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With the official start of archery elk hunting season on Sept. 9, firefighters working on several fires throughout the Gifford Pinchot National Forest are reminding hunters to be vigilant of their surroundings and proximity to people.
The “Cowlitz Complex Fire” is the joint name for 30 total fires that, since an Aug. 25 lightning storm, have reached a combined total of 661 acres.
As of Monday morning, the fires were 12% contained and half were “out,” according to an update from the incident management team, which was scheduled to transfer the project to a smaller team by the end of the day.
Cooler temperatures by about 10 degrees, clouds and humidity were expected over the first few days of the week. These conditions are expected to lessen fire behavior and continue to limit the spread of the fires. Warmer and drier conditions are expected later this week.
Eleven of the 15 fires that aren’t “out” are in monitor and patrol status, which means they are being watched and most of the active firefighting is complete.
Just two named fires remain unstaffed. The 24-acre Grassy Mountain Fire north of Randle is on extremely steep terrain, making it a challenge for crews to access. Likewise, the Spencer Quartz Fire’s inaccessible location means no crews are currently working the 183-acre blaze.
Two fires are actively staffed. Both are southwest of Randle. These are the 32-acre Jackpot Creek Fire and the 9-acre Adams Fork Fire.
The California Incident Management Team 13 was due to take over the Cowlitz Complex at 8 p.m. Monday night.
Flight and burning restrictions around the area remain in place, and several roads and trails in the forest are closed because of the fires. For a list of current closures, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/giffordpinchot/alerts-notices.
For more information
Cowlitz Complex Fires information phone line: 360-208-8075 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Email: 2023.cowlitzcomplex@firenet.gov
Online: Cowlitz Complex Information on InciWeb, https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cowlitzcomplex/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GPNF
Glossary
Cowlitz Complex Fire: A joint name for the several dozen fires across the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
Duff: Layers of forest floor made of unburned, decomposing leaves, needles, cones, branches, etc,. that fuel fires and can cause underground burning.
Contained: When a fire has been restricted to a boundary, whether natural or one that was created by firefighters digging around the fire’s perimeter.
Out: When there is absolutely no danger of a fire’s reignition. Firefighters test this by sticking their fingers in the dirt to ensure it is cool to the touch.
