Weather:  Weather conditions today will be within the norms of a seasonal weather pattern.  Relative humidity recovery overnight will be robust.  Cooler temperatures and higher relative humidity levels will prevail throughout the week.  Fire personnel are continuously monitoring the weather and anticipating its effect on fire behavior.    

Overview:  Heavy equipment operators have nearly completed brushing the roadsides of Suiattle River Road (Forest Road 26) previously snagged by firefighters.  They are moving large pieces of debris and felled trees farther away from the roadway.  These measures are being used to reduce roadside hazards and deepen the fire confinement lines. 

The Suiattle River Fire is active but remains well within the confinement lines.  Firefighters are closely monitoring fire behavior even as the weather moderates.  The fire will continue to burn until the area receives significant, long duration moisture. 

Updated mapping of the fire acreage has been unavailable for several days either due to smoke or higher priority mapping of other fires.

Suiattle River Fire Update, September 12, 2022

Weather:  The Red Flag Warning has ended.  Weather conditions are expected to moderate today with a return to a seasonal weather pattern.   Cooler temperatures and increased relative humidity levels will prevail throughout the week.   Fire personnel are continuously monitoring the weather and anticipating its effect on fire behavior.    

Overview:  Heavy equipment operations are deepening the confinement line by brush clearing along Suiattle River Road.  A second masticator arrived, and brush work is approximately 50% complete while mowing is approximately 75% complete; both operations are expected to finish mid-week or sooner.  Firefighters completed snagging operations along Suiattle River Road and Forest Road 2640.  Crews will continue assessing and strengthening confinement lines. 

As the weather moderates and crews make progress on the confinement lines, fire behavior will continue to be monitored and the need for continued road closures will be reevaluated.

Updated mapping of the fire acreage has been unavailable for several days either due to smoke or higher priority mapping of other fires.

Suiattle River Fire Update for September 11, 2022

Weather: The Red Flag Warning has been extended through Sunday evening for dry and unstable conditions that have the potential to increase fire activity.  Weather conditions are expected to moderate after Sunday. 

 Overview:  Firefighters observed concentrated heat in the northeastern area of the Suiattle River Fire.  Updated infrared (IR) mapping is not available, but fire personnel don’t anticipate the fire to have grown significantly, and it has remained within the identified confinement lines.  Crews finished snagging Forest Road 2640 and will focus their efforts snagging Suiattle River Road (Forest Road 26) near the Huckleberry Trailhead and Buck Creek Campground today.  Heavy equipment operators are deepening the confinement line by brush clearing along Suiattle River Road.

Minimum impact suppression tactics (MIST) are firefighting tactics with a high standard of care for the land. Crews have carefully prepared structures and sites of historic and cultural importance using approved methods. 

There are multiple fires and multiple evacuations in the Pacific Northwest Region.  Please be aware of changing conditions and, potentially, additional traffic as drivers reroute due to road closures that may include major highways. 

Evacuations: Skagit County Emergency Services Level 1 “Be Ready” Evacuation Notice for the Lower Suiattle Valley, north of the Suiattle River remains in affect. 

Closures:. A new Forest Closure Order was issued on September 9, 2022.  Please carefully review the roads, sites, and area that are closed due to fire or firefighting activities. 

Smoke: Haze and periods of smoke will occur today.  More information at: wasmoke.blogspot.com/

Fire Information Phone: 1-509-228-7805

Email: 2022.suiattleriver@firenet.gov
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8396/
Closures: Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie NF Alerts
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MtBakerSnoqualmieNF  


 

 

The Suiattle River Fire Closure has been extended to include the Grade Creek Road and some of the 25 Road. This order supercedes the previous Suiattle Fire Closure Order.