Third-party investigators are trying to determine the cause of a blaze that destroyed the historic Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge at Olympic National Park on Sunday.
A law enforcement ranger reported seeing the 71-year-old lodge fully engulfed in flames while on patrol at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday, according to the National Park Service. By the time Clallam County Fire District 2 and Port Angeles Fire Department reached the site, the lodge had been destroyed.
The National Park Service said no one was at the building Sunday because it was closed for renovations.
In a Thursday news release, NPS said its Regional Structure Fire Program Manager is coordinating the investigation.
"This is an active situation, and we appreciate the public's patience as we work through it," Park Superintendent Sula Jacobs said. "The good news is that there is still a lot of the park to visit and enjoy — from Kalaloch to Staircase, there are many great places to explore."
The two-story 12,201-square-foot lodge served as a popular visitor center destination. It reportedly housed interpretive exhibits upstairs, and a gift shop and a small café run by Aramark, a park concessioner. The lodge also served as a critical hub for power, water and wastewater treatment infrastructure in the area, per the release.
The building was closed March 27 for an $11 million Great American Outdoors Act rehabilitation project, and so was the road leading up to the lodge.
Park Officials expected to reopen the lodge next year. However, the road to Hurricane Ridge was set to open in time for this Memorial Day weekend.
Instead, the destruction has delayed the reopening of Hurricane Ridge Road past Heart O' Hills Campground. Park Service officials say they will provide a new timeline for its reopening after June 2, according to Thursday's news release.
Park officials reportedly plan to clear the area after the investigation concludes and provide restrooms and other services for park visitors.
