PORT ANGELES – A fire at an Olympic National Park facility could delay the opening of Hurricane Ridge for the ski season.
Friday night, firefighters were dispatched to the headquarters of Olympic National Park off Park Avenue in Port Angeles. The reporting party could smell smoke in the area. Crews arrived and recognized the odor as a structure fire but were delayed in locating the structure as it was ¼ mile from the initial dispatch. Crews located the 30’ by 40’ 2-story structure with heavy smoke showing.
Inside, they found a dump truck/snowplow that had caught fire and flames started to spread into the rest of the building. The fire in the plow was primarily out. Crews extinguished the fire in the building before it could extend further into the structure.
ONP officials say the loss of the plow delayed efforts to plow Hurricane Ridge Road this weekend. They also say they’re not sure if the road can be reopened this coming weekend. The Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Club had hoped to open skiