off heat in the last day; the shading is the shape of the ground.
Heat in the last day Higher ground pale, valleys dark

125hours

since anything was last seen giving off heat — about 4:15am on Saturday, local time.

0readings

of heat in the last day. There is not yet an earlier stretch of record to compare that against.

20.5miles

is how close the heat has come to Leavenworth at any point in the record. In the last day the nearest heat has been None miles from it, and the closest this fire has come to Skykomish is 26.9 miles, None in the last day.

13.8miles

is the furthest any heat has been seen from the point on the official record — the width of the ground involved so far.

No smoke has been recorded lying over this ground.

Where the heat is

No cluster large enough to call a separate front. The heat is in one piece.

Conditions measured 11.3 miles from the fire: 53°F, air at 69% humidity, a 3 mph wind out of the north-east.

How it got here

26 days of record on a day-93 fire

The record here begins at 9:02pm on 21 Aug and runs to 4:15am on 10 Oct — 1183 hours, 2,686 readings of heat. The fire is on day 93, so the first 67 days are missing: nothing showed up from above until the fire was large enough and the sky over it clear enough for it to be seen.

Animated map of the Little Giant Fire across the whole record, with a time bar along the bottom showing energy released and the local date.
The whole record, 397 frames at 3 hours a frame. The bar along the bottom is energy released; the moving line is the clock.

Day by day 26 days of record

  1. Map for Fri 21 Aug: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Fri21 Aug

    First readings

    • 10 heat readings
    • Heat from 9:02pm to 9:02pm
    • Spread 12.5 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the night
  2. Map for Sat 22 Aug: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Sat22 Aug

    Flaring up

    • 176 heat readings
    • Energy 1.6 times the day before
    • Heat from 2:52am to 9:40pm
    • Spread 12.7 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn, morning, afternoon and night
  3. Map for Sun 23 Aug: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Sun23 Aug

    Cooling off

    • 76 heat readings
    • Energy 88% down on the day before
    • Heat from 1:58am to 3:29pm
    • Spread 12.3 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn, morning and afternoon
  4. Map for Mon 24 Aug: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Mon24 Aug

    Flaring up

    • 182 heat readings
    • Energy 8.1 times the day before
    • Heat from 2:13am to 9:19pm
    • Spread 12.8 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn, morning, afternoon and night
  5. Map for Tue 25 Aug: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Tue25 Aug

    Holding

    • 277 heat readings
    • Energy 1.2 times the day before
    • Heat from 1:56am to 9:59pm
    • Spread 12.9 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn, morning, afternoon and night
  6. Map for Wed 26 Aug: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Wed26 Aug

    The fiercest day

    • 620 heat readings
    • Energy 2.9 times the day before
    • Heat from 1:56am to 9:00pm
    • Spread 13.4 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn, morning, afternoon and night
  7. Map for Thu 27 Aug: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Thu27 Aug

    Holding

    • 654 heat readings — the most of any day
    • Energy 33% down on the day before
    • Heat from 2:22am to 9:38pm
    • Spread 13.5 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn, morning, afternoon and night
  8. Map for Fri 28 Aug: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Fri28 Aug

    Cooling off

    • 157 heat readings
    • Energy 77% down on the day before
    • Heat from 2:05am to 8:40pm
    • Spread 13.3 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn, morning, afternoon and evening
  9. Map for Sat 29 Aug: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Sat29 Aug

    Cooling off

    • 10 heat readings
    • Energy 83% down on the day before
    • Heat from 2:39am to 9:19pm
    • Spread 13.4 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn, afternoon and night
  10. Map for Sun 30 Aug: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Sun30 Aug

    Flaring up

    • 127 heat readings
    • Energy 11.6 times the day before
    • Heat from 2:02am to 4:37pm
    • Spread 13.8 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn, morning and afternoon
  11. Map for Mon 31 Aug: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Mon31 Aug

    Holding

    • 167 heat readings
    • Energy 45% down on the day before
    • Heat from 2:47am to 9:00pm
    • Spread 13.6 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn, morning, afternoon and night
  12. Map for Tue 1 Sep: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Tue1 Sep

