Single Publication

Williams Mine Fire Update for Sunday, August 25, 2024

KEY MESSAGES:

As mission objectives continue to be met, firefighters and support equipment will begin demobilizing from the incident. As containment increases, hoses and other fire suppression equipment are being backhauled off the fire line. This equipment will be staged at a central location, returned to the fire cache, and become available for other priority incidents.

CURRENT STATUS: 

Masticators and chippers continue to thin vegetation along the Forest Service 070 and 023 Road. Additionally, contingency lines will be completed in several areas in the northwest corner of the fire. 

Heavy equipment is essential for this next phase of fire suppression in repairing roads, reducing fuel loads, and returning roads and trails to public use conditions. On forest road 8031 crews are consolidating slash and chipping. Grading also continues on the 8030 road.

WEATHER / FIRE BEHAVIOR:

Today, partly cloudy skies are expected with little chance of precipitation as the system that brought rain to region leaves the area. Behind that system is a warming and drying trend that will extend into September. Humidity levels will drop to the 40-50% range and have little overnight recovery. General winds will be light, and temperatures will likely be in the 70s again. This weather pattern change will maintain low fire activity but create the potential for increased smoke production.

SAFETY AND CLOSURES: 

For more information, please see http://www.dnr.wa.gov/ahtanum for WA-DNR closures. The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Tract D Recreation Area is currently closed, please see Yakama Tract D Road Closure for more information.  The FS-23 and FS-25 roads are closed, see the Williams Mine Area and Road Closure for more details. The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is closed from the PCT's intersection with FS 23 to Potato Hill. The current area closure spans the entire Mt. Adams Wilderness.