Single Publication

Goat Rocks Fire
September 19,2022
 
Overview: The Goat Rocks Fire continues to burn 1.5 miles northeast of the town of Packwood, Washington in and around the Goat Rocks Wilderness area.  Fire managers are using tactics to ensure safety of the firefighters, communities, and natural resources. Crews continue to thin fuels along roads and chip fuels cut from around structures. Due to cooler weather, fire behavior has been calm and growth has been minimal. However, more smoke could be visible over the next few days as warmer and drier conditions may cause a slight increase in fire activity.

Firefighting Activity: Minimum Impact Suppression Techniques (MIST) are being applied by firefighters to protect wilderness values such as a natural appearing landscape (as found within Goat Rocks Wilderness). These techniques seek to minimize the impact to the landscape while achieving the protection objectives consistent with land and resource management. For example, fire managers may use natural fire fuel breaks rather than digging containment lines by bulldozers.

Yesterday, fire personnel on the western edge of the fire installed hose lays and sprinklers along the handline on Forest Road 1266 to 4110 to reinforce containment features near Coal Creek. Crews used heavy equipment to strengthen containment line. On the northern perimeter, crews continued to improve the control line on Forest Road 46 and chip brush piles. Chipping was also underway to reduce material generated from clearing around structures in the Timberline, Goat Rocks, and High Valley communities. Today, firefighters will spend another day patrolling and chipping material around Upper Timberline and surrounding neighborhoods. Crews will work on the western portion of the fire removing woody material along Forest Road 4610 and further strengthen containment lines. Personnel on the northern edge of the fire will continue improving control lines and chipping operations on Forest Road 46.

Forest Closures: For information on current road and trail closures, you can go to this link: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1060181.pdf  

Evacuations: All of Packwood and areas southwest of Butter Creek, including High Valley, have had their evacuation orders lifted. Areas northeast of Butter Creek and north of US-12, including Lower Timberline and Goat Rocks, are still at an Evacuation Level 1 (Be Ready). Upper Timberline remains at an Evacuation Level 2 (Be Set).

Fire Restrictions: Campfire bans and other use restrictions are in place across the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Campfires are allowed within certain campgrounds identified on: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/giffordpinchot/alerts-notices.

Weather: A warming and drying trend is predicted across the area over the next few days. Temperatures are expected to climb several degrees into the 70s, slightly increasing the potential for more active fire behavior.

Public Safety:  National Preparedness Month (NPM) is an observance each September to raise awareness in the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time. The 2022 theme is “A Lasting Legacy.” To learn more visit: https://www.ready.gov/

Donations: Northwest Incident Management Team 10 would like to thank the community for all your generous offers to provide donations. Firefighters are well-provisioned. Other ways you may help include driving cautiously to ensure firefighter safety, post thank you signs within the community for firefighters to see or donate to your local Red Cross, Lewis County Fire District #10 (Packwood) and the Wildland Firefighter Foundation.

Sign-up For Alerts: To receive alerts from Lewis County in the case of an emergency, sign up at https://lewiscountywa.gov/departments/emergency-management/lewis-county-alert/