    Cooling off

    • 103 heat readings
    • Energy 64% down on the day before
    • Heat from 2:28am to 4:14pm
    • Spread 13.8 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn, morning and afternoon
  13. Map for Wed 2 Sep: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Wed2 Sep

    Cooling off

    • 1 heat readings
    • Energy 100% down on the day before
    • Heat from 2:45am to 2:45am
    • Spread 6.2 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn
  14. Map for Thu 3 Sep: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Thu3 Sep

    Flaring up

    • 2 heat readings
    • Energy 4.0 times the day before
    • Heat from 3:32am to 4:08am
    • Spread 11.0 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn
  15. Map for Fri 4 Sep: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Fri4 Sep

    Cooling off

    • 1 heat readings
    • Energy 75% down on the day before
    • Heat from 3:13am to 3:13am
    • Spread 3.7 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn
  16. Map for Sat 5 Sep: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Sat5 Sep

    Flaring up

    • 6 heat readings
    • Energy 5.0 times the day before
    • Heat from 2:54am to 3:30am
    • Spread 11.5 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn
  17. Map for Mon 7 Sep: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Mon7 Sep

    Flaring up

    • 8 heat readings
    • Energy 2.4 times the day before
    • Heat from 2:52am to 1:44pm
    • Spread 13.4 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn and afternoon
  18. Map for Tue 8 Sep: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Tue8 Sep

    Cooling off

    • 1 heat readings
    • Energy 67% down on the day before
    • Heat from 1:59pm to 1:59pm
    • Spread 11.3 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the afternoon
  19. Map for Wed 9 Sep: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Wed9 Sep

    Flaring up

    • 13 heat readings
    • Energy 12.8 times the day before
    • Heat from 3:19am to 4:24pm
    • Spread 13.4 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn and afternoon
  20. Map for Thu 10 Sep: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Thu10 Sep

    Flaring up

    • 44 heat readings
    • Energy 13.3 times the day before
    • Heat from 3:00am to 3:03pm
    • Spread 11.8 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn, morning and afternoon
  21. Map for Fri 11 Sep: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Fri11 Sep

    Cooling off

    • 38 heat readings
    • Energy 81% down on the day before
    • Heat from 2:43am to 4:01pm
    • Spread 11.6 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn and afternoon
  22. Map for Sun 20 Sep: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Sun20 Sep

    Cooling off

    • 3 heat readings
    • Energy 96% down on the day before
    • Heat from 3:13am to 3:16pm
    • Spread 10.5 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn and afternoon
  23. Map for Mon 21 Sep: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Mon21 Sep

    Cooling off

    • 2 heat readings
    • Energy 80% down on the day before
    • Heat from 3:30am to 3:30am
    • Spread 3.7 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn
  24. Map for Tue 22 Sep: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Tue22 Sep

    Flaring up

    • 3 heat readings
    • Energy 4.0 times the day before
    • Heat from 3:11am to 2:01pm
    • Spread 3.7 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn and afternoon
  25. Map for Wed 23 Sep: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Wed23 Sep

    Flaring up

    • 3 heat readings
    • Energy 2.5 times the day before
    • Heat from 2:52am to 1:44pm
    • Spread 3.8 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn and afternoon
  26. Map for Sat 10 Oct: flames mark every place that gave off heat that day.

    Sat10 Octlatest

    Cooling off

    • 2 heat readings
    • Energy 90% down on the day before
    • Heat from 3:38am to 4:15am
    • Spread 3.7 miles from the recorded point at its furthest
    • Burning through the pre-dawn

How the record has moved

Each step is a change on the interagency incident record — acreage, containment or crews — with the date it was reported. No satellite reading is involved.

