“Significant” lightning led to over a dozen fires in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest this week, according to a news release posted by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Thursday.
The department stated that 15 fires have been located in the area so far. Firefighters have responded to all of them, and six are considered either contained or controlled.
“All the fires are small,” the USFS said in the release. “Six additional smokes have been reported and firefighters are continuing to search them out.”
The Gifford Pinchot National Forest consists of 1.32 million acres in Washington state, with a territory that extends from Mount Rainier National Park to the Columbia River.
On Thursday evening, the USFS reported the following details regarding the fires’ location, size and status of containment:
Cowlitz Valley Ranger District:
• Greenhorn Fire — 11 miles south of Randle, between Iron Creek and Road 25; 0.1 acres; contained
• Coal Creek Fire — Two miles south of the Lava Falls Viewpoint on Highway 12; less than 0.25 acres; being worked on
• North Willame Fire — Five miles west-northwest of Packwood: 0.75 acres; being worked on
• South Coal Fire — One mile east of the mouth of Packwood Lake; 0.1 acres; being worked on
• Beargrass Fire — 1.5 miles northeast of the mouth of Packwood Lake; TBD acres; being worked on
Mount Adams Ranger District:
• Trout Creek Fire — 11.5 miles northwest of Trout Lake; 0.1 acres; contained
• Steamboat Fire — 1.4 miles north of Steamboat Mountain; 0.1 acres; being worked on
• Dry Meadow Fire — 10.5 miles north-northwest of Trout Lake; 0.1 acres; controlled
• Eckhart Fire — Nine miles north-northeast of Trout Lake; 0.1 acres; contained
• Sleeping Beauty Fire — undetermined miles northwest of Trout Lake; 0.1 acres; contained
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and District:
• Hungry Fire — 2.5 miles east of the Clearwater Viewspot; 2.63 acres; being worked on
• Sunset Fire — South of Road 42 near Sunset Falls; 0.1 acres; controlled
• Craggy Fire — 1.5 miles northeast of Craggy Peak Trailhead; 0.25 acres; being worked on
