Port Angeles, Wash. – Today the wildfires in Olympic National Park showed minimal to zero growth due to the weak cold front that came through. Some areas in and around the park saw nearly a ¼” of rain while other areas saw none, the amount was highly variable.

Patterns with periods of cooler and moister weather followed by periods of warmer and drier are common this time of year on the Olympic Peninsula. Firefighters are watching the weather closely as Friday is forecast to be the hottest and potentially the most active day for the fires in the short term. The next short-term warm-up will be Thursday through Saturday and potentially into Sunday.

On the Low Divide and Martins Lake Fires, firefighters finished the defensible space preparation work around the Glacier Creek Bridge. In addition to removing any unwanted vegetation, they placed a ground-based fire sprinkler system around it as another form of protection for this important asset.

The Eagle Point fire was visible only when the clouds lifted today with a few plumes of smoke seen.

The Hurricane Fire remains 95% contained. Fire crews continued to remove the no longer needed equipment from the Hurricane Ridge area. Tomorrow, the remaining fire equipment that is over 1,200 vertical feet down the steep slope from Hurricane Ridge will be flown out via helicopter in large specialty cargo nets. The equipment weighs just over 2,200 lbs, including the cargo nets.

The Delabarre and Diamond Mountain fires continue to show no activity and remain at the same acreage.

Fire Name

Initial Report

Estimated Size as of 9/5

Location

Hurricane

8/28/23

4 acres

2,000 ft below Hurricane Ridge parking area

Eagle Point

8/28/23

85 acres

~5 miles out Obstruction Point Road

Diamond Mountain

9/1/23

25 acres

3.3 miles NE of

Anderson Pass

Low Divide

9/1/23

60 acres

N. Fork Quinault drainage

Delabarre

9/1/23

1 acre

3 miles SE of Mount Christie

Martins Lake

9/2/23

30 acres

2 miles NE of Mount Christie

Fire is an integral part of the forested ecosystems on the Olympic Peninsula; plants and animals here have evolved with fire for thousands of years. Many factors such as weather, topography, and vegetation influence fire behavior and the effects that fires have on natural resources.

Background Information

All six active fires in Olympic National Park ignited when a series of lightning strikes occurred on the Olympic Peninsula in the afternoon on August 28.

On August 18, Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest implemented a fire ban including charcoal fires. The move to Stage 2 fire restrictions is due to continued hot and dry conditions that are forecasted to continue at least through the end of October as dry conditions in the region persist. One less spark means one less wildfire.

Closures  

Due to wildfire activity the following closures are in effect until further notice: 

The Skyline Trail is closed between the top of the Elip Creek Connector trail and Low Divide until further notice. This closure affects 20 miles of the Skyline Trail and includes both Three Prune and Lake Beauty wilderness campsites. Additionally, the North Fork Quinault Trail from Elip Creek trail junction to Chicago Camp is also now closed and includes the Trapper, Sixteen Mile, and Low Divide wilderness campsites. The Martins Park Trail remains closed.

Obstruction Point Road and the trailhead will be closed until further notice.

Olympic National Park Wilderness Information Center (WIC) will be notifying backcountry permit holders who may be impacted by this closure. Any permit holders who plan to backpack in the above impacted areas should contact the WIC at 360-565-2992 or by emailing OLYM_WIC@nps.gov.

Weather and Fire Behavior

Upper-level ridge will push east today ahead of an approaching weak frontal system. This feature is slated to bring cooler temperatures and a slight chance of light rain showers during the evening. An additional weak disturbance is in line to arrive Monday night into Tuesday with more slight shower chances.

Information for the Eagle Point Fire can be found at: Eagle Point Fire Information | InciWeb (wildfire.gov)

Information for the Hurricane Fire can be found at: Hurricane Fire Information | InciWeb (wildfire.gov)

Olympic National Park information: www.nps.gov/olym 
Olympic National Forest information: www.fs.usda.gov/olympic
State and county area burn bans: www.waburnbans.net   

--NPS--

Port Angeles, Wash. – Today the wildfires in Olympic National Park showed minimal to zero growth due to the weak cold front that came through. Some areas in and around the park saw nearly a ¼” of rain while other areas saw none, the amount was highly variable.