  1. Wednesday 15 July

    First reported

  2. Sunday 23 August

    144,832 acres on record — 15% contained, 2292 personnel assigned

    144,832 ac · 15% held · 2292 crew

  3. Monday 24 August

    Grew to 146,042 acres — containment 21%, 2146 personnel

    146,042 ac · 21% held · 2146 crew

  4. Tuesday 25 August

    Grew to 147,626 acres — containment 23%, 1857 personnel

    147,626 ac · 23% held · 1857 crew

  5. Wednesday 26 August

    Grew to 149,863 acres — 2076 personnel

    149,863 ac · 23% held · 2076 crew

  6. Thursday 27 August

    Grew to 156,448 acres — containment 25%, 1760 personnel

    156,448 ac · 25% held · 1760 crew

  7. Friday 28 August

    Grew to 162,961 acres — containment 27%, 1602 personnel

    162,961 ac · 27% held · 1602 crew

  8. Sunday 30 August

    Grew to 163,089 acres — containment 49%, 1634 personnel

    163,089 ac · 49% held · 1634 crew

  9. Monday 31 August

    Grew to 170,784 acres — 1716 personnel

    170,784 ac · 49% held · 1716 crew

  10. Wednesday 2 September

    Containment 65% — 1620 personnel

    170,784 ac · 65% held · 1620 crew

  11. Thursday 3 September

    Containment 73% — 1445 personnel

    170,784 ac · 73% held · 1445 crew

  12. Friday 4 September

    Containment 81% — 1078 personnel

    170,784 ac · 81% held · 1078 crew

  13. Saturday 5 September

    Grew to 171,163 acres — 924 personnel

    171,163 ac · 81% held · 924 crew

  14. Monday 7 September

    Grew to 171,458 acres — 805 personnel

    171,458 ac · 81% held · 805 crew

  15. Tuesday 8 September

    Grew to 171,526 acres — 811 personnel

    171,526 ac · 81% held · 811 crew

  16. Wednesday 9 September

    Grew to 172,199 acres — 786 personnel

    172,199 ac · 81% held · 786 crew

  17. Thursday 10 September

    Grew to 172,401 acres — 762 personnel

    172,401 ac · 81% held · 762 crew

  18. Friday 11 September

    Grew to 172,592 acres — 801 personnel

    172,592 ac · 81% held · 801 crew

  19. Saturday 12 September

    Grew to 172,695 acres — 763 personnel

    172,695 ac · 81% held · 763 crew

  20. Tuesday 15 September

    Grew to 172,705 acres — 733 personnel

    172,705 ac · 81% held · 733 crew

  21. Thursday 17 September

    Grew to 172,814 acres — 649 personnel

    172,814 ac · 81% held · 649 crew

  22. Monday 21 September

    Grew to 172,836 acres — 772 personnel

    172,836 ac · 81% held · 772 crew

  23. Tuesday 22 September

    Grew to 172,850 acres — 735 personnel

    172,850 ac · 81% held · 735 crew

  24. Wednesday 23 September

    Grew to 172,879 acres — 715 personnel

    172,879 ac · 81% held · 715 crew

  25. Thursday 24 September

    Grew to 172,889 acres — 765 personnel

    172,889 ac · 81% held · 765 crew

  26. Friday 25 September

    Grew to 172,891 acres — 763 personnel

    172,891 ac · 81% held · 763 crew

  27. Monday 28 September

    Containment 91% — 684 personnel

    172,891 ac · 91% held · 684 crew

  28. Tuesday 29 September

    Containment 93% — 640 personnel

    172,891 ac · 93% held · 640 crew

  29. Wednesday 30 September

    Grew to 172,896 acres — 511 personnel

    172,896 ac · 93% held · 511 crew

  30. Friday 2 October

    Grew to 172,899 acres — 372 personnel

    172,899 ac · 93% held · 372 crew

  31. Saturday 3 October

    Grew to 172,902 acres — 373 personnel

    172,902 ac · 93% held · 373 crew

  32. Monday 5 October

    Grew to 172,904 acres — 368 personnel

    172,904 ac · 93% held · 368 crew

  33. Wednesday 7 October

    Grew to 172,906 acres — 292 personnel

    172,906 ac · 93% held · 292 crew

  34. Saturday 10 October

    Containment 95% — 217 personnel

    172,906 ac · 95% held · 217 crew

  35. Tuesday 13 October

    Grew to 172,912 acres — 209 personnel

    172,912 ac · 95% held · 209 crew

95% of the perimeter is being reported as held. 209 people are assigned to it. It has grown from 0 acres when it was first written down to 172,912 now. Nothing has looked at it for 125 hours, and the record still lists it as active.