A small vegetation fire ignited on the Lewis-Pacific county line Thursday and had grown to 70 acres by the evening, according to Lewis County Emergency Management.
The Sage Creek Fire is located in a remote area south of Walville and the community of Pe Ell. According to the fire-tracking app Watch Duty, the blaze is roughly 7 and a half miles southwest of Boistfort Peak.
In a news release issued around 7:20 p.m. Thursday, Lewis County Emergency Management said it was in contact with the Washington state Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Pacific County officials and “other responding agencies and stakeholders.”
The agency said additional resources were “on the way.”
County officials said no structures were currently
under threat, and advised citizens against flying drones near the fire or any water-loading areas where aircraft were operating.
“You will see a significant increase in fire apparatus and personnel traveling along Highway 6 and through the Pe Ell area,” county officials said in the release. “Please slow down, stay alert, and give emergency responders plenty of room.”
Officials said to expect visible smoke as the fire burns.
According to reporting from the Chinook Observer, DNR personnel were primarily using aircraft to suppress the fire on Thursday.
The Chronicle obtained video of two scooper planes collecting water from the Columbia River in Cathlamet on Thursday before heading north toward the blaze.
According to Watch Duty, two Type 2 air tankers had also responded to the fire.
“We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available,” Lewis County Emergency Management said in its release. “Thank you for your cooperation and support of the firefighters and emergency personnel working the Sage Creek Fire.”
Backbone Fire
On the east end of the county, 162 personnel continued their response to the Backbone Fire on Friday. The fire, located north of Packwood and south of Mt. Rainier National Park, remained at 17 acres and 0% containment.
The fire, caused by lightning, was first reported on Aug. 5.
In a joint statement from the USFS, DNR, U.S. Department of the Interior, and Nevada Team 2 — a Type 3 incident management team — officials said “steep, difficult-to-access terrain continues to challenge operations, with the risk of rolling debris carrying flames to fuels further downslope.”
“Today crews ensured the sprinkler system on the south side of the fire is fully operational,” officials said on Friday. “The structural group continues to gather information in the Packwood area. This work does not indicate any property is under immediate threat.”
The air quality in the Packwood area was rated as “moderate,” according to the release.
According to the USFS, the fire’s corresponding road closure order includes the following roads and trails in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest area:
• National Forest Service (NFS) Road No. 5290
• NFS Road No. 5290082 (and all associated spur roads)
• NFS Road 1270 from its junction with U.S. Highway 12
• NFS Road No. 1270 at the junction of the Ohanapecosh River to the North Terminus
• NFS Road No. 1270016
• NFS Road No. 1270019
• NFS Road No. 1270020
• NFS Road No. 1270024
• NFS Road No. 1270032
• NFS Road No. 1270047
• NFS Road No. 1270405
• NFS Road No. 4900035
• NFS Road No. 4900405
• Trail No. 164 Backbone
• Trail No. 164A Backbone Lake
• Trail No. 162 River View
“The closure also encompasses common dispersed camping areas located off NFS Road 5290 and the Cedar Flats area off Highway 123, as well as a small section of the Tatoosh Wilderness Area,” USFS officials said in a previous release.
The order has no scheduled end date. To view the complete order, visit https://tinyurl.com/9kcwrtc2.
To learn more about the Backbone 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.
