8/31/2017 Jolly Mountain AM Update

Jolly Mountain Fire Update   Thursday, August 31, 2017   Start Date Cause Size Percent  Containment Crews Helicopters Engines Total Personnel 8/11 Lightning 9,386 acres 0% 6 4 24 379 Location:  Cle Elum Ranger District, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, 11 miles northwest of Cle Elum, WA Summary:  Fire activity increased significantly on the Jolly Mountain Fire yesterday as westerly winds were stronger than predicted.  Firefighters are preparing for another busy day with potential for more fire growth.  On the western perimeter, in places along Sasse Ridge, the fire will continue to move slowly down the slope towards the Cle Elum River.  The southeastern corner, where spot fires have been slowly growing together for the past week, was the most active.  The fire moved approximately 3 miles to the east, prompting the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office to issue Level 3 evacuation notices for residents and recreationalists in the Teanaway River corridor.  The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest extended its closure area all the way to Highway 97 to the east as well. The fire is visible from many vantage points.  Firefighters will be assigned to night shift to continue patrolling the fire and to respond as necessary to protect homes and communities and limit negative impacts from the fire. Weather:  This morning will start off cooler before becoming warm and sunny again.  Northwesterly winds continued through the night and are expected to last all day.  Overnight temperatures are anticipated to remain warm with minimal humidity recovery.  Above-normal temperatures are forecast for the Labor Day weekend. 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:         TONIGHT – 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.  Additionally, officers are making contact with residents to advise them of the increased evacuation levels.  Contact the Emergency Operations Center at (509) 933-8305. 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. Washington Fires:  Several large fires are burning throughout the Pacific Northwest.  Information is available at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/ and on social media.

Jolly Mountain Fire Information: (505) 303-0057 (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