Newhalem, WA: August 27th, 2015. Information Current as of 11:00 am from Incident Information Services.
**Please note the following message from the Incident Commanders on Scene: Notice to those wishing to contribute various supplies to the firefighters: “Please redirect those donations to evacuation shelters set up for the other fires in the state or charitable organizations. While the firefighters appreciate the generous sentiments, we are well supplied.”
The Upper Skagit Complex Fire grew to 7,832 Acres overnight between the 8 fires involved.
Map as of August 26th, 2015. Credit: Incident Information Services.
The Goodell Creek Fire, is still the largest at 6,359 acres. The fire has grown by another 786 acres from yesterday, when the fire was at 5,573 acres. The Fire continues to grow between around 700 and 800 acres a day for over a week now.. On August 19th the Goodell Creek fire was at around 80 acres.
Map as of Aug 26th. Credit: Incident Information Services
In addition to the 6,359 acre Goodell Creek Fire, there are seven other smaller fires burning in the Upper Skagit Complex. They are the Cat Island Fire at 16 acres, the Thursday Creek Fire at 566 acres, the No Name 15 Fire at 556 Acres, the Neve Creek Fire at .1 acre, the Rocky Beaver Fire at 141 Acres, the Snowfield Fire at 184 acres and the Klawatti Fire at 10 acres.
Photo: Amber Moore
There are now 252 fire related personnel on scene at the Goodell Creek Fire. This includes 4 hand crews, 2 helicopters, 20 engines, and 1 water tender. This is up from the 179 personnel that were on scene yesterday.
The fire is now 28% Contained and has cost $1.1 million dollars to fight.
Firefighters completed directing the fire around the North Cascade National Park Visitor Center and adjacent campgrounds, tying into the Skagit River. Park infrastructure has not been damaged. Threats to Newhalem have been significantly reduced, which has allowed Seattle City Light employees to return. The fire at Goodell Creek has held at the creek with no progression west. The fire moved Eastward along its Northeast and Eastern flanks on both sides of Gorge Lake, however, due to a strong inversion, fire spread was minimal.
Dense smoke conditions prevented the use of any aircraft. The Diablo area, including the Environmental Learning System facility, are evacuated. The other fires in the complex are in remote locations and pose no immediate threat to facilities.
Photo: Ladder Creek Falls via Erik Krieg/Facebook
Weather Conditions continue to stay warm with temperatures around 80 degrees and relative humidities in the low 30s. Inversion to lift at 3 PM with winds up-valley 4-5 mph. Extended forecast is for rain showers over the weekend and into next week.
According to the Incident Information Services, the fire is continuing to slowly spread east and west adjacent to the North Cascades National Park Visitors Center.
Firefighters will remain in place to ensure that protection measures around Newhalem and National Park facilities hold.
Photo: Sami Tomes
Structure protection of pumps, hose lays, sprinkler systems, and vegetation removal in Diablo and the Environmental Learning Center will likely be completed by the end of the day. Direct suppression actions will continue in Goodell Creek to keep the fire from moving west.
Hand crews continue water-handling operation in Goodell Creek to hold fire east of drainage and Incident
Command is continuing to assess and build a long-term plan for management of fires and protection of infrastructure at risk.
The estimated time for containment of the fire is still October 15th, 2015. This date is likely to change as the fire continues to grow in size.
The State Route 20 closure was moved to insure public safety as the fire has moved westward. The highway is closed from approximately 5 miles north of Marblemount to Rainy Pass. To check the status of the Highway 20 road closure, please call the recorded line at 360-707-5055.
Please see our previous updates below for maps and photos of the fires.
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