Currently, a forest fire is burning in Olympic National Park. Started over a week ago on August 5th from a lightning strike, it remained small. Here in Seattle, the past few days have been scorchers, with record highs of almost 100 degrees two days in a row.
While those in other parts of the country might find this laughable, for those in the Pacific Northwest, it’s a rare occurrence to have such hot weather. Unfortunately, these dry, hot conditions are also affecting the Olympic Peninsula, creating the perfect fuel for a forest fire.
The Hopper forest fire has grown to be about 325 acres and is only 15% contained, continuing to spread across the southeastern portion of the national park. To keep park visitors, employees, hikers, and backpackers safe, a few trails have been closed until further notice:
- Skokomish River Trail from Nine Stream to the junction of Duckabush and Home-Sweet-Home
- Mount Hopper way trail
- Mount Hopper to Hagen Lake way trail
- Scout Lake way trail to St. Peter’s Gate at Mount Stone
To read more about the Hopper forest fire, you can check out the article in the Kitsap Sun. And for the most up-to-date info on forest fires you can call (360) 565-2975 or visit the Incident Information System website.
