Location: Cle Elum Ranger District, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, 11
miles northwest of Cle Elum, WA
Summary: The Jolly Mountain Fire has presented numerous challenges since it started. Among those is providing for firefighter safety while protecting the affected communities and citizens. Yesterday, the fire burned activity throughout the day. The most significant fire behavior occurred late in the day when evening winds began to push the fire quickly down the drainages, including down the west side of Sasse Ridge and into the West Fork of the Teanaway River. This activity continued late into the evening, prompting Kittitas County Sheriff to issue Level 3 “Go” evacuations from Double O Ranch Road north to Boulder Creek. Additional Level 2 “Set” evacuation notices were issued south of Double O Ranch Road, including the communities of Ronald and Roslyn. Complete details on evacuation status, impacted homes, and shelter information is available from the Emergency Operations Center at (509) 933-8305. Today’s fire activity may be very similar to what occurred yesterday. Remain alert to the conditions and heed the warnings of law enforcement officers. Additional firefighting resources have been ordered and will begin arriving this morning.
Overnight, firefighters continued their backfire from contingency lines as a method for fighting the fire more directly and less defensively. A backfire is an intentionally set fire used to remove the available grass, brush, and trees from the main fire to lower fire intensity as it approaches the control line and limit spread beyond the line. Backfires are only completed after careful consideration and planning. Conducting a backburn at night takes advantage of the highest humidity and lowest temperatures of the day to improve the probability of success and increase firefighter safety.
Weather: Continued high pressure over the region with critically dry and unstable conditions has prompted the Incident Meteorologist to issue a Fire Weather Watch for tomorrow. This indicates to firefighters there is a high potential for extreme fire behavior and large fire growth. Poor overnight humidity recovery will allow fire intensity to build earlier in the day. Morning inversions are likely, with fire activity increasing once the inversion lifts. Temperatures are well above normal and humidity may drop into the low teens. Erratic and quick moving fire behavior is likely.
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 and east to Highway 97. The Nature Conservancy lands east of Cle Elum Lake are closed. All Washington Department of Natural Resources lands in the Teanaway River Corridor west of Route 97 including all campgrounds in the Teanaway Community Forest are closed. Please consult detailed maps, available on fire information boards as well as posted online, prior to making plans.
Fire Restrictions: All campfires are banned on Cle Elum Ranger District due to the high fire danger.
Summary: The Jolly Mountain Fire has presented numerous challenges since it started. Among those is providing for firefighter safety while protecting the affected communities and citizens. Yesterday, the fire burned activity throughout the day. The most significant fire behavior occurred late in the day when evening winds began to push the fire quickly down the drainages, including down the west side of Sasse Ridge and into the West Fork of the Teanaway River. This activity continued late into the evening, prompting Kittitas County Sheriff to issue Level 3 “Go” evacuations from Double O Ranch Road north to Boulder Creek. Additional Level 2 “Set” evacuation notices were issued south of Double O Ranch Road, including the communities of Ronald and Roslyn. Complete details on evacuation status, impacted homes, and shelter information is available from the Emergency Operations Center at (509) 933-8305. Today’s fire activity may be very similar to what occurred yesterday. Remain alert to the conditions and heed the warnings of law enforcement officers. Additional firefighting resources have been ordered and will begin arriving this morning.
Overnight, firefighters continued their backfire from contingency lines as a method for fighting the fire more directly and less defensively. A backfire is an intentionally set fire used to remove the available grass, brush, and trees from the main fire to lower fire intensity as it approaches the control line and limit spread beyond the line. Backfires are only completed after careful consideration and planning. Conducting a backburn at night takes advantage of the highest humidity and lowest temperatures of the day to improve the probability of success and increase firefighter safety.
Weather: Continued high pressure over the region with critically dry and unstable conditions has prompted the Incident Meteorologist to issue a Fire Weather Watch for tomorrow. This indicates to firefighters there is a high potential for extreme fire behavior and large fire growth. Poor overnight humidity recovery will allow fire intensity to build earlier in the day. Morning inversions are likely, with fire activity increasing once the inversion lifts. Temperatures are well above normal and humidity may drop into the low teens. Erratic and quick moving fire behavior is likely.
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 and east to Highway 97. The Nature Conservancy lands east of Cle Elum Lake are closed. All Washington Department of Natural Resources lands in the Teanaway River Corridor west of Route 97 including all campgrounds in the Teanaway Community Forest are closed. Please consult detailed maps, available on fire information boards as well as posted online, prior to making plans.
Fire Restrictions: All campfires are banned on Cle Elum Ranger District due to the high fire danger.
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
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
Start Date 8/11
Cause Lightning
Size 14,563 acres
Percent Containment 0%
Crews 9
Helicopters 4
Engines 22
Total Personnel 439
Cause Lightning
Size 14,563 acres
Percent Containment 0%
Crews 9
Helicopters 4
Engines 22
Total Personnel 439
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