Joint Olympic NP-Olympic NF news release - Mt. Lena Fire

September 6, 2020  

Olympic National Park Fire Information 

360-565-2986  

Mt. Lena Fire Shows Activity After Two Weeks of No Smoke                                        

Reconnaissance flights conducted by Olympic Interagency Fire Management on September 4th and 5th revealed continued fire activity on the Mt. Lena Fire. The half-acre fire is located in extremely steep, inaccessible terrain approximately 0.5 miles east of Lena Lake in the southeast portion of the Olympic National Forest. The Mt. Lena Fire started on August 16 after a series of lightning strikes during high fire conditions caused numerous fires on the Olympic Peninsula. The use of rappelers and helicopter water drops during initial attack were unsuccessful in containing the fire. The Mt. Lena Fire is the only fire from that lightning event that is still showing signs of active burning. 

Critical fire weather is expected for Western Washington from Monday through Wednesday. During that time there will be hot, dry, unstable conditions that pose high fire danger to the region. There is potential for fire behavior to increase significantly this coming week and smoke from the Mt. Lena fire may be visible at times. In addition, offshore flows may also bring smoke into the area from fires in other parts of the region and Canada.  

Wildland firefighters are currently monitoring the fire and its potential impacts to public safety. The firefighters, along with additional reconnaissance flights, will continue to evaluate the fire's behavior to inform subsequent management actions. No trail closures in the Lena Lakes area are in place at this time, but visitors to the area should be aware that conditions could change quickly. 

East Beach Road Fire Update – Road Closure Remains in Place for Public Safety  

The East Beach Road Fire at Lake Crescent that started July 29th burned 84 acres and is 98% contained. There has been no visible smoke in the last few weeks from this fire. Public safety remains a concern, debris continues to come down off the steep slope onto the road. Due to the hazardous situation, East Beach Road is closed to all visitor traffic, including bicycles and pedestrians, at the Highway 101 intersection. Log Cabin Resort is still operating and can be accessed via Highway 112 to Joyce-Piedmont Rd. All day use recreation sites along East Beach Road in Olympic National Park are closed. Local residents can access property up to 2 miles west of Highway 101 or from Log Cabin Resort up to the hard closure.