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    • Emergency crews make progress in fighting fires near Brinnon on the Olympic Peninsula
    Washington

    Emergency crews make progress in fighting fires near Brinnon on the Olympic Peninsula

    Madoc Meredith Posted on

    Firefighters appear to have the wildfire that broke out on the Olympic Peninsula last week under control, as cooler temperatures and light rain have helped hundreds of firefighters battling the blaze five miles west of Brinnon.

    The 2620 Road Fire, which started near Mount Jupiter on August 14, has expanded to about 398 acres since Monday, according to a series of updates from the Western Washington Incident Management Team.

    On Aug. 16, the fire was reported to be 445 acres (180 hectares), but the next day that number was lowered to 317 acres (140 hectares) due to improved mapping accuracy, the management team said. As of Wednesday, 373 people were dispatched to the fire, which is 8% contained.

    The Type 3 Incident Management Team, which replaced local fire departments, said in a statement on Wednesday that firefighters had made progress laying lines and had begun cleanup operations in some areas, which should lead to better containment in the next few days, it said.

    In response to this development, the Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency has downgraded the evacuation status for residents of Duckabush Road to Level 1.

    The 2620 Road Fire is one of 12 major wildfires burning in Washington, according to the state Department of Natural Resources. Most of them are east of the Cascades. No impacts on air quality are expected in the Kitsap Peninsula and Puget Sound region.

    The fire is raging in an area that was recently fumigated with heavy fuel oil, making it difficult to extinguish. Steep terrain and limited road access are making extinguishing efforts even more difficult. While emergency services continue to fight the fire, a temporary flight ban remains in place.

    The cause of the fire is still unknown. But lightning ignited three smaller fires on the Olympic Peninsula over the weekend, the US Forest Service said in a press release on Thursday.

    Two fires broke out in the Buckhorn Wilderness area, while a third started near Lake Cushman. All three fires were reported to be about one-tenth of an acre in size. One in the Buckhorn area was fully contained.

    Despite recent rains, much of the peninsula remains drought-stricken and fuel is still scarce, the Forest Service said. A fire ban remains in effect across Washington.

    “Despite the recent rainfall, the weather is forecast to return to hotter and drier weather,” said Jeff Neil, deputy fire marshal for the Interagency, in a news release. “There is still a risk of abandoned campfires or discarded charcoal starting a wildfire, so we ask the public to adhere to the campfire ban.”

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    Madoc Meredith
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