Patterns with periods of cooler and moister weather followed by periods of warmer and drier are common this time of year on the Olympic Peninsula. Firefighters are watching the weather closely as Friday is forecast to be the hottest and potentially the most active day for the fires in the short term. The next short-term warm-up will be Thursday through Saturday and potentially into Sunday.

On the Low Divide and Martins Lake Fires, firefighters finished the defensible space preparation work around the Glacier Creek Bridge. In addition to removing any unwanted vegetation, they placed a ground-based fire sprinkler system around it as another form of protection for this important asset.

The Eagle Point fire was visible only when the clouds lifted today with a few plumes of smoke seen.

The Hurricane Fire remains 95% contained. Fire crews continued to remove the no longer needed equipment from the Hurricane Ridge area. Tomorrow, the remaining fire equipment that is over 1,200 vertical feet down the steep slope from Hurricane Ridge will be flown out via helicopter in large specialty cargo nets. The equipment weighs just over 2,200 lbs, including the cargo nets.

The Delabarre and Diamond Mountain fires continue to show no activity and remain at the same acreage.

Fire Name

Initial Report

Estimated Size as of 9/5

Location

Hurricane

8/28/23

4 acres

2,000 ft below Hurricane Ridge parking area

Eagle Point

8/28/23

85 acres

~5 miles out Obstruction Point Road

Diamond Mountain

9/1/23

25 acres

3.3 miles NE of

Anderson Pass

Low Divide

9/1/23

60 acres

N. Fork Quinault drainage

Delabarre

9/1/23

1 acre

3 miles SE of Mount Christie

Martins Lake

9/2/23

30 acres

2 miles NE of Mount Christie

Fire is an integral part of the forested ecosystems on the Olympic Peninsula; plants and animals here have evolved with fire for thousands of years. Many factors such as weather, topography, and vegetation influence fire behavior and the effects that fires have on natural resources.

Background Information

All six active fires in Olympic National Park ignited when a series of lightning strikes occurred on the Olympic Peninsula in the afternoon on August 28.

On August 18, Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest implemented a fire ban including charcoal fires. The move to Stage 2 fire restrictions is due to continued hot and dry conditions that are forecasted to continue at least through the end of October as dry conditions in the region persist. One less spark means one less wildfire.

Closures  

Due to wildfire activity the following closures are in effect until further notice: 

The Skyline Trail is closed between the top of the Elip Creek Connector trail and Low Divide until further notice. This closure affects 20 miles of the Skyline Trail and includes both Three Prune and Lake Beauty wilderness campsites. Additionally, the North Fork Quinault Trail from Elip Creek trail junction to Chicago Camp is also now closed and includes the Trapper, Sixteen Mile, and Low Divide wilderness campsites. The Martins Park Trail remains closed.

Obstruction Point Road and the trailhead will be closed until further notice.

Olympic National Park Wilderness Information Center (WIC) will be notifying backcountry permit holders who may be impacted by this closure. Any permit holders who plan to backpack in the above impacted areas should contact the WIC at 360-565-2992 or by emailing OLYM_WIC@nps.gov.

Weather and Fire Behavior

Upper-level ridge will push east today ahead of an approaching weak frontal system. This feature is slated to bring cooler temperatures and a slight chance of light rain showers during the evening. An additional weak disturbance is in line to arrive Monday night into Tuesday with more slight shower chances.

Information for the Eagle Point Fire can be found at: Eagle Point Fire Information | InciWeb (wildfire.gov)

Information for the Hurricane Fire can be found at: Hurricane Fire Information | InciWeb (wildfire.gov)

Olympic National Park information: www.nps.gov/olym 
Olympic National Forest information: www.fs.usda.gov/olympic
State and county area burn bans: www.waburnbans.net   

--NPS--

Wildfire response does not end when the incident reaches full containment. A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team is deployed after a wildfire to assess the fire impacts on natural resources, cultural resources, and infrastructure and to assess potential safety hazards to humans and property.

