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Nature Conservancy and partners plan prescribed burn for Cle Elum Ridge in Washington state

Weather and conditions permitting, prescribed burn crews will ignite on or about Oct. 5 on Cle Elum Ridge.

Roslyn | September 22, 2026

A group of people holding drip torches.
Prescribed Fire Practitioners Prescribed fire practitioners during a 6-acre burn in the Roslyn Urban Forest as part of the 2021 Cascadia Prescribed Fire Training Exchange. © John F. Marshall

Media Contacts

ROSLYN, Washington — An interagency partnership including The Nature Conservancy (TNC) plans a prescribed burn of 50-100 acres on Cle Elum Ridge, and pile burning across 18 acres on the ridge as well as in the Domerie/Tumble Creek area, southwest of Cle Elum Lake, on or about Oct. 5, 2026.

The exact date of the prescribed burning will depend on weather and environmental conditions and monitoring that align for a successful and safe burn. Fire managers will select weather conditions including precipitation and wind that will support conditions for a slow, low-intensity fire that minimizes smoke impact to nearby communities.

“Prescribed fire is a critically important component of comprehensive wildland fire mitigation and land management,” said Aaron Lowe, fire chief of Kittitas County Fire District 7. “When implemented under controlled conditions, prescribed burning reduces hazardous fuels — including surface, ground and ladder fuels, that contribute to extreme fire behavior. By lowering these fuel loads, prescribed fire strengthens community protection within the wildland‑urban interface.”

Core operations will be performed by the Upper Kittitas County Fuels Crew, Kittitas County Fire District 6, Fire District 7, Cle Elum Fire and TNC practitioners, with vital planning and operation support from the USDA Forest Service. The project is financially supported by the Kittitas County Conservation District and Washington Department of Natural Resources.

These prescribed fire operations follow a particularly intense wildfire season for Washington, including impacts and evacuations to the communities of Ronald, Roslyn and Cle Elum and other surrounding areas.

“TNC is grateful for the hard work and professionalism of the agencies and individuals who have been working on the Three Queens, Goat and King fires,” said Darcy Batura, TNC forest partnerships director. “As residents of Roslyn, we know how stressful this summer has been, and we appreciate the community’s support for this fall’s prescribed burning. It is helping ensure that we are successful in creating resiliency for our forests and the community in the face of future wildfires.”

Introducing low-intensity fire through prescribed burns reduces vegetation, including dense shrubs and saplings, creating healthier forests that are more resilient to wildfire and reducing the risk to nearby communities.

An active prescribed burn with two people in burn gear walking down a dirt road beside it.
Cascadia TREX Low-intensity fire through prescribed burns reduces vegetation, including dense shrubs and saplings, creating healthier forests that are more resilient to wildfire and reducing the risk to nearby communities. © John Marshall

Communities can expect to see smoke from the prescribed burn for a short period of time, but best practices and favorable wind conditions will minimize the impact. You can find local air quality and health resources at www.dnr.wa.gov/smoke.

These prescribed fire operations may come with associated trail closures. Please heed posted trail closures and signs.

In addition, The Nature Conservancy and our partners will host a community prescribed fire update from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, at the Roslyn Yard, 104 W Pennsylvania Ave, Roslyn. We encourage community members to attend and ask questions about our planned fall prescribed burning.

For more information, contact: Tripp Crouse, TNC Pacific Northwest Media Relations Manager, at tripp.crouse@tnc.org or 907-306-6475.

The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more resilient. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 83 countries and territories (39 by direct conservation impact and 44 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. For more news, visit our newsroom or follow The Nature Conservancy on LinkedIn.