Firefighting crews on Tuesday continued suppression efforts at the site of the Backbone Fire in East Lewis County, according to a joint statement from the Washington state Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and U.S. Department of the Interior.
The fire, located north of Packwood and south of Mt. Rainier National Park, had grown to about 14 acres and was 0% contained as of Wednesday. Officials said lightning had caused the fire. The fire was first reported on Aug. 5.
“Yesterday, the fire experienced moderate behavior and growth with a creeping flame front, lateral movement along the ridge, and some rolling, burning material near extremely steep terrain,” officials said in the Wednesday release. “Crews successfully conducted scouting and information gathering to further develop suppression plans and tactics. A fire line was established and strengthened on the north end of the fire.”
According to the release, 100 crew members were involved in the “full suppression” efforts.
Crews on Wednesday planned to continue scouting for “suitable access” south of the fire that would allow for “safe suppression efforts in the incredibly steep terrain and cliffs.”
“Crews also will begin laying the groundwork for a hose lay on the fire’s north side,” officials said.
On Saturday, the Gifford Pinchot National Forest issued an emergency closure order for the Backbone Fire, according to a news release from the USFS.
USFS officials said they implemented the order to ensure public safety and “allow firefighters to operate efficiently in the area.”
“The closure applies to Forest Service land to the west of Highway 123 and south of the National Park boundary along Backbone Ridge,” officials said in the Saturday release. “There are several roads and trails included in the closure including the Backbone Trail, the Backbone Lake Trail and the River View Trail. The order restricts all motorized use as well as pedestrian access for the duration of the closure.”
The order has no scheduled end date.
To view the Backbone Fire closure order and map, visit https://tinyurl.com/9kcwrtc2.
The High Lava Fire, located in Skamania County, had grown to over 1,210 acres as of Tuesday night, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
To learn more about the Backbone Fire, the High Lava Fire and other fires in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest area, visit www.facebook.com/GiffordPinchot.
To learn of any potential evacuation notices in Lewis County, sign up for Lewis County Alerts at https://tinyurl.com/9uzvvb4n.
