8/30/2017 Jolly Mountain AM Update

Jolly Mountain Fire Update   Wednesday, August 30, 2017   Start Date Cause Size Percent  Containment Crews Helicopters Engines Total Personnel 8/11 Lightning 5,164 acres 0% 7 4 22 372 Location:  Cle Elum Ranger District, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, 11 miles northwest of Cle Elum, WA Summary:  Smoke from regional fires heavily impacted the area again yesterday.  The Jolly Mountain Fire was most active in the northwest and southwest corners but did not experience significant growth.  It has now burned onto the western side of Sasse Ridge.  The fire is very visible from the Cle Elum River.  Trees are likely to torch, but western winds should blow most embers back into the burned fire area.  The fire is expected to back slowly down the hill towards the Cle Elum River.  Fires do seem larger at nighttime because of the glow of the flames.  Firefighters will be patrolling the fire throughout the night and will respond as appropriate to any increases in fire activity. The Jolly Mountain Fire is likely to continue to burn for several weeks, until a significant weather change.  Maintain awareness, as conditions on a wildland fire can change quickly.  Homeownersshould have an evacuation plan in place.  Recreationalists should be aware of the potential need to change plans or even evacuate from a location. Washington Fires:  Several large fires are burning throughout the Pacific Northwest.  Information is available at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/ and on social media.  Much of the smoke in the Cle Elum area is from the Norse Peak Fire, located southwest of the Jolly Mountain Fire.  Information is available at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5509/. Weather:  The high-pressure ridge breaks down today as a cooler front arrives.  This brief system will lower temperatures and raise humidity but also bring higher, westerly winds.  The winds should move smoke out of the valleys but may cause fire activity to increase.  As the weekend approaches, temperatures will rise back in the low-90s. Community Meeting:  Local officials and representatives from the Incident Management Team will be on hand to discuss the current fire situation and answer questions. WHERE:        Walter Strom Middle School, Cle Elum WHEN:         Thursday, 8/31, 6:00 PM Evacuations:  Don’t be scared; be prepared by remembering the five P’s for evacuations:  people (and pets), prescriptions, personal computers, photos, and papers.  Visit the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office webpage for complete descriptions of the Level 1 (Ready), Level 2 (Set), and Level 3 (Go) evacuation notices.  An interactive map, which allows a homeowner to enter an address and see its evacuation status, is available at https://tinyurl.com/yb2wfelg. Closures:  To ensure the safety of firefighters, residents, and the public, area closures are in effect.  Forest Service lands in upper Cle Elum Valley are closed beyond the Last Resort Restaurant on State Route 903.  The Nature Conservancy lands east of Cle Elum Lake are closed.  And Washington Department of Natural Resources has closed lands north of the West Fork and west of North Fork of the Teanaway River.  Please consult detailed maps, available on fire information boards as well as posted online, prior to making recreational plans. Fire Restrictions:  All campfires are banned on Cle Elum Ranger District due to the high fire danger.

Jolly Mountain Fire Information: (509)596-2423 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm) Jolly Mountain Fire Information recorded line: (505) 585-5048 Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5496/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jollymountainfireinfo/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jolly_mountain  Email: jollymountainfireinfo@gmail.com