InciWeb Articles WA

US 2 Is Open: US 2 is subject to closures.  Check the WSDOT TRAFFIC website and twitter for up-to-date information before committing to using the highway. Flare-ups, material rolling near the road, or hazardous trees on or along the road may force temporary short closures or reroutes. Crews are still working throughout the area, please drive at the posted reduced speeds through the fire area. Law enforcement emphasis and additional signage by WSDOT will be used to help slow traffic. Train traffic through the area will be slowed for safety of firefighters and to prevent fire spread.Fire Update: Warm and windy conditions will move in with overnight increasing humidity. The winds will be picking up over the next couple of days, pushing the smoke back out of the low areas to the east. Containment lines on the south, east and west edges of the fire along US 2 and near structures continue to hold well. The fire will continue to produce smoke as it burns to the north into Wild Sky...

A Type 3 Incident Management Organization, led by Incident Commander Ryan Erne and Incident Commander Trainee Jason Lanier assumed command of the Goat Rocks Fire at 6:00 p.m. last night. Fire Activity: The fire continues to grow about 100 to 150 acres a day, but is mostly closing in on itself. That is to say, areas where the fire has previously formed “fingers” are burning toward one another, at a very slow pace.  It is creeping and smoldering through extremely thick duff, which is resulting in continued smoke in the air. Coal Creek drainage continues to be one of the most active areas of the fire.             Firefighting Efforts: Firefighters continue to successfully hold all control lines.Chipping continues along Forest Road 4610 today, and is nearing completion. The Structure Protection Specialist continues to work with local cooperators on refining the coordinated response plan. Engine patrol continues day and night, throughout the communities closest to the fire...

Overview: The Bolt Creek Fire continues to burn in steep, rugged terrain, but expected to have limited growth. Crews are working throughout the area.  Please use caution when traveling near the fire area and adhere to the posted reduced speed limits. Law enforcement emphasis patrols and additional signage by WSDOT will be used to help advise and slow traffic for safety of firefighters and to prevent potential fire spread. US 2 Is Open throughout the fire area and no additional planned closures are scheduled. However, additional flare-ups, material rolling near the road, or hazardous trees on or along the roadway may force temporary short closures or reroutes.Fire Update: Warmer and drier conditions returned Friday afternoon and overnight increasing fire activity. These conditions will persist for the next few days which will likely contribute to moderate fire spread and additional smoke production. Containment lines on the south, east and west edges of the fire along US 2 and near...

 Kalama Fire Update – October 9, 2022 Transfer of Command: At 0700 this morning command of the Kalama Fire was transferred to the Sierra Front Nevada Team 5 with Incident Commander Scott Stephenson. Stephenson’s team will continue to work closely with local Forest Managers and local cooperators to ensure a smooth transition and contiue the current firefighting effort. Overview: The Kalama Fire, located southeast of Kalama Horse Camp on the south side of Mount St. Helens, is at approximately 454 acres in size and is currently five percent contained.   Fire Behavior:  Fire fighters are preparing indirect lines in more favorable terrain.  Fire behavior has been minimal with smoldering and creeping with some torching observed. The potential for fire growth remains and containment lines are being put in place. Weather: Weather today is predicted to be dry and warm. High pressure will keep warm and dry weather through Monday, Closures: Closures remain in place - View Closure Map:...

Bolt Creek Fire UpdateOctober 8, 2022 Southeast Washington Type 3 Incident Management TeamIncident Commander: Leonard Johnson Estimated size: 13,060 acresCause: UndeterminedContainment: 36 percentResources: 194 personnel – Two type-2 initial attack hand crew, one hand crew, one helicopter, 20 engines, one dozer, two water tenders and 94 overhead US 2 Is Open: At this time, US 2 is open throughout the fire area and no additional planned closures are scheduled.   However, additional flare-ups, material rolling near the road, or hazardous trees on or along the road may force temporary short closures or reroutes. Crews are still working throughout the area so as the weekend approaches and traffic increases please drive at the posted reduced speeds through the fire area.Fire Update: Friday again saw limited growth. Warmer and drier conditions returned during the afternoon and overnight increasing fire activity. These conditions will persist for the next few days which will...

Fire Activity: Fire growth continues but at low intensity. The fire is backing, flanking, and testing control lines, all of which firefighters are successfully holding. The fire consumed ground fuels near the Forest Road 1266, which reduces the risk of it jumping that road in the future.             Firefighting Efforts: Firefighters continue to focus on community protection. There are multiple layers of control line, contingency line, and hoselays in between the fire and the community. Firefighters are actively testing their equipment, under the direction of a Structure Protection Specialist. Other crews are hard at work strengthening the trail system by the southwest edge of the fire, and reinforcing handline and dozerline. Log processing along Forest Road 46 is complete, and that effort has now shifted to Forest Road 4610.      Weather: The warm, dry weather pattern will continue today and Sunday. Today’s high is 80 degrees, but temperatures should cool off after...

