Olympic National Park – It’s been a few weeks since our last update on the Bear Gulch fire that’s been burning since early July at the north end of Lake Cushman in Olympic National Park.
The latest report from fire officials says that due to recent precipitation and snow, containment of the fire, which has typically been well under 10%, has increased to 20%, with no changes to total fire acreage.
As of Monday, the Bear Gulch fire had burned over 20,200 acres.
The Staircase Campground and surrounding developed area in Olympic National Park close for the winter season as of Friday, October 17. Olympic National Forest has also closed Lake Cushman Corridor and the surrounding Forest Service recreation sites.
The surrounding mountain slopes bear patchwork burn scars, produced during a range of high to low severity burns. Because fire destabilizes soil, these burn scars increase the risks of landslides, rockfall, and treefall.
Ongoing assessments to public safety risks will help determine future reopening timelines in the Lake Cushman recreation areas.