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Lewis County lifts evacuations; fire operations slowed by weather

Current Situation: Yesterday, all evacuation notices were lifted for areas near the Goat Rocks Fire. Emergency managers, in consultation with fire officials, determined that enough precipitation had fallen to reduce fire behavior in the coming days and weeks. Additional rain is expected the rest of the week, with snow likely at higher elevations.

Snow, slick road surfaces, and falling trees are restricting access on many forest roads. Some firefighters are patrolling the area, looking for opportunities to safely work on cooling remaining pockets of heat. Other personnel are pulling more hoses, pumps, and other supplies from around structures in neighborhoods west of the fire. They are also removing flagging and cleaning up any other items left behind by the firefighting efforts.

The Siouxon and Sunset fires also experienced soggy weather, although scattered hot spots still remain in areas with heavy canopy and deep duff. Continued moisture is helping limit growth potential, but it is also making it difficult for firefighters to patrol or improve containment lines safely. Chipping and brush removal operations along Forest Road 311 near the Siouxon Fire were limited by snow in the morning. Road repairs on Forest Road 42 from Sunset Falls Campground to the first bridge will need a day or two of drying before work can continue. Road conditions will be assessed daily; in the meantime, firefighters will monitor and patrol the fireline where it is safe to do so. High winds will also pose hazards for firefighters working around both dead and green fire-weakened trees.

Weather & Smoke Information: With the recent precipitation and cooler weather, the fire danger on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest has reduced to LOW and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) has been lowered to 1. On Monday, rain and snow hampered operations, with slick roadways and limited visibility. Snow remains a possibility for Tuesday. Gusty winds combined with fog, ice and snow will affect driving conditions. Slower speeds are highly recommended, especially in areas where firefighters or equipment are present. Current weather conditions will keep fire activity to a minimum but smoke may be visible at times.

Forest Closures: A full list of closures in place for the Goat Rocks, Siouxon, and Sunset fires can be found under “Alerts & Notices” on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest website.

Evacuations: On Monday at 11:30 a.m., Lewis County Emergency Management lifted evacuation notices for the Packwood area near the Goat Rocks Fire. This includes all areas north of Butter Creek (Goat Rocks, Lower and Upper Timberline, River Dance, and parts of High Valley). Residents are encouraged to sign up for their county’s emergency alerts to stay up to date on evacuation status and closures related to evolving incidents. Links to county emergency alerts can be found on the GPNF Fire Overview Page.

Temporary Flight Restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction remains in place on the Goat Rocks fire. Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. Whenever a drone is spotted near the fire, all aircraft are grounded until we can ensure the drone is clear of the area. For more information, please visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.