News Release

Olympic National Park Fire Update- September 19

Date: September 19, 2023
Contact: Public Affairs Office, 360-565-3005

Port Angeles, Wash. – There was minimal fire activity across the park due to clouds, low temperatures, and rain. Fire acreages did not change. Firefighters are protecting infrastructure of value by setting up sprinklers and creating a defensible space in certain areas. Fire crews continue to leverage natural barriers - including mountain ranges, high alpine zones, and rivers - to confine the fires. Crews are using Promise Creek and the North Fork of the Quinault River to limit the Low Divide fire’s spread to the south.   

A localized smoke forecast was created for communities surrounding Olympic National Park: Current Smoke Outlook for Olympic NP (airfire.org) 
 

Fire Name	Initial Report	Estimated Size as of 9/19	Location
Hurricane	8/28/23	4 acres	2,000 ft below Hurricane Ridge parking area
Eagle Point	8/28/23	123 acres	~5 miles out Obstruction Point Road
Diamond Mountain	9/1/23	30 acres	3.3 miles NE of   Anderson Pass
Low Divide	9/1/23	312 acres	2 miles SW of Low Divide
Delabarre	9/1/23	3,554 acres	3 miles SE of Mount Christie
Martins Lake	9/2/23	108 acres	2 miles NE of Mount Christie
Mount Queets	9/14/23	4 acres	Summit of Mount Queets

 

Fire is an integral part of the forested ecosystems on the Olympic Peninsula; plants and animals here have evolved with fire for thousands of years. By allowing fires to burn when appropriate, it allows the natural process to continue to occur and it lowers the fire danger in the future. Naturally occurring fires allow forests to be thinned, opening the canopy and allowing sunlight through. Fire also allows for the recycling of nutrients to the soil while reducing the amount of dead, woody debris. This allows for the sprouting and regrowth of plants, shrubs and trees. 

Background Information 

All seven active fires in Olympic National Park ignited when a series of lightning strikes occurred on the Olympic Peninsula in the afternoon on August 28.  

Closures   

Due to wildfire activity the following closures are in effect until further notice:  

• Elwha River Trail from Whiskey Bend Trailhead to Low Divide 

• Bailey Range Traverse beyond Cat Basin  

• Long Ridge Trail to Dodger Point 

• Hayden Pass Trail 

• Dosewallips River Trail from Dose Meadows to Hayden Pass 

• Dodger Point Way Trail 

• North Fork Quinault Trail from Elip Creek trail junction to Low Divide 

• Skyline Trail from Elip Creek Trail junction to Low Divide  

• Martin Park Trail 

• Obstruction Point Road and Trailhead  

Olympic National Park Wilderness Information Center (WIC) will be notifying backcountry permit holders who may be impacted by these closures. Any permit holders who plan to backpack in the above impacted areas should contact the WIC at 360-565-2992 or by emailing e-mail us. 

Weather and Fire Behavior 

Clouds will increase Tuesday afternoon with light rain increasing late afternoon into the evening (4PM-9PM), and a few rain showers overnight. Chance of rain remains lower during this period, around 30% Tuesday evening. Showers may linger into Wednesday before conditions dry out through Friday as upper-level ridging rebuilds. Then, the pattern looks to amplify towards the weekend and beginning of next week as a robust disturbance enters. 
 

Information for the Olympic National Park Lightning Fires can be found at: 2023 Olympic National Park Lightning Fires Information | InciWeb (wildfire.gov) 

Olympic Peninsula Smoke Forecast: Current Smoke Outlook for Olympic NP (airfire.org) 

Olympic National Park information: www.nps.gov/olym  
Olympic National Forest information: www.fs.usda.gov/olympic 
State and county area burn bans: https://ecology.wa.gov/Air-Climate/Air-quality/Smoke-fire/Burn-bans 

--NPS--