InciWeb Articles WA

This will be the final update unless significant activity occurs. Cooler weather and higher humidity’s have dampened the fires to light activity. All four fires will continue to be actively monitored by Olympic National Park fire officials. Equipment for structure protection remains in place on structures near the fires. These fires remain active and are not out. Depending on the weather and fire activity, smoke may be seen at times throughout the surrounding valleys within the Olympic Peninsula. All trail closures remain the same until further notice. Visitors near the fire areas should be cautious of their surroundings. When hiking, please stay near the trail, and know that walking through recently burnt areas is not safe. White ash may indicate deep pockets of heat where roots and group vegetation continues to burn below ground level. Below are the trails affected by the fires: ● The 8-mile section of the Elwha River trail remains closed from Hayes River Ranger Station south...

Cayuse Mountain Fire Information September 4, 2016, 10 am Roger Brandom, Incident Commander Type III Team Start date: Aug. 21, 2016 Current Size: 18,116 acres Percent Containment: 95% Structures lost: 14 houses, 9 other structures Location: Wellpinit, WA on the Spokane Indian Reservation Today, firefighters on the Cayuse Mountain Fire will continue to focus on securing the containment line in the Matthews Lake area while rehabilitation of dozer and hand lines continues in other areas of the fire. There are 97 personnel assigned to the fire. Management of the Cayuse Mountain Fire will transition to a local Type 4 team on Tuesday morning at 7 am. Today is the final day a daily update will be produced. A Burned Area Emergency Response Team (BAER) will continue their work to assess threats to critical values caused by the fire. BAER team members include a geologist, hydrologist, forester, fisheries biologist, and archeologists. Level 1 and...

Cayuse Mountain Fire Information September 3, 2016, 11 am Roger Brandom, Incident Commander Type III Team Start date: Aug. 21, 2016 Current Size: 18,116 acres Percent Containment: 95% Structures lost: 14 houses, 9 other structures Location: Wellpinit, WA on the Spokane Indian Reservation The Cayuse Mountain Fire remains at 95% contained and 18,116 acres. Today, firefighters will continue to secure the containment line in the Matthews Lake area. In other areas of the fire, the focus is on patrol and mop up. Fire personnel are available to assist with initial attack if needed. A Burned Area Emergency Response Team (BAER) will continue their work to assess threats to critical values (human life and safety, property, critical natural and cultural resources) caused by the fire. The Spokane Tribe of Indians Pow Wow is underway in Wellpinit. Last night, a ceremony was held to recognize the brave firefighters and public safety officers who...

Shift in weather patterns slows fire growth Leavenworth, WA – A dramatic turn in weather patterns will mean cooler and wetter conditions on both the Buck Creek and Saul fires over the next several days. For over a month, these naturally ignited fires have been burning almost completely inside the Glacier Peak Wilderness. The Buck Creek Fire is now approximately 3,500 acres in size, while the Saul Fire is approximately 500 acres. While new fire growth may be limited, fire managers are continuing to actively monitor the healthy spread of these fires through reconnaissance flights as weather conditions allow. Hunters and other forest visitors wishing to access high elevation areas may still access the Boulder Pass area from White River. Other areas for high elevation hunters to consider in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest include the Chelan-Sawtooth and the Pasayten Wilderness areas. As activity on these fires decreases going into fall, public information updates will...

Cayuse Mountain Fire Information September 2, 2016, 10 am Roger Brandom, Incident Commander Type III Team Start date: Aug. 21, 2016 Current Size: 18,116 acres Percent Containment: 95% Structures lost: 14 houses, 9 other structures Location: Wellpinit, WA on the Spokane Indian Reservation The Cayuse Mountain Fire is 95% contained and 18,116 acres. The fire is being managed by a Type III team under the leadership of Incident Commander Roger Brandom. Today, the Cherokee Hotshots and several engines will continue working together to improve the security of containment lines in the Matthews Lake area. Mop up and patrol continues around the rest of the fire perimeter, along with rehabilitation of dozer and hand lines. A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team arrived on the Cayuse Mountain Fire yesterday. This is a team of resource specialists who identify threats to critical values (human life and safety, property, critical natural and cultural resources) and determine...

