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Williams Mine Fire Update for Tuesday, September 3, 2024 

The Williams Mine Fire continued to spread yesterday in the Mt. Adams Wilderness near Morrison Creek. The fire consumed down logs and other fuels on the ground, with gusty winds pushing the fire to the east. The fire has crossed Morrison Creek, but is west of the South Climb Trail. Scooper airplanes and a “heavy” helicopter dropped water on the fire to slow it’s spread.

A strategic firing operation was conducted to consume fuels around the Morrison Shelter yesterday. This reduced the intensity of the main fire when it reached this area.

The La Grande Interagency Hotshot Crew arrived at the fire, and has been working with the local Cascade Initial Attack crew on preparing the South Climb Trail for use as a control line, if necessary. They are cutting the down logs near the trail and moving the wood away from it. Brush and small trees are also being cut as needed to make the trail a safe place to stop the fire if it continues to spread to the east. Prep work will continue today.

A dozer did some road repairs on the FS Rd 550 to allow dump trucks to access the South Climb trailhead. Piles of limbs, small trees, and other woody debris will be hauled away from this area to be piled in a safe location. 

Overnight, thunderstorms rolled through the area, bringing lightning and some showers. Today fire personnel will be evaluating how the storm affected the fire and fuels. The rain may make fine fuels like grass and brush too wet to burn, but will do little to affect the flammability of down logs and snags. Ground and air resources will be watching for new fires ignited by lightning, and are prepared to take suppression action.

SAFETY AND CLOSURES: 

Most schools, including Trout Lake School, are now back in session. Watch for children and buses along the roads and stop when the STOP signs are extended and lights are flashing. Hunting season is also starting. Watch out for distracted drivers and hunters inside the closure.

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. FS Rd 23 south of FS Rd 90 is still CLOSED to the public due to fire suppression activity. The revised closure for the Mt. Adams Wilderness and FS Rd 23 closure can be found at Williams Mine Fire: Area and Road Closure. The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is closed from the PCT's intersection with FS Rd 23 to Potato Hill. The current area closure spans the entire Mt. Adams Wilderness.