Single Publication

Cool temperatures and light precipitation had a calming affect on the Goat Rocks Fire yesterday. Although most precipitation didn’t make it past the tree canopies, higher humidity was absorbed into finer fuels like brush and small sticks. Large logs and stumps continued to burn, but with less intensity. The fire produced less smoke and did not spread. 
 
Today, fire activity will continue to be moderated by residual moisture in the air and in fuels. Temperatures are expected to rise into the 70s, with clearing skies. Warmer, drier air will start to move into the area again tomorrow, with winds from the east developing. High temperatures are expected to be around 80 degrees Monday and Tuesday. 
 
Ahead of this warm, dry weather, fire personnel are working to secure indirect containment lines. Most of these lines are being developed along existing roads where there is already a break in the fuels: the road. The objective is to remove enough trees and brush along lines that fire will be a low-intensity ground fire on the “black” side of the road or fire line, and will not cross to the “green” side of the line. This work is known as “line prep.”
 
To get rid of ladder fuels that can carry flames from the ground up into crowns of trees, which is called “torching”, firefighters cut lower limbs off trees and adjacent brush. They also cut some closely-spaced trees to reduce the chances of fire moving from tree to tree through their foliage or crowns. Crown fires are more destructive and much harder to stop than ground fires, and can move rapidly if pushed by wind. Nearly all of the Goat Rocks Fire has been a lower-intensity ground fire.
 
Dead trees or “snags” and other hazardous trees are cut along roads and other fire lines. These pose a risk to firefighters working near them, and can fall across a control line, carrying fire to the “green” side of the line.
Woody materials that have been cut may be chipped or moved to a safe location where they won’t become fuel for the fire. Smaller material like brush, limbs, and entire small trees are run through a woodchipper, with the resulting chips scattered on the ground on the “green” side of control lines where they will rot, adding nutrients to the forest.

Yesterday, fire personnel completed chipping operation on Forest Road 46 from US-12 up to the 46/4610 junction, and along Forest Road 4610 to the 4610/4612 junction. Hazard trees are still being cut along Forest Road 46 to the north.
 
Firefighters continue to patrol the Timberline and Goat Rocks communities, and around the historic structures at Packwood Lake.

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: 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.

Public Safety: Watch for increased traffic as we head into the weekend.

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/

The percent of containment on a fire is one measure of progress, but not the only one. Completion of firefighting objectives is another measure of progress. These objectives include construction of control lines and protecting highly valued resources such as the Packwood community, sensitive tribal resources, and historic structures at Packwood Lake.  This deliberate and methodical strategy is designed to achieve these protection goals without subjecting firefighters to unacceptable risk.