The BAER team, composed of scientists and resource specialists, is deployed to document the fire impact and to provide treatment recommendations for response. These specialists work closely with land managers affected by the wildfire, who are the local subject matter experts that advise the BAER team. This multi-disciplinary group combines knowledge of post-fire effects with knowledge of the area’s resources to create a long-term mitigation plan for the fire area.

The Sourdough BAER team arrived on September 7, 2023 and prepared for a busy assignment. This skilled group of scientists worked with National Park Service (NPS) staff and fire personnel to collect data on the fire area and local resources. Staff from North Cascades National Park Service Complex provided the team with maps and digital data points that highlighted issues of concern like historic structures and other cultural resources, critical wildlife habitat, and areas of environmental concern.

The team then deployed to the fire footprint to ground truth the concerns that had been provided by fire personnel, satellite images, infrared images, and aircraft surveys. The team has spent the last several days documenting observations and collecting data using photos and measurements.

The BAER team expects to complete the field portion of their assignment by September 14, 2023. Then they will head into the office, affectionately termed the “BAER den,” to input data, generate models, and create a long-term plan for the site. The team meets regularly with land managers to collaborate on functional and realistic solutions. Once the treatment plan is finalized, it will be presented to complex managers and Seattle City Light hydropower project managers.

The long-term work begins when the BAER team departs. Park staff will begin applying any mitigation treatments they choose to adopt in the BAER plan. These projects can take years and often involve repair to infrastructure like damaged trails, application of treatment for invasive plants, restoration of wildlife habitat, and rehabilitation or protection of cultural resources.

Wildfire can cause long-term changes to the landscape and the management of an area. The Burned Area Emergency Response team is on-site to provide focused support for the park to rebound from the Sourdough Fire as efficiently and effectively as possible.
 

Prescribed fires planned on Carpenter Ridge and West Dolores Rim

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to conduct prescribed fire treatments this fall in the Tres Rios and Uncompahgre field offices. Firefighters will reintroduce fire to a fire-adapted ecosystem in a controlled manner to protect Ponderosa pine stands, enhance wildlife habitat, restore healthy forests and species diversity, and maintain a fire-resilient landscape.

The Carpenter Ridge project area is located two miles outside of Paradox Valley, CO, between Q13 and R3 roads (Rim Rocker Trail route). Firefighters plan to burn 200 acres of oak brush and pine tree litter. “The Carpenter Ridge treatment will help break down forest litter and add nutrients back into the soil so that native plants can flourish and benefit wildlife,” said Fire Management Specialist Cameron Shaughnessy.

The West Dolores Rim project area, locally known as the “East and North Pines,” is located seven miles east of Dove Creek. Firefighters will use hand ignitions and Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) on 1,200 acres of pine needle cast and mountain brush leaf litter. “Reintroducing low intensity fire on West Dolores Rim will clear brush and needle cast that can prevent new plant growth, as well as decrease the likelihood of a large severe wildfire,” said acting Fire Management Specialist Tyler Corbin.

Prescribed fire mimics natural processes under appropriate weather and vegetative conditions, which improves forage for wildlife, increases plant diversity by creating breaks in the understory where native grasses and forbs can thrive, and effectively reduces hazardous vegetation while enhancing woodland health.

The projects are part of the BLM’s ongoing commitment to protect human health and safety while maintaining or enhancing forest and woodland health and functionality. The BLM obtained smoke permits from the Colorado State Air Pollution Control Division, which identify atmospheric conditions under which the burns can be implemented. Prescribed fire smoke may affect your health. For more information, visit CO Dept of Public Health & Environment - Wood smoke and health.

