Lewis County Goat Rocks wildfire expands, changes in weather might help
.jpg "The Goat Rocks fire in Lewis County grew to more than 2,800 acres on Saturday, but near-term changes to the weather might aid firefighters in further controlling the lightning-triggered blaze, according to an update released by the U.S. Forest Service Sunday morning.")
The Goat Rocks wildfire in Lewis County grew to more than 2,800 acres on Saturday, but near-term changes to the weather might aid firefighters in further controlling the lightning-triggered blaze, according to an update released by the U.S. Forest Service Sunday morning.
The fire, which was first discovered Aug. 9 and expanded as the result of high winds, is located 1.5 miles northeast of the town of Packwood in Lewis County.
Some evacuation orders and road closures remain in effect. Timberline, Goat Rocks, and High Valley neighborhoods east of Packwood are required to evacuate. The remainder of the neighborhoods and businesses in Packwood should be prepared to evacuate, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Evacuees should head to the White Pass School at 516 Silverbrook Road in Randle. Small animals are welcome at the school in a kennel or cage, Forest Service officials said.
These roads are still closed: U.S. Highway 12 from Skate Creek and White Pass. Highway 123 from US Hwy 12 to Ohanapecosh Visitor center in Mount Rainier National Park. Forest Road 4600, 4610, 4612 and all connected spurs, and Trail #65 to Bluff Lake.
“This (Sunday) morning crews will be back out on the line continuing to protect the structures in Timberline, Goat Rocks, and High Valley,” Forest Service officials said in a news release. “With weather forecast to moderate today, resources will continue to construct new and improve existing fire breaks. As these breaks are constructed, a box is being built around this fire to eventually contain this incident. Depending on the visibility due to smoke, aircraft will be utilized to help keep the perimeter of the fire in a smaller footprint.”
A weather red flag warning — meaning high temperatures, low humidity and stronger winds — remains in effect through 7 p.m. Sunday. After that, a change in weather is expected to help fight the fire.
“This evening a stronger onshore flow will bring in some higher humidity, lower temperatures, and a slight chance of some rain,” said Forest Service officials in the release. “Smoke will continue to linger in the area and with that air quality will be lower, especially in the morning and evenings as nighttime inversions settle in to place.”
This story was originally published September 11, 2022 at 12:56 PM.