         Kalama Fire Update – October 8, 2022Overview: The Kalama Fire, located southeast of Kalama Horse Camp on the south side of Mount St. Helens, is at approximately 461 acres in size and is currently five percent contained. Acres increased only slightly with burn out operations to assist in securing the perimeter of the fire. Cooler weather and rain over the fire area these past few days has assisted in the firefighting efforts.   Fire Behavior: The fire was located on a cliff and is now burning on extremely steep ground. Fire fighters are preparing indirect lines in more favorable terrain where they can be successful. Fire behavior has been smoldering and creeping with some torching observed. The potential for fire growth remains and containment lines are being put in place. Weather: Weather today is predicted to be dry and warm. High pressure will keep warm and dry weather through the weekend. Easterly winds will weaken Friday, with light terrain driven winds today. ...

         Kalama Fire Update – October 7, 2022Overview: The Kalama Fire, located southeast of Kalama Horse Camp on the south side of Mount St. Helens, is at approximately 454 acres in size and is currently five percent contained. Acres increased only slightly with burn out operations to assist in securing the perimeter of the fire. Cooler weather and rain over the fire area these past few days has assisted in the firefighting efforts.   Fire Behavior: The fire was located on a cliff and is now burning on extremely steep ground. Fire fighters are preparing indirect lines in more favorable terrain where they can be successful. Fire behavior has been smoldering and creeping with some torching observed. The potential for fire growth remains and containment lines are being put in place. Weather: Weather today is predicted to be dry and warm. High pressure will keep warm and dry weather through the weekend. Easterly winds will weaken Friday, with light terrain driven winds likely...

Fire Activity: Yesterday’s wind and fire activity tested the control lines, all of which successfully held. The fire consumed additional vegetation in the Coal Creek drainage, reducing the chance that it will cross the control lines in the future. Last night’s humidity was lower than normal, meaning that the fire will be more active earlier today.            Firefighting Efforts: Engine patrols are continuing both day and night, throughout communities closest to the fire and along US-12. A combination of handlines and dozers line now provides communities with four layers of control/contingency lines. Firefighters are in place near structures, testing sprinklers and patrolling.      Weather: Winds today will be lighter, with an average of 9 mph and gusts up to 15 mph. Easterly winds continue to bring in dry air. Relative humidity remains low, dropping to 24%. Temperatures in the fire area will peak around 80 degrees, while it will be 85-87 degrees in Packwood.  ...

Bolt Creek Fire Update October 7, 2022 Southeast Washington Type 3 Incident Management TeamIncident Commander: Leonard JohnsonEstimated size: 12,927 acres Cause: Human; Under investigationContainment: 36 percentResources: 194 personnel – Two type-2 initial attack hand crew, one hand crew, 17 engines, one dozer, two water tenders and 95 overhead. As of 0600 today, management of the Bolt Creek Fire was assumed by a Southeast Washington Type 3 Team; Incident Commander Leonard Johnson.US 2 Is Open: At this time, US 2 is open throughout the fire area and no additional planned closures are scheduled. However, additional flare-ups, material rolling near the road, or hazardous trees on or along the road may force temporary short closures or reroutes. Crews are still working throughout the area so as the weekend approaches and traffic increases please drive at the posted reduced speeds through the fire area.Fire Update: Thursday saw very limited growth – less than 100 acres. A heavy...

Kalama Fire Update – October 6, 2022Overview: The Kalama Fire, located southwest of Mount St. Helens near the town of Cougar, WA, is approximately 454 acres in size and five percent contained.  Containment lines have been completed.  With the inability to safely mop up the fire’s edge, due to steep terrain and overhead hazards, containment percentages will remain low.

Road Closure Description:   Travel is prohibited on the following National Forest System (NFS) Roads as described below and shown on the attached map (Exhibit A).   •       NFS Road No. 8100, from the junction  of DNR Road 7200 and DNR Road 7600 to the junction with NFS Road No. 8123 and all associated NFS spur roads off  NFS Road No. 8100. •       NFS Road No 8117 and all associated NFS spur roads off  NFS Road No. 8117. •       NFS Road No. 8122 and all associated NFS spur roads off  NFS Road No. 8122. Trail Closure Description: Travel is prohibited on the following National Forest System (NFS) Trails as described below and shown on the attached map (Exhibit A).   •       Cinnamon Trail #204 from the TH at Kalama Horse Camp to Red Rock Pass. •       Kalama Ski Trail #231 west of NFS Road No. 8123 and south of NFS Road 8100. •       Goat Marsh Trail #231D •       Toutle Trail #238 from the TH at Kalama Horse Camp to Red...