More information on Southwest District prescribed fuel treatments at InciWeb_Southwest District BLM Prescribed Fire and follow our Facebook-BLM Southwest District or Twitter-@SWD_Fire pages.

Fire

Some clouds along with higher humidity has led to reduced natural fire activity. Smoke production has been limited to smoldering areas along active portions of perimeters, and interior islands. Unseasonably hotter and drier conditions are forecast late this week, which may lead to increased fire and smoke potential for the region. Additional details on the fires are available at Tyee Ridge and other fires Inciweb.

Smoke

Light smoke reduced AQ to Moderate levels mainly south and east of those in proximity of fires, but cleared late afternoon and overnight. Other areas more distant, including Roseburg had prevailing GOOD AQ. Smoke activity should remain rather low thorough midweek. Smoke transport from the Tyee Ridge Complex will generally be to the SE down valley today, and visible smoke or haze between Sutherlin and Canyonville in the Coles, Garden, Flournoy, and Looking Glass valleys is likely this afternoon. Mostly GOOD AQ in Roseburg today with some afternoon haze. The I-5 corridor should experience mostly GOOD AQ from Wolf Creek to Roseburg and Sutherlin. Monitor air quality by visiting the Fire and Smoke Map.

Fuego

Algunas nubes junto con una mayor humedad han llevado a una reducción en la actividad de incendios naturales. La producción de humo se ha limitado a áreas que arden lentamente en las partes activas de los perímetros y en las islas interiores. Se pronostican condiciones inusualmente más calurosas y secas a finales de esta semana, lo que puede aumentar el potencial de incendios y humo en la región. Se pueden encontrar detalles adicionales sobre los incendios en Tyee Ridge y otros incendios en Inciweb.

Humo

La ligera presencia de humo redujo la calidad del aire a niveles MODERADOS principalmente al sur y al este de aquellos cercanos a los incendios, pero se despejó al final de la tarde y durante la noche. Otras áreas más distantes, incluyendo Roseburg, tenían una calidad del aire predominantemente BUENA. La actividad de humo debería mantenerse bastante baja hasta mediados de semana. El transporte de humo desde el Complejo Tyee Ridge será principalmente hacia el sureste por el valle hoy, y es probable que haya humo o bruma visible entre Sutherlin y Canyonville en los valles de Coles, Garden, Flournoy y Looking Glass esta tarde. Principalmente BUENA calidad del aire en Roseburg hoy, con algo de bruma por la tarde. El corredor I-5 debería experimentar principalmente una BUENA calidad del aire desde Wolf Creek hasta Roseburg y Sutherlin. Monitoree la calidad del aire visitando el Mapa de Incendios y Humo.

Cowlitz Complex Fire Update

September 12, 2023

California Incident Management Team 13 is now in command of the Cowlitz Complex. The team would like to recognize the work of Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team Two, as well as the local fire personnel and firefighters first to respond to the 30 fires in the complex. These fires started August 25 after a lightning event across the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Maintaining the level of firefighting resources, dedication to safety, and goal of keeping fires small and in their current footprint remain priorities for Team 13, as well as continuing to be ready for any new fire starts or spread.

Current Situation: The Cowlitz Complex is 12% contained with a total of 669 acres and 268 personnel. A warming and drying trend begins on Wednesday. Overnight humidity recovery will worsen by Thursday with above normal temperatures by the end of the week. This could result in increased fire activity. Monday, incoming incident management team personnel got eyes on the complex of fires and reported minimal fire activity on the Grassy Mountain Fire, one of the fires of concern in the complex. The same is true for the Snagtooth and Spencer Quartz fires.

Progress has been made on the Snagtooth and Spencer Quartz fires. Fire managers are using natural barriers, improving road systems, and building indirect line to create a “catcher’s mitt” to prevent the fires from moving toward the southwest.

