Mandatory evacuation orders are in place near Cashmere this hour as the Sugarloaf fire is still burning near Leavenworth. It has grown to nearly 40,000 acres and then just south of there, the Labor Mountain fire is also growing. It has burned more than 35,000 acres. Blewett Pass still closed through that area. And those living near the Bear Gulch fire in Mason County are celebrating the fact that they can breathe fresh air again.
WATCH: Rain brings relief to Bear Gulch Fire crews, neighbors, KING 5 Seattle evening news report Sep 29 2025Transcripts here for readers writers and researchers
Mandatory evacuation orders are in place near
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Kashmir this hour as the Sugarloaf fire,
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that's the lower Sugarloaf fire is burning near Leavenworth.
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It has grown to nearly 40,000 acres
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and then just south of there,
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the Labor Mountain fire is also growing.
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It has burned more than 35,000 acres.
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Blewett Pass still closed through that area.
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And those living near the Bear Gulch fire in Mason County
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are celebrating the fact that they can breathe fresh air again,
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literally.
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It's all thanks to the rain.
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King Five's Drew Mickelson shows us what it means for the region.
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Firefighters on the Bear Gulch fire were thrilled to see clouds and rain
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here at Lake Cushman instead of the fire and smoke that's been out here
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for almost 3 months now.
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They say this break from Mother Nature could give them the upper hand on the fire.
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It's back
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and not a drip too soon for Jennifer Devine.
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Everyone out here,
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even people that don't like the rain,
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they have the biggest smiles.
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Everybody's so happy.
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The Bear Gulch fire,
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the largest fire in Olympic National Park's history,
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-- has caused evacuations and unhealthy air quality for neighbors since -- July.
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The smoke will be so thick where we live around our cabin.
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I get kind of claustrophobic when I looked out and then
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when the wind comes and blows it the other way,
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it looks like a fire never was there.
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The fire department gave out air filters for
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residents like Devine who suffer from asthma.
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The air cleaners,
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I ran out all the time.
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We ran them 24 hours.
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We finally gave him a break today,
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and these were the 27 structures that are evacuated in this area right here.
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Fire incident commander Brian Kitchen says his crews
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were just as glad to see the rain.
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It's going to help us.
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It's gonna help with the smoke.
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It's gonna help slow the progress of the fire out.
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Just yesterday they were up monitoring the growth of two fires burning
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in this part of the county after a monthlong stretch of warm,
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dry weather.
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The rains are helping,
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but he says it'll take a good snowstorm to put out the wildfire.
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For those of us in town who dreaded having to get out the rain gear again,
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think about Jennifer Devine.
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How brave can you be?
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I mean,
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we are so grateful to them.
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She appreciates the work of firefighters this summer,
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but today is thankful for Mother Nature.
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-- I -- love it.
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I love it.
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We're letting all the good smells come in our cabin.
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It's wonderful.
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It's it's just so.
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Joyful because it is so beautiful here.
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What started the Bear Guls fire is still under investigation,
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but it has been determined to be human caused.
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The price tag for fighting it is at $43.5 million
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and it's expected to continue burning for weeks.
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At Lake Cushman,
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Drew Mickelson,
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King 5 News.
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