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Background: There were 30 fires in the complex. The fires started August 25 after a lightning event across the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. All fires were managed under full suppression strategy. The fires have been contained.
Closures: For all closure updates, visit the Gifford Pinchot National Forest wesite.
Gifford Pinchot National Forest: The Gifford Pinchot National Forest includes over 1.3 million acres of forest, wildlife habitat, watersheds & mountains, including Mt. Adams & Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. A wide variety of recreational opportunities abound on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. View these opportunities.
The Cowlitz Valley area is administered by the Cowlitz Valley Ranger District. This area is located in the Northern most portion of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in southwest Washington, and comprises about 575,000 acres of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The Cowlitz Valley area is roughly located among three volcanic peaks: Mt. Rainier to the north, Mt. Adams to the east, and Mt. St. Helens to the west. A line connecting Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens following the Boundary Trail #1 makes up the southern boundary. On clear days this trail affords spectacular views.
Nearby towns include Packwood, Glenoma, Morton and Ashford. The area has numerous campgrounds and over 500 miles of trails for a wide variety of users. Cowlitz Valley Ranger District manages four Wilderness areas including the Goat Rocks Wilderness, Glacier View Wilderness, Tatoosh Wilderness and William O Douglass Wilderness. Major River Drainages include the Cowlitz River, Clear Fork of the Cowlitz, and the Cispus River.
Nearby attractions include Mt. Rainier National Park and Mount St. Helens National Monument.
| Current as of | Tue, 10/03/2023 - 11:52 |
|---|---|
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
| Cause | Lightning |
| Date of Origin | |
| Location | 20 mile radius of Randle, WA in Gifford Pinchot National Forest |
| Incident Commander | Saturday, September 30, 2023, the Cowlitz Complex was turned back to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest with a small type 4 team finishing the remaining repair work on the fires. |
| Incident Description | Lightning Complex (Multiple fires caused by lightning). |
| Coordinates |
46° 31' 57'' Latitude
-121° 46' 29
'' Longitude
|
| Size | 731 Acres |
|---|---|
| Percent of Perimeter Contained | 39% |
| Estimated Containment Date | 10/31/2023 |
| Fuels Involved | Timber (litter and understory) Mixed conifer forests dominated by Douglas-fir, Western hemlock, Red Cedar, Spruce, and Alder. North Aspect: High load conifer litter with some mortality/light slash (TL5) South Aspect: Moderate to heavy foret litter with a shrub or small tree understory (TU2 and TU5) Regrowth: Low load of grass/shrub with litter (TU1)
|
| Remarks |
As of September 25, 2023, the Cowlitz Complex will only consist of the fires in Cowlitz Valley Ranger District. Mt. Adams Rander District will assume control of the fires in their district. |
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