Fires in Olympic National Park exhibiting light fire activity. Cooler weather and higher humidity continue to be in the forecast throughout the weekend. Hayes, Godkin and Ignar Fires all have interior pockets of fire activity, however they are mostly smoking and smoldering due to the most recent precipitation and weather. However, it will take a considerable amount of rain to put these wildfires out (2030 inches or more). The firefighters assigned to the Ignar Fire and Godkin Fire will be released from the incident over the next two days. Two local Olympic National Park firefighters will be assigned to Godkin fire, and all other fires will be unstaffed unless activity picks up again. Fire officials will continue to monitor all fires in the park. Equipment for structure protection remains in place on structures near the fires. Visitors near the fire areas should be cautious of their surroundings. When hiking, please stay near the trail, and know that walking through blackened areas...

Cayuse Mountain Fire Information September 1, 2016, 10 am Roger Brandom, Incident Commander Type III Team Start date: Aug. 21, 2016 Current Size: 18,116 acres Percent Containment: 95% Structures lost: 14 houses, 9 other structures Location: Wellpinit, WA on the Spokane Indian Reservation Yesterday, fire personnel at the Wellpinit Lookout were able to spot several small lightning-caused fires that started on the Colville Reservation. Firefighters were sent to help out with the initial attack on those fires. Today, firefighters will focus on securing containment lines near the Matthews Lake area, which is still showing some smoke. In other areas, mop up around structures and along the fire perimeter continues. Firefighters are available to assist with initial attack if needed. A moist cold front will pass through the region increasing the chance of rain on the fire area late tonight and tomorrow morning. The Spokane Tribe of Indians Pow Wow begins today in...

Mixed intensity benefitting long-term forest health Leavenworth, WA Despite cooler temperatures and increased moisture, the Buck Creek Fire experienced beneficial new growth across the forest floor. It grew to approximately 3,400 acres and Saul remains around 464 acres in size. Currently firefighters are reporting mixed intensity burning, where some trees die and many trees survive. This mosaic burn pattern on the landscape decreases fuel loading and can lower the risk of catastrophic fires and thick, lingering smoke in the future. “Using natural wildfire ignitions to burn heavy fuels and thin the forest under predetermined fuel moisture and weather conditions is an ideal and safe way to begin to ‘reset’ the natural burn patchwork that once existed on this landscape,” said US Forest Service Research Landscape Ecologist, Paul Hessburg. Wildfires are beneficial to forest health as well as wildlife. Snags caused by the fire will create new habitat for many species, and new...

Firefighters have completed fire line construction and mop up of the 390-acre Suncrest Fire. Crews have demobilized and commanders are turning control of the incident back to Chelan County Fire District 3 and local units of the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Forest Service. Pacific Northwest Incident Management Team 12 extends its warmest gratitude to all those who supported our efforts to corral and control this

LEAVENWORTH – With solid containment lines now surrounding the 390 acre Suncrest Fire, firefighters are being sent back to their home units across the great Pacific Northwest.This will be the final update from regional Type 2 Incident Management Team 12. Control of the fire will be given to local fire district, Forest Service and Department of Natural Resources agents at 6 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 1.The moderate intensity with which much of the fire burned will enhance revegetation and contribute to the future health of the forest. The number of firefighters assigned to the Suncrest fire peaked Monday at 368. The fire was reported at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27 and was driven by strong, erratic winds. Firefighters from around the region quickly responded, taking advantage of pre-season preparation work done by homeowners to provide protection. No homes were burned and no injuries were reported. Cause of the fire remains under investigation. Residents of Chelan County can sign up...

