News Release

Increased Fire Activity on the Chilliwack Complex

Date: September 8, 2022
Contact: Public Information

There is increased fire activity on the Chilliwack Complex due to Wednesday’s weather event with increased winds and low humidity throughout the area. Two of the four lightning-caused fires (Copper Lake and Brush Creek Fire) experienced growth and will likely merge into one fire in the Copper Loop and Whatcom Pass areas of North Cascades National Park Service Complex. An additional fire, Little Beaver Creek Fire, was detected and is estimated at one quarter acre. The Chilliwack Complex is estimated 4,538 acres. 

A pack bridge and a suspension bridge that are both potentially threatened by the Brush Creek Fire have been plumbed with pumps, hose, and sprinklers. The fire was about a thousand feet away and backing towards the pack bridge Wednesday afternoon. The Copper Lake Fire is less than a half-mile from the cable car at the time of this release. Crews are poised and protection measures will be implemented on the pack bridge, suspension bridge, and cable car today. On Wednesday, firefighters utilized helicopter water buckets on the Little Beaver Creek Fire and will continue during Thursday’s operation.  

There are additional trail and camp closures due to fire activity. The full trail and camp closure for the Chilliwack Complex includes the entire Little Beaver Trail, Big Beaver Trail beyond Pumpkin Mountain and Big Beaver camps, Brush Creek, Chilliwack, and Copper Loop trails. Camp closures include all camps between Little Beaver and Boundary camps and all camps between 39 Mile and Beaver Pass camps. All cross-country zones access from closed trails is prohibited. 

Today will be a transition day with high pressure moving over the complex. Warm, dry, and gusty conditions under northeast winds are predicted for Friday and Saturday. A Red Flag Warning has been issued for wind gusts to 30 mph and relative humidity as low as 20 percent. Critical fire weather conditions will continue into Sunday with dry and unstable conditions. 

Smoke from the area fire will affect the Methow Valley. A haze over the general area is to be expected with active fires across the region. Take precautions when recreating outdoors when heavy smoke is present. Learn more at Real-Time Air Quality Map | PurpleAir, airnow.gov or visit https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/.

Visitors with backcountry reservations into the closure area should be aware that permits are cancelled on a rolling basis based on fire activity and conditions. Cancellation notifications and refunds are through the recreation.gov system. 

For updates and information visit Inciweb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8394/, the park website at www.nps.gov/noca, or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NorthCascadesNationalPark. Contact the Wilderness Information Center for trail and permit information at, e-mail us.

www.nps.gov/noca