 Bolt Creek, Suiattle River, Boulder Lake, and Lake Toketie Fires Wildfire-Associated Landslide Emergency Response Team Report, prepared by Washington Sate Department of Natural Resources Washington Geological

Highlights: The fire will likely become more active today as drier and gustier winds arrive from the east. Control lines continue to hold.  Firefighters have established a contingency line in between the fire and the communities near the fire. Engines are patrolling in the community and along US Highway 12 throughout the day and night. A structure protection specialist is working with Lewis County on coordinating an emergency response plan, while staging for tonight’s increased winds. Local agencies are also on standby to provide additional structure protection if needed. Some engines and crews are timing out, but they are being replaced with fresh firefighters who are arriving from across the country. Aerial attack continues, especially in the Coal Creek drainage.    Weather: Winds are coming from the east today and are higher than recent days. They will average 12 mph throughout the day, but gusts may reach 20 mph. These drier east winds will lower relative humidity levels to...

Bolt Creek Fire Update October 6, 2022 Western Washington Incident Management Team 3Incident Commander: Gene PhillipsEstimated size: 12,863 acres Cause: Human; Under investigation Containment: 36 percentResources: 149 personnel – Two type-2 initial attack hand crew, one hand crew, 15 engines, one dozer, two water tenders and 76 overhead.US 2 Is Open: At this time, US 2 is open throughout the fire area. A planned closure occurred - Wednesday, Oct. 5 - from 10 am to 6 pm between mile markers 44 and 50 for hazard tree removal and successfully removed approximately 120 trees. The intention of this extended closure was to limit the need for additional closures in the future. However, additional periodic flare-ups, material rolling near the road, or hazardous trees on or along the road may force temporary short closures or reroutes. Crews are still working throughout the area so as the weekend approaches and traffic increases please drive at the posted reduced speeds through the...

White River, Irving Peak, and Minnow Ridge Fires Fire Information Line: 509-557-0973 October 5, 2022 6:00 PM  · Acres:  12,336    · Personnel: 120    · Location: 15 miles northwest of Plain, WA     · Start Date:  August 11, 2022    · Estimated Completion: October 30, 2022               Fire updates will be occurring about once a week, or as conditions change.   Unseasonably warm and dry conditions, with temperatures about 10 degrees above average, have contributed to a slight increase in fire activity over the past week. As a result of the natural increase in fire activity and lack of wind, the concentration of smoke has also increased.   White River and Irving Peak Fires (9,579 acres): The fire continued to progress toward the FS 6500 and 311 roads on the south and east perimeters. Last week, several spot fires were located across these roads and were successfully contained by fire crews. In order to protect values at risk and prevent unwanted...

Overview: The Kalama Fire, located southwest of Mount St. Helens near the town of Cougar, WA, is approximately 443 acres in size and five percent contained.  Containment lines have been completed.  With the inability to safely mop up the fire’s edge, due to steep terrain and overhead hazards, containment percentages will remain low. Fire Behavior and Operations: Overall fire behavior is moderate and has been observed creeping, smoldering, and backing.  Potential for large plume dominated fire growth remains low.  Today's planned actions will be to continue indirect work on containment lines and work on contingency lines on Forest Service and private lands. Helicopters will drop water to help moderate fire behavior as it backs and flanks to containment lines. Weather: Warm and dry conditions continue as an upper high-pressure ridge persists. Today's high is expected to be 72 with a minimum relative humidity of 61 percent. Winds are expected to turn offshore Wednesday night...

 Community Meeting: Please join Nevada Incident Management Team 4 and the Gifford Pinchot National Forest for a Community Meeting on Friday, October 7, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. Attendees can either join in-person at the Packwood Fire Department (2953 US 12) or online via Facebook live

Community Meeting: Please join Nevada Incident Management Team 4 and the Gifford Pinchot National Forest for a Community Meeting on Friday, October 7, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. Attendees can either join in-person at the Packwood Fire Department (2953 US 12) or online via Facebook live (@GiffordPinchot). Fire Activity: As the inversion layer lifted yesterday, fire activity increased. Given that the fire has been creeping along the forest floor for almost two months, vegetation is increasingly dry. Some individual and groups of trees are igniting within the fire perimeter, producing columns of smoke. When today’s marine layer lifts, this pattern will continue. Firefighting Efforts: The fire continues to push toward the ridge south of Coal Creek and Three Peaks trail, where crews and a bulldozer are hard at work bolstering control lines. The combination of hose lay, handline, and dozer line continues to hold the fire at the ridge. Firefighters continue to prioritize structure preparation and...

Bolt Creek Fire Update October 5, 2022 Western Washington Incident Management Team 3Incident Commander: Gene PhillipsEstimated size: 12,723 acres Cause: Human; Under investigation Containment: 36 percentResources: 149 personnel – One type-2 initial attack hand crew, one hand crews, 15 engines, one dozer, two water tenders and 76 overhead. US 2 Is Open: At this time, US 2 is open throughout the fire area. A planned closure will occur today - Wednesday, Oct. 5 - from 10 am to 6 pm between mile markers 44 and 50 for hazard tree removal. The intention of this extended closure is to allow significant hazard tree abatement and hopefully limit the need for additional closures in the future. However, additional periodic flare-ups, material rolling near the road, or hazardous trees on or along the road may force temporary short closures or reroutes. Crews are still working throughout the area so please drive at the posted reduced speeds through the fire area.Fire Update: Tuesday saw...