8/17/2015 Cougar Creek AM Update

GLENWOOD, Wash. – Morning mist, cooler temperatures and calmer winds helped slow the spread of the Cougar Creek Fire and allowed firefighting crews to bring 15 percent of the line under containment. The fire grew 200 acres Sunday to 22,500 acres.

Washington Interagency Incident Management Team #5 is focusing line building effortsMonday on the southeast finger of the fire to pinch off the front that was advancing toward Glenwood. Resources are also being directed to the north end of the fire to keep it from reaching Big Muddy Creek. Preservation of an irrigation flume off Bacon Creek on the east remains a priority. Heavy use of air resources will continue as weather allows.

Crews were able to preserve a snowmobile shed at Island Camp and a wooden domestic water supply structure.  

Smoke continues to linger low in the air south of the fire, with reports of hazy skies as far as White Salmon. Fire staff will brief the public on the fire with a meeting at 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17, at the Trout Lake School, 2310 Hwy. 141.

Residents north of Ladiges Road remain under a Level 1 evacuation from the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office. The Level 1 notice advises residents to be alert of the fire’s activity.

Treacherous terrain and heavy fuel loading from bug-killed timber and remains of the Cold Springs and Cascade Creek fires present firefighting challenges. Those factors were also key in the initial spread of the fire, which was sparked by lightning Aug. 10.  

It has burned land protected by the Yakama Indian Nation, Washington Department of Natural Resources, and the United States Forest Service.

With resources stretched thin throughout the nation, officials expect few to no arrivals of additional resources.

CLOSURES:  For the safety of firefighters and the public: DNR - All DNR State Trust lands and recreation sites within the Glenwood Block are closed. Yakama Indian Nation - Tract D Mt. Adams Recreation Area is closed. USFS – The South Climb & all other trails on the south & east sides of Mt. Adams are closed between Forest Road 23 at Williams Mine to the eastern boundary of the Forest. Forest Roads 80 & 82 are also closed.

Future daily updates will be posted by 9 a.m. each day on InciWeb:http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4484/.  

An information phone line and email address has been established.

Information Office Phone:  (509)364-3369 Email:  cougarcreekfireinfo@gmail.com