7/22/2015 Paradise Fire- Daily Update

Paradise Fire Update  

Tuesday, July 22, 2015

For Immediate Release  

360-797-5366

The Paradise Fire on the Olympic National Park is a long-term fire management event. Firefighters will be working well into the autumn to confine and manage the Paradise Fire.  The fire is not likely to go out until the heavy rains and snow of late fall begin.  The fire has now burned over 1700 acres of temperate rainforest over a period of two months during one of the driest summers in the park's history.  The fire is within a wilderness area and contains very heavy fuels and extreme slopes.

Fire activity has varied greatly depending on weather conditions.  Currently, fire growth and smoke production is being held in check by the cool moist marine air.  When conditions change, it is likely that the fire will grow again.  Suppression priorities remain to keep the fire north of the Queets River and west of Bob Creek.  

Fire danger remains high.  It is still early in what is considered the usual fire season at Olympic National Park.  Additional personnel are being brought in to patrol the west side of the park.  These firefighters will be able to assist with the Paradise Fire if needed or can be used to respond to new fires.

Looking to the long term, a special crew of firefighters trained in vegetation monitoring has arrived from the North Cascade National Park to study the ecological effects of this rare fire in the temperate rainforest.

Firefighter safety remains the biggest concern.  Personnel on the ground are contending with steep terrain, falling trees, and deep pockets of hot ash.  They are camped near the fire, miles from any roads or services.  Fire personnel on the ground and in support positions are being rotated to avoid fatigue. The Paradise Fire Management Team has a new Incident Commander today.  Fulton Jeansonne is replacing Jason Loomis.

More information is available on Inciweb at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4305/.  For real time information, including still images and video of the fire, visit our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paradise-Fire/831205013596015. For current information about visiting Olympic National Park, as well as information about the history and role of fire in the Olympic ecosystem, please visit the park's website at http://www.nps.gov/olym

Paradise Fire Information Staff

360-797-5366