Smoke moves into Thurston County as Bear Gulch fire burns past 18,000 acres
Smoke from the Bear Gulch fire in Olympic National Forest has reached Thurston County, reduced visibility in the area and prompted an air quality advisory for Mason and Thurston counties, according to ORCAA.
The advisory is expected to last through Saturday night. On Friday afternoon, part of the Steamboat Peninsula had an air quality index score of 110, which is “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”
According to the Griffin Fire Department’s social media, the fire burning above Lake Cushman intensified Sept. 19 and a strong northwest wind was pushing smoke into west Thurston County.
Smoke arrived early in the afternoon and reduced visibility. Air quality in Olympia on Friday had degraded to a moderate score of 62.
The wildfire was less than 10% contained Sept. 19 and had burned at least 18,728 acres in Mason County, about 10 miles northwest of Hoodsport, according to InciWeb, a wildfire information site. The human-caused fire has been burning since July 6, and has shut down parts of the recreational area known as Staircase in the southeastern corner of Olympic National Park.
The fire department said there also is another fire near Summit Lake, which is well contained and currently managed by the Department of Natural Resources, with no threat to the community.
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