The Swauk Creek Fire in northwestern Kittitas County is now estimated at 331 acres.
Ever since Sept. 8, the blaze has been torching brush and timber in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, about 14 miles northeast of Cle Elum.
But significant progress has been made, according to Ryan Rodruck, spokesperson for the Department of Natural Resources. He says the fire is now at 37% containment. "Crews did engage in some firing operations on Monday and into the evening," Rodruck says. "Those firing operations provided us significant progress to tie in more containment."
"I would say that the entire south flank of the fire - those two divisions are where the primary containment lines are at this point. We've begun mop-up activities on those containment lines to the south."