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Kettle Falls, WA - The Boyds Fire is located 3 miles west of Kettle Falls. The fire is 4,549 acres and is 64 percent contained. Planned burnouts, within the fires containment line, will increase acres burned. The fire continues to burn in a mixture of timber litter, slash, brush and grass. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The Boyds fire crossed the unnamed tributary, below Nancy Creek, within the fire perimeter. Smoke over the area kept temperatures low and humidity high, moderating fire behavior. The fire is following available interior fuels backing away from containment lines. Yesterday, more aerial ignitions using Plastic Sphere Dispensers (PSD) were used to burnout vegetation interior of the fires primary containment lines. The unburned center area of the fire has inaccessible terrain making the ground unsafe for firefighters. Hand lighting was completed along the northeast edge of the fire, widening and strengthening the containment line. Repair work continues along...

Firefighters constructed more than a mile of dozer line on Friday to connect with Forest Road 3372-022 and cut off spread of the fire to the northwest, reducing the expected footprint of the Watson Creek Fire by 5 to 6 square miles if the line continues to hold. Doug McKay, Silver Lake and Paisley District Ranger, said, “Thursday’s defensive holding action during the wind event allowed the team to return to the offensive on Friday, and they are making safe and significant strides toward stopping the fire.” Containment of the fire increased to 15%. The Ingram Guard Station has been wrapped with reflective fire-resistant material and structure protection is in place. Successful firing operations were conducted near the Guard Station on Friday, along Forest Road 33 on the southeast edge of the fire, and on the northwest flank of Hadley Butte. Evacuation notices remain unchanged and are coordinated by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. · Level 3 (GO): Lakeview Estates...

Cougar Creek Lost and Bannock Lakes Fires Saturday, August 25, 2018 Acreage: 41,324Containment: 40 percentPersonnel: 946Level 2 Evacuations Lifted in Entiat AreaThere is a Chance of Rain in the ForecastCougar Creek Fire: Yesterday was a very productive day, and crews on the night shift continued that good work into night. The incident is staffed with 946 firefighters and support staff, including the Entiat and Prineville Interagency Hotshot crews. Hotshots are some of the most highly trained wildland fire crews available. Their skills have helped to make the complex burn operations executed on the Cougar Creek Fire successful.Yesterday crews advanced burn operations along the western perimeter to protect private property in Plain and the Chiwawa Pines area. Using drip torches, firefighters applied a mixture of diesel and gasoline to ground fuels. A burning wick ignites the fuel mixture as it leaves the torch. This is referred to as “putting fire on the ground,” it lights ground...

In the Ahtanum State Forest, you can find beautiful mountain vistas, canyons, and some of the best camping in eastern Washington. The forest, in Yakima County, is a 75,000-plus acre section of land managed by the Department of Natural Resources. The forest is crisscrossed by a network of roads known as the “Green Dot” road network: over 562 miles of inter-connected roads, denoted by green “dot” signs (hence the name).

Those familiar with off-highway-vehicle adventures have long considered this area a little-known haven.  But even for those of us without special equipment, there are ways to explore this beautiful part of the state. The Ahtanum vista loop (outlined in purple) is a portion of the Green Dot Road System that accommodates most standard four-wheel drive during good weather conditions – generally May to early November.

Start in historic Tampico, Washington. The Ahtanum Rd North Fork takes you along Ahtanum Creek on a paved county road. After a approximately nine miles (fifteen minutes of driving) you will arrive at the Ahtanum Meadows Campground, (bring a Discover Pass!) where you can access restrooms, scout it’s ten campsites (four are walk-in only), or enjoy a picnic before you continue on. We recommend you drive west along the A2000, where your first destination will be the Tree Phones Campground, (a third of the way along your route) which provides access to the 23-mile Grey Rock hiking trail. This trail is accessible to hikers, horseback riders, mountain bikes, motorcycles, and ATVs. As such, please be aware of multi-use trail rules, and monitor your speed.

The view from Eagle’s Nest Lookout.

Tree Phones Campsite offers 14 campsites and can accommodate up to 35-foot RVs, though size may vary by site. This site also offers restroom facilities, which you may want to take advantage of. If full, you may also consider the small Clover Flats Campground. You will pass these nine campsites on your way to Darland Mountain. Camping in any of these sites is free, as long as you display a Discover Pass.

The next stop on your journey should be the Eagle’s Nest Lookout, which offers dramatic views of Darland Mountain, Dome Peak, and the Goat Rocks Wilderness area. Be careful! The road is very steep here (12-13 percent grade). Be aware that there is a short walk between the parking area at Eagle’s Nest, and the viewpoint.

The view from Darland Mountain.

After stopping at Eagle’s Nest (and maybe eating lunch,) continue on the A2000 to Darland Mountain, which provides a stunning vista of some of the nearby mountain peaks, as well as the Ahtanum drainage area. Get back on the road, (which becomes the A3000) then loop back east toward the Meadows Campground. On the way back, a second Grey Rock trailhead can be found on the A3000.

In total, the main (purple) route is thirty-four miles long, and will take around four to five hours to complete. For a shorter excursion, try the White Ridge Loop (marked in yellow). Additionally, White’s Ridge is open to hiking and horseback riding in the summer, and snowmobiling in the winter.

Download this (very printable) map here

The easiest way to navigate these roads is by downloading the Department of Natural Resources’ mobile map for this forest by following this link: dnr.wa.gov/MobileMaps. You’ll be able to see your location in the map even though there’s no cell service. Be sure to tell someone where you’re going, especially if you are venturing out alone. Carrying a paper map and compass is always a good idea too (link to the correct map).

You will need a Discover Pass to park at all of the sites mentioned in this list, as it is required for parking on lands managed by the Department of Natural Resources.

When you’re there, be sure to spend some time in Yakima, as well. Our friends at Visit Yakima say it’s one of the few places in Central Washington where you can ski, bike, hike and golf, all in the same day. With over 120 wineries in just 70 miles, wine tasting in the Yakima Valley is certainly worth considering. Also, many of the local restaurants and eateries take full advantage of the area’s fresh produce.

There are also many options for accommodations near Yakima. Try out a downtown suite, or a quaint bed-and-breakfast. Regardless of your budget or preferences, there are several options to choose from.

Bringing together our state’s working forests and the communities and rural economies nearby is just one of the initiatives being pursued by Hilary Franz, our Commissioner of Public Lands. More information about this exciting project can be found at dnr.wa.gov/rcpi.

With over 1,000 miles of trail and 70 campgrounds statewide, Washington State Department of Natural Resources working forests and conservation areas provide expansive destination options for outdoor recreation.

If you’re the more adventurous type, the green dot road system also offers hundreds of miles of “off-road” trails, which are frequently used by off-highway vehicle owners. In Ahtanum specifically, you could go and visit Louie Way Gap, or drive by Dome Peak.

The Discover Pass provides motor vehicle access to recreation lands managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Washington State Parks, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife lands. Use your Discover Pass to explore 160-plus recreation sites managed by DNR, more than 100 state parks, 700 water access points, and hundreds of natural and wildlife areas. When you buy the Discover Pass, you’re helping to keep the state’s outdoor recreation sites open and accessible to the public.

While this is one suggestion, there are an almost limitless routes for exploring the Ahtanum forest, and the Green Dot road network at large. The Washington State Department of Natural Resources encourages you to explore our working lands, many opportunities to do so can be found here.

Miriam Fire Update Fire Information Line: 360-481-0031 August 25, 2018 – 9 a.m. Acres: Miriam Fire – 4,228 Clear Fork Fire -51 Percent Containment: 30% Start Date: 07/30/18 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Area Closures are issued and placed for the protection and safety of the public and firefighters. Area Closures have been in place on the Okanogan-Wenatchee and Gifford Pinchot National Forests for area, trails, and roads near the Miriam and Clear Fork Fires since August 8 and 15th. An interactive map on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest webpage, allows for determining if your favorite hunting or hiking area is within an Area Closure. See the following website for more information and interactive map https://tinyurl.com/yb67jobt Intrusions potentially have the effect of halting all fireline suppression activities. For your safety, please refrain from entering these closures. Personnel/Resources: 3-Type 2 hand crews, 3 Type 2 IA hand crews, 1-camp crew, 1- heavy lift...

Clear conditions yesterday allowed fire mangers to assess the remaining fire activity from the air. Most of this activity has been in the gap between the Miles and Columbus fires which are slowly burning towards each other. With this reduced fire activity and significant containment achieved, firefighters will no longer work night shifts. To protect communities and areas of private land along the Highway 62 corridor, firefighters burned adjacent the 6640 Road four days ago. Yesterday crews continued mopping up this area. On the west side of this gap, a plan is in place to burn under favorable conditions to form a barrier to westward fire growth. Additionally, fire scars from 2013 and 2017 have formed effective barriers on the east and west sides of the Columbus Fire. Much of the rest of the fire perimeter has been contained. In these areas, firefighters continue to vigilantly monitor and patrol the fire boundary. These areas have been contained which means fire managers have a...

Community Meeting on Monday, August 27, at Twisp Community Center August 25, 2018 at 8:00 a.m. Crescent Mountain Fire: 40,149 acres; 34 percent contained ● Personnel: 454 ● Point of Origin: Approximately 21 miles west of Twisp ● Start Date: July 29, 2018 ● Cause: Lightning McLeod Fire: 20,868 acres; five percent contained ● Personnel: 598 ● Point of Origin: Approximately eight miles north of Mazama ● Start Date: August 11, 2018 ● Cause: Lightning Holman Fire: 203 acres, no containment ● Point of Origin: Holman Peak ● Start Date: August 17, 2018 ● Cause: Unknown Crescent Mountain Fire: Crews and aircraft held the fire at the Buttermilk ridge control line. Structural assessments of homes continue in the Libby Creek area near Carlton. Fire crews also continue to monitor fire within the North Cascades National Park, with aircraft expected to address any fire activity at high elevations. McLeod Fire: The fire was most...

Community Meeting on Monday, August 27, at Twisp Community Center August 25, 2018 at 8:00 a.m. Crescent Mountain Fire: 40,149 acres; 34 percent contained ● Personnel: 454 ● Point of Origin: Approximately 21 miles west of Twisp ● Start Date: July 29, 2018 ● Cause: Lightning McLeod Fire: 20,868 acres; five percent contained ● Personnel: 598 ● Point of Origin: Approximately eight miles north of Mazama ● Start Date: August 11, 2018 ● Cause: Lightning Holman Fire: 203 acres, no containment ● Point of Origin: Holman Peak ● Start Date: August 17, 2018 ● Cause: Unknown Crescent Mountain Fire: Crews and aircraft held the fire at the Buttermilk ridge control line. Structural assessments of homes continue in the Libby Creek area near Carlton. Fire crews also continue to monitor fire within the North Cascades National Park, with aircraft expected to address any fire activity at high elevations. McLeod Fire: The fire was...

Fire Update – Saturday, August 25, 2018 – 8:00 a.m. Community MeetingA community meeting is scheduled for Sunday, August 26 at 3:00 p.m. outside the Agness Community Library located at 3905 Cougar Lane in Agness, Oregon. Klondike Fire WestThe California Interagency Incident Management Team 4 is managing Klondike Fire West.Air Tankers joined the fire fight yesterday and dropped 105,000 gallons of retardant along the Hobson Knob to Silver Peak trail located on the ridge above the fire burning out of Silver Creek. They will be used again today if visibility is good and they are available. About one-half mile of retardant line was created yesterday and more is expected to be created today. The purpose of the line is to slow the forward progress of the fire coming out of Silver Creek.The fire burned actively south and west of Bald Mountain and is expected to grow in this area again today. The fire is predicted to become active around 1 p.m.The West Zone of the Klondike Fire is burning...

Community Meeting A community meeting is scheduled for Sunday, August 26 at 3:00 p.m. outside the Agness Community Library located at 3905 Cougar Lane in Agness, Oregon. Klondike Fire West The California Interagency Incident Management Team 4 is managing Klondike Fire West. Air Tankers joined the fire fight yesterday and dropped 105,000 gallons of retardant along the Hobson Knob to Silver Peak trail located on the ridge above the fire burning out of Silver Creek. They will be used again today if visibility is good and they are available. About one-half mile of retardant line was created yesterday and more is expected to be created today. The purpose of the line is to slow the forward progress of the fire coming out of Silver Creek. The fire burned actively south and west of Bald Mountain and is expected to grow in this area again today. The fire is predicted to become active around 1 p.m. The West Zone of the Klondike Fire is burning in a very remote and mostly...

Terwilliger Fire Information Phone Numbers: Public Information (541) 719-8135 Media Information (541) 719-8203 Email: terwilligerfireinfo@gmail.com Size: 4,721 acres Containment: 1% Cause: Under Investigation Location: 5 miles SE of Blue River Structures Destroyed: 0 Total Personnel: 273 including 6 hand crews, 11 engines, 5 dozers, 7 water tenders, and 4 helicopters Incident Commander: Alan Sinclair with the Southwest Area Type 2 Incident Management Team #3 Summary: Southwest Area Incident Management Team #3 is utilizing a suppression strategy and developing tactics that minimize impacts to important values at risk. Incident Responder and public safety remain the highest priority. Smoke cleared in the valley overnight bringing sunny skies to the fire area and increased fire activity very early in the day. The fire moved upslope up canyon within Annie Creek moving to the north and west into rugged steep terrain limiting the ability to go...

Special Statement This air quality forecast predicts potential particulate matter levels, not ozone. Forecast is based on 24 hour average.Fire Miles and Columbus fires: 301 acres burned in the last 24 hours. Columbus is burning southern flank and Miles is burning north and northwest of the fire. The crew are working securing the fire perimeter. Ramsey Canyon fire is at 1,329 acres with 17% containment. The fire is burning tall grass, timber, and shrub and burning into 1994 fire scar. Watson Creek fire (not pictured on map) is burning 13 miles west of Paisley, OR. Watson Creek fire is at 46,525 acres with 10% containment. The crew are working on holding the line and conducting firing operation today. Smoke Air quality has improved significantly yesterday as the cooler temperature and gusty wind pushes the smoke out of the area. Northwest wind will continue today 5-12 mph with gusts up to 18 mph in some area. Watson Creek Fire will experience variable wind with westerly wind becoming...

Update-August 25, 2018 For Immediate Release Incident Commander: Eric Knerr, Northwest Team 7 Contact: Fire Information, 541-239-3619 Follow Fire Information on Facebook Pages: Gilliam County Sheriff https://www.facebook.com/GilliamCountySheriff/ South Gilliam County Rural Fire Protection District https://www.facebook.com/South-Gilliam-County-Rural-Fire-Protection-District-783137915065669/?ref=br_rs Wheeler County Sheriff https://www.facebook.com/WheelerCountySheriffsOffice/ [Condon, Oregon] Minimal fire behavior was observed yesterday as firefighters continued to mop up remaining hot spots within control lines. As a result of the successful suppression efforts, the Gilliam County Sheriff has dropped all remaining evacuation levels related to the Stubblefield and Lonerock Fires. Today firefighters will continue to mop up and patrol the perimeter of each of the fires and begin to repair the firelines used to stop the advance of the fires. Interior smoke may be...

Update-August 25, 2018 9:00 a.m. For Immediate Release Incident Commander: Eric Knerr, Northwest Team 7 Contact: Fire Information, 541-239-3619 Follow Fire Information on Facebook Pages: Gilliam County Sheriff https://www.facebook.com/GilliamCountySheriff/ South Gilliam County Rural Fire Protection District https://www.facebook.com/South-Gilliam-County-Rural-Fire-Protection-District-783137915065669/?ref=br_rs Wheeler County Sheriff https://www.facebook.com/WheelerCountySheriffsOffice/ [Condon, Oregon] Minimal fire behavior was observed yesterday as firefighters continued to mop up remaining hot spots within control lines. As a result of the successful suppression efforts, the Gilliam County Sheriff has dropped all remaining evacuation levels related to the Stubblefield and Lonerock Fires. Today firefighters will continue to mop up and patrol the perimeter of each of the fires and begin to repair the firelines used to stop the advance of the fires. Interior...

QuickFacts: Incident Start Date: 8/22/2018Incident Start Time: Approx. 12:45 p.m.Incident Type: WildfireCause: Under InvestigationIncident Location: near Sams Valley, Jackson County, OregonLand Threat: Private, BLM, IndustrialCommand Agency: ODF/OSFMFire Size: 1,329 acresContainment: 17%Expected Full Containment: 9/10/2018Civilian Injuries: 0Firefighter Injuries: 0Structures Threatened: 315Structures Destroyed: 0Structures Damaged: 0Current Situation:The heavy smoke that previously hampered air operations on the Ramsey Canyon Fire lifted earlier this afternoon, allowing fire managers to make good use of aviation resources to help keep the fire in check. Four helicopters cooled the fire with bucket drops and a three air tankers reinforced containment lines with targeted retardant drops. Fire control lines in northern, eastern and southern parts of the fire were holding well. Mop up operations have begun in some parts of the fire. While the clearer air allowed greater use of aviation...

The Watson Creek Fire was most active on the north and south edges today, but all activity stayed within the primary containment lines. "We're finally beginning to get our arms around this thing," said Ryan Sullivan, Operations Chief. Burnout operations will be conducted on portions of the fire this evening including the Hadley Butte area, which may be visible from some local roads and highways.

Cougar Creek Evacuation Level Update to take effect at 4:00pm, 8/24/18: Mad River Road and Mad River Road to MP 16.5 on the Entiat River Road is no longer under an evacuation level. MP 16.5 to the end of Entiat River Road is being downgraded to a Level 1. The 25 mile an hour temporary speed reduction is being removed as

August 24 Operational Update - Firefighting crews on the ground are working along with resources in the air and taking advantage of the favorable weather conditions today to continue burning out vegetation between containment lines and the western edge of the #CougarCreekFire. The smoke column visible from Plain is evidence of this aerial

Fires Fires in the area were active yesterday with the strong west winds. The Crescent Mtn. fire near Winthrop is now listed as 36,990 acres (4,135 acre increase). The nearby McLeod fire is 19,596 acres (2,224 acre increase). The Cougar Creek fire between Entiat and Plain is 40,105 acres (897 acre increase). Smoke Winds brought some much needed improvements in air quality to some southern parts of the forecast area yesterday afternoon into this morning. Unfortunately, smoke from local fires mixed with smoke spilling in from Canada this afternoon is expected to degrade air quality in the Omak, Tonasket, Nespelem areas especially. Methow Valley will also see increased smoke later today into the evening. Long-Range Active weather will lead to a mix of air quality conditions in the coming days with clearing followed by smoke followed by clearing again. Smoke from fires in Canada will continue to spill down into the state, especially the Northeast...