Fire Restrictions: Fire Restrictions remain in effect. Campfires are prohibited across the Gifford Pinchot National Forest – only propane-fueled fire pits, stoves and lanterns are allowed. Additional information is available on the forest’s website at Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Fire Management (usda.gov). The decision to lift or maintain fire restrictions depends on factors such as current and expected weather conditions, fuel moisture, the level of fire activity, and the availability of firefighting resources to respond to additional ignitions.

Closures: In anticipation of ongoing fire activity in the vicinity of the Snagtooth Fire the following roads and trails are closed to the public to reduce exposure and help ensure public and firefighter safety: Forest Roads 9300 and 9341, Boundary Trail #1 (from Elk Pass to intersection with Summit Prairie), Summit Prairie #2, Craggy Peak #3, Snagtooth #4, Quartz #5, Stabler Camp #17, Wright Meadows #80, Basin Camp #3A, Quartz #5B, Quartz #5C (French Creek), Snyder Pasture #80A. Forest Road 8410 is closed for firefighter and public safety in the vicinity of the Pothole Fire, and Forest Road 78 is temporarily closed between the 7802 junction and the 2278 junction due to hazardous debris rolling out onto the roadway.

Temporary Flight Restrictions: Two TFRs are in effect, one located north of US-12 to Mount Rainier National Park, and a new TFR south of US-12 to include Snagtooth and Spencer Quartz fires. Fire aviation response is halted or delayed if an unauthorized aircraft enters the TFR. Temporary flight restrictions also apply to unmanned aircraft systems or drones. Learn more: Know Before You Fly.

Fire Information Phoneline: (360) 208-8075 Hours: 7 a.m.–7 p.m.

Email: 2023.cowlitzcomplex@firenet.gov  

Facebook: Facebook/CowlitzComplex  Twitter: https://twitter.com/GPNF

The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests announced a series of road and trail closures in response to the Spring Creek Fire. The fire was reported on the Uncompahgre National Forest approximately 15 miles southwest of Montrose, Colorado on Sept. 10, 2023. 

Due to the fire’s activity on National Forest System lands, the following closures were enacted on September 12 and lifted on September 15, 2023:

National Forest System Roads (NFSR) #535–Paradox road, NFSR #402.9A–Spring Creek Trailhead road, National Forest System Trail (NFST) #116–Spring Creek Trail (from Dented Door to Paradox), NFST #126–Paradox Trail and NFST #114.1B–East Fork of Dry Creek Trail.

This Forest Service closure was enacted for public and firefighter safety and allowed fire crews to focus on suppression efforts. The public was asked to adhere to this closure and pay close attention to all signage.

This closure was lifted at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023. 

For questions concerning local emergency closures, please call the Ouray Ranger District (970) 240-5300.

For information on current fire restrictions, conditions and recreation opportunities, visit the forest website or www.westslopefireinformation.com. Connect with us or follow us on social media (Twitter and Facebook).

UMPQUA, Oregon—El buen progreso en la limpieza cerca a hogares ha reducido el número de estructuras amenazadas. La Oficina del Sherrif del Condado de Douglas ha eliminado todas las evacuaciones de Nivel 2 (Listo para evacuar) debido al progreso continuo en el incendio. Las evacuaciones de nivel 1 (Estar preparado ) permanecen en algunas áreas.

La etapa de limpieza de incendios forestales implica extinguir o eliminar material que se está quemando a lo largo o cerca de las líneas de control, talar árboles peligrosos o retirar troncos para limitar materiales que aún se queman y que podrían encender los combustibles cercanos. Los árboles peligrosos son árboles

UMPQUA, Ore.—Good progress on mop up near homes has reduced the number of structures threatened. All Level 2 (Be Set) evacuations have been removed by the Douglas County Sherrif’s Office due to continued progress on the fire. Level 1 (Be Ready) evacuations remain for some areas.

The mop up stage of wildland firefighting involves extinguishing or removing burning material along or near controls lines, felling hazard trees, or moving logs to limit still burning materials that could ignite nearby fuels. Hazard trees are standing dead trees that create safety concerns for personnel.