Strong winds spread fires in Western Washington

4 p.m. PDT October 16, 2022

map Wildfires in western Washington, 3 p.m. PDT Oct. 16, 2022
Map of wildfires in western Washington, 3 p.m. PDT Oct. 16, 2022

Strong winds out of the east and southeast are increasing the spread of wildfires in Western Washington. Red Flag Warnings Sunday afternoon predicted 10 to 20 mph winds out of the southeast gusting at 25 to 30 with relative humidity in the low 20s.

Hilary Franz, the state’s Commissioner of Public Lands gave an update at about 2:20 p.m. Sunday:

Update Wash Fires

The Loch Katrine Fire on private land and the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest 30 miles east of Seattle had burned about 2,000 acres at the last estimate Sunday afternoon. Aviation resources are being used where they can be effective. A Type 2 Incident Management Team will assume command on Monday.

map Smoke from wildfires in western Washington, 326 p.m. PDT Oct. 16, 2022
Smoke from wildfires in western Washington, 3:26 p.m. PDT Oct. 16, 2022.

Evacuations for approximately 1,000 homes are in effect at the Nakia Creek Fire 9 miles north of Washougal, Washington 11 miles northeast of Portland, Oregon. At 2 p.m. Sunday it had burned about 400 acres.

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Author: Bill Gabbert

After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire.

10 thoughts on “Strong winds spread fires in Western Washington”

  1. https://www.oregonlive.com/wildfires/2022/10/clark-county-fire-marshal-seeks-people-car-of-interest-in-nakia-creek-fire-investigation.html

    The Clark County Fire Marshal’s Office is trying to identify four people and a car captured on video at around 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9, on a ridge near where the Nakia Creek fire began that day. The fire marshal says they’re “of interest” to the wildfire investigation.

    “We are looking for what we believe is a white or light-colored Subaru vehicle,” Clark County Assistant Fire Marshal Curtis Eavenson said in a press release on Monday. “Based on witness statements, we also believe there were two men and two women connected with this vehicle.”

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  2. Quick! Put em out so you can turn right around and tip the torch with an Rx that will be 1/10,000th the size and all headache and bureaucracy! ?

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  3. The Nakia Creek fire is within a sea of steep clear-cuts, reprod, etc. The tired old saws about thinning the forest/more logging/etc, are not applicable. In addition, WA DNR hit it hard during the first full day after discovery, including Fire Bosses, copters, plus multiple air tankers from RACC. DNR hand crews, engines, and 1 or 2 T2 copters stayed all week. (I am not a DNR guy, but I watched the air show from our place, even as we prepared to evac yesterday). My point is that a significant east wind event, not mismanagement, caused this one to escape containment.

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  4. Since most of these fires are caused by humans, how about getting to the root of the problem instead of jumping to the conclusion that all forests should be clearcut! Keep humans out when fire danger is high. A preventative measure. Not politically popular, God forbid we restrict us precious humans from accessing our God given right to go where we want! How is clearcutting different from a burned forest? Both are destroyed.

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  5. The Washington State Department of Natural Resources should have never come out and said, open quote” this has been our least amount of fire in the woods” close quote! That was a Po!itical blunder. We are a long way from being out of the woods for this fire season!! Don’t count your chickens before they hatch!! DNR!! ⚡️ Iceman

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  6. Forest service, DNR and WA state politicians need to manage the forest better in WA state by thinning and clearing underbrush”PERIOD”.

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    1. As I understand PNW forest coastal ecology. Thinning is not a desirable fuels treatment for the area. It has to do with competition for sunlight. Big blown out pockets is more desirable or clear cuts. It gives the conifers a better chance of establishing and less chances of being shaded out. On your thoughts on CLEARING underbrush, WHY? Have you ever been in some of this country where these fires are burning? What are your plans once the brush is cut? Remote, steep and inaccessible is what it is made of. Have you ever ran chain saw all day every day for 14 days straight? It is a challenge. No one is claiming the lands are being managed perfectly. Before blanket statements are made about underbrush and thinning, please consider logistics, ecology, budget, strain on personal, challenges with contracting and NEPA, ETC.

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      1. Good to hear someone who has experience working in that country. I ran a saw on a shot crew, and just spent 14 days putting water on the Kalama Fire via helicopter.

        Fires burning in 250 feet timber can be very hazardous to engaging crews on the ground, and a helicopter could drop on the same spot for 3 hours and hardly make a difference.

        Yes, it’s unseasonably dry there right now, but to point fingers at any one factor and push blame is just not feasible.

        The only thing going to put these out is Mother Nature. And she will decide when the time is right for that.

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  7. “The worst kind of ignorance ain’t so much not knowin’ as ’tis knowin’ so much that ain’t so.” –Josh Billings

    “To err is human, but to stumble twice upon the same stone is a proverbial disgrace.” –Cicero

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  8. I am at a loss about what to think about this situation. The definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. The FS and NWCG have a new “five wildfire strategies” suite to choose from. “Put the damn fire out” is not one of the five. They are “Monitor (let it burn), Confine (loose heard it), Contain (try to keep it out of the cities), Point/Zone Protection (save homes and infrastructure), and Suppression (presumably fight the fire). “Hybrids and novel strategies may…be developed as the situation demands.” It’s carte blanche. It’s the Wild West. It’s do whatever the hell you want. Literally. Truly. It’s astonishing. A bunch of firefighters with vastly different experience and quals, and huge deficits in understanding big picture nature resource objectives over centuries, are literally given a lit torch and a fire drone and told to have a nice day. Why?

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