Smoke clouds summer tourism in Chelan, Leavenworth

The briefing

Wildfire smoke that pushed air quality between hazardous and very unhealthy in early August cut foot traffic for businesses in Chelan and Leavenworth. Chelan County's peak tourism season overlaps with wildfire season, and Lake Chelan's population can swell from about 4,000 to 25,000 in summer. Downtown merchants responded by opening indoor spaces with storytimes, art stations, games and recipe demonstrations as a reprieve from cabin fever.