Cayuse Mountain Fire Information August 31, 2016, 11 am Roger Brandom, Incident Commander Type III Team Start date: Aug. 21, 2016 Current Size: 18,116 acres Percent Containment: 95% Structures lost: 14 houses, 9 other structures Location: Wellpinit, WA on the Spokane Indian Reservation A Type III incident management team under the leadership of Incident Commander Roger Brandom is now managing the Cayuse Mountain Fire, which is now 95% contained. Yesterday, firefighters continued to improve security around structures within the fire footprint and along containment lines. Today, crews will likely complete suppression repair on interior dozer lines and continue with mop up. Firefighters are also available to help with initial attack if needed. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms Wednesday night through Friday morning along with an increasing chance for a wetting rain and lower temperatures. Level 1 and Level 2 evacuations are still in place. Residents in...

Olympic National Park Fire UpdateWednesday, August 31, 2016Fire Information (360) 797-56778:00am-6:00pm Olympic National Park Fires transition to a type 4 incident. At 0700 Wednesday morning, the fire transitioned back to a local type 4 Incident. Cooler weather and higher humidity allowed for relatively moderate fire behavior yesterday. Hayes, Godkin and Ignar Creek fires all continue to exhibited interior pockets of fire activity. However, with the upcoming forecast, fire behavior is expected to remain similar if not less active than yesterday. The last assigned helicopter was released Tuesday morning, and today an engine crew is also being released from Olympic National Park Fires. Three personnel remain at the Ignar Fire and another group of three are positioned at Godkin Fire. They are likely to remain on the ground at the incidents through most of the holiday weekend, depending on the weather and fire activity. Their primary duties are to patrol and monitor the fires while...

Both the Buck Creek and Saul fires showed natural and healthy new growth with aerial reconnaissance reporting the Buck Creek Fire at 3,206 acres and the Saul Fire at 464 acres. While Monday was another warm and dry day, fire activity is predicted to diminish as the work week continues. The National Weather Service is calling for a chance of rain showers from Tuesday night through Friday night with dry and warmer days ahead this Labor Day Weekend. Both the Buck Creek and Saul fires have been continuing healthy burn patterns of creeping and smoldering across the forest floor with some isolated torching. Hand crews that were called away from working the Buck Creek Fire on Saturday to help with the initial attack on the fast moving Suncrest Fire in Leavenworth, returned to continue work on the Chiwawa River Road on Monday. Crews are continuing to prepare roads, historic structures, and other resources ahead of eventual fire spread in the coming weeks. While forest closure orders on the...

Cayuse Mountain Fire Information August 30, 2016, 11 am NW Incident Management Team (IMT) 9, Brian Goff, Incident Commander Start date: Aug. 21, 2016 Current Size: 18,116 acres Percent Containment: 85% Structures lost: 14 houses, 9 other structures Location: Wellpinit, WA on the Spokane Indian Reservation The Cayuse Mountain Fire is now 85% contained. There has been a slight decrease in the size of the fire, due to better mapping. Currently, 289 personnel are assigned to the fire. Yesterday, firefighters continued to make good progress securing containment lines, mopping up around residences, and rehabilitating dozer and hand lines in the interior of the fire. Today, firefighters will continue this work and will also focus on reducing heat near a large unburned island in the interior of the fire near Matthews Lake. There is a slight chance of dry thunderstorms in the area today. Tomorrow morning, a Type 3 team led by Incident Commander Roger Brandom will take over...

Olympic National Park Fire Update Tuesday, August 30, 2016 Fire Information (360) 797-56778:00am-6:00pm Upcoming Weather Will Likely Decrease Fire ActivityMonday’s sunny weather allowed flights to resume for resupplying and moving fire crews after days of being unable to fly due to heavy smoke and cloud cover. With Tuesday’s weather, decreased fire activity is likely on the Hayes, Godkin and Ignar Creek fires. Tuesday temperatures are expected to reach the mid to upper 50’s with minimum relative humidity of 65% and winds out of the southwest from 5 to 9 mph. Fire activity is expected to continue to decrease as waves of cool, moist air arrive over the area throughout the week. Rain is forecasted Tuesday night into Wednesday and then scattered showers through Saturday. Light winds overnight may allow smoke to once again settle into the lower valley’s surrounding the park. The Ignar Creek fire remains south of the Quinault River about 1/2 mile from Upper O’Neil Creek. The...

LEAVENWORTH – After three days of firefighting, the Suncrest Fire is now 50 percent contained. Much of the success is attributed to aggressive initial attack resources, hot shot crews and heavy use of aircraft. Acreage figures have been reduced, taking unburned areas, such as orchards, into account. Operational concerns for today include increased traffic in the area as the Cascade School District opens the school year. As fire activity has decreased, structural protection firefighters from local fire districts activated by a state mobilization are being sent home, and one helicopter has been released. Fire commanders anticipate the fire will be fully contained by the end of shift Thursday, Sept. 1. As of 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office is reducing evacuation levels from Level 3 to Level 2 for homes north of North Road between Nibbelink and Fox roads. Roadblocks will remain at Fox and Nibbelink roads until further notice. A community meeting...

Cayuse Mountain Fire InformationAugust 29, 2016, 11 am NW Incident Management Team (IMT) 9, Brian Goff, Incident Commander Start date: Aug. 21, 2016 Current Size: 18,417 acres Percent Containment: 75% Structures lost: 14 houses, 9 other structures Location: Wellpinit, WA on the Spokane Indian Reservation The Cayuse Mountain Fire is now 75% contained. Yesterday, firefighters made good progress securing containment lines and mopping up toward the interior of the fire. There was no growth in the size of the fire area. Today, firefighters will continue to mop up and strengthen lines around the fire perimeter. In the interior of the fire, dozer and hand lines will be rehabilitated to reduce their impacts. Currently, 422 personnel are assigned to the fire. Fire behavior is expected to be mostly creeping and smoldering; fire is still making its way through the previously un-burned islands within the fire perimeter. A low pressure system approaching from the west coast will increase...

Olympic National Park Fire Update Monday, August 29, 2016Fire Information (360) 797-5677 8:00am-6:00pm Cooler, Moist Weather Arrived Sunday Sunday’s cool and damp weather reduced fire activity to smoldering on all four fires. The marine layer and associated rain showers brought low level clouds into the valleys of the park. The cloud cover mixing with residual smoke prevented all helicopter operations Sunday. Monday’s short lived sunny weather will allow flights to resume for resupplying and moving fire crews. With Monday’s warm weather there is the probability of some increased fire activity on the Hayes, Godkin and Ignar Creek fires. Monday temperatures are expected to reach the mid 60’s with minimum relative humidity of 47% and winds out of the southwest to 9 mph. Fire activity is expected to decrease as waves of cool moist air arrive over the area throughout the week. Rain is expected Tuesday night into Wednesday and then scattered showers through Saturday. Forecasted...

LEAVENWORTH – The Suncrest Fire two miles east of the city is 35 percent contained at 496 acres as crews enter the fire’s third day. Cause of the fire remains under investigation. It has progressed to the north, away from homes, through heavy timber and steep hills. The Type 2 Northwest Incident Management Team 12 assumed control of fire operations Monday morning, taking over for the Type 3 multiagency incident management team led by Chelan County Fire District 3, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Forest Service. More than 300 firefighters are fighting the Suncrest fire with the goal of keeping the fire within its current footprint to protect private property and residences. A public meeting about the fire will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30 at the FD 3 Fire Station, 228 Chumstick Hwy, Leavenworth, WA 98826 Burnout operations overnight by crews were successful in strengthening portions of the fire line. Smoke from the burnouts and the fire...

SPOKANE – On Sunday, firefighters continued to focus efforts on mop-up activities, suppression repair and pulling equipment off the fire lines. The Wellesley Fire is 100% contained and is expected to stay within its perimeters. The Yale Fire is 99% contained – a 4% percent increase from yesterday with minimal fire activity. Smoke will continue to be visible for several days, however local fire units continue to patrol and monitor the fire lines.Additional fire resources, including aviation units, were released on Sunday and will continue to be released throughout Monday to return to their home units or other fires. On Tuesday at 6:00 a.m., operations will officially transfer to local fire districts and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. The remainder of Northwest Incident Management Team 11 will be released. Today will be the last update.There are no evacuations. Please check with the Spokane County Sheriff or Spokane Emergency Management...