Nearly 100 firefighters from across the state have mobilized to battle the still-uncontained McEwan Fire north of Shelton.
The fire burned 257 acres of industrial timberland and private land and remained 0% contained as of Thursday morning, according to an update from Western Washington Type 3 Incident Management Team. There were 94 firefighters directly working on the blaze, the update said.
"We want to assure you that dedicated crews have been tirelessly working throughout the night to contain the situation," an automated phone update said. "Today, they're focused on assessing all areas and strengthening the control lines to prevent the spread of the fire."
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but it started 2 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of East McEwan Prairie Road and East Mason Lake Road. No homes or structures have been damaged and no injuries had been reported as of Thursday morning, according to the update.
Officials issued Level 3 evacuation orders on Tuesday that required people from 200 or so homes to immediately leave the area. On Wednesday, officials downgraded the orders to Level 2, allowing people to return to the area if they remained set to evacuate at a moment's notice.
A Level 1 order to be ready to evacuate remained in place for homes along Evergreen Drive and Oak Park. McEwan Prairie Road also remained closed to through traffic. The update indicated there was heavy traffic by fire crews in the area.
All evacuation shelters closed once residents were allowed to return home, the update said.
The fire had still not spread past fire control lines as of Thursday morning, according to the update. The team clarified that a control line is a boundary between the fire and unburned fuels that firefighters patrol. These can include a walking trail or grassy or gravel roadways.
This is different from a containment line, which is a strong boundary that does not require continuous management by firefighters. Containment lines are about 25 feet or greater and contain no smoke or burning materials, the update said.
Officials expect hot and dry weather with some winds to continue for the next few days.
