7/8/2015 Paradise Fire Update

Paradise Fire Update 

July 8, 2015

For Immediate Release
360-797-5366

It was a calm day on the Paradise Fire Tuesday.  Firefighters confirmed that all three spot fires on the south side of the Queets River have no visible smokes.  The marine layer kept temperatures cool well into the afternoon.  With the cool and moist air, the underbrush, trees, lichen, and moss simply did not ignite or burn as quickly as they did last week in the hotter, drier weather.  Since the fire perimeter likely did not grow significantly, fire managers decided to wait at least another day to do an infrared scanning flight.  An updated perimeter map will be available when it is flown again.

This afternoon is expected to be a little hotter, with the marine air burning off over the fire area mid-morning.  Warming temperatures and lower humidities may result in more fire activity Wednesday.  Winds from the west are favorable for primarily up-drainage fire spread.  The western side of the fire will have wind pushing the fire back into the already-burned area.

Olympic National Park officials would like to remind the public that there is a ban on open fires in the park's wilderness backcountry, including all locations along the coast. Campfires are permitted only in established fire grates at established front country campgrounds. Because of the extreme conditions on the peninsula, Olympic National Forest and local communities have also implemented fire restrictions. Please check the regulations for areas near you.

Information on this fire is available on Inciweb at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4305/. For real time information, 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.

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Paradise Fire Information Staff

360-797-5366