NEWHALEM, Wash. – The North Cascades Highway is back open as crews make progress on wildfires.

WSDOT announced that the road reopened at of 9 a.m. on Wednesday, August 30th.

Pilot cars will lead traffic through a four-mile stretch where the Blue Lake fire continues to burn.

The road is open for through traffic only.

Recreation along the 51-mile stretch of road where the fires are burning is still prohibited.

Crews have been making significant progress on both fires over the past week, and rainy conditions also helped tamp down some of the flames.