News Release

Olympic National Park Fire Update- September 20

Date: September 20, 2023
Contact: Public Affairs Office, 360-565-3005

Port Angeles, Wash. – Thanks to modest overnight precipitation and cloud cover, minimal fire activity was observed today. This allowed crews to insert personnel and prepare for the upcoming dry period.   

Fire crews moved into areas north of the Delabarre fire to bolster numbers and prepare for structure protection operations tomorrow. Minimal activity, such as smoldering and creeping, was observed. Helicopters ran a cycle of buckets in anticipation of the coming warm, dry period.  
 

Fire Name	Initial Report	Estimated Size as of 9/20	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	3554 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. Many factors such as weather, topography, and vegetation influence fire behavior and the effects that fires have on natural resources. 

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 

Fire activity may increase tomorrow and Friday due to predicted warm temperatures, instability, and low relative humidity values. Rain is expected to return Friday evening and continue through the weekend. 
 

Information for the 2023 Olympic National Park Lightning Fires can be found at: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/waolp-2023-olympic-national-park-lightning-fires  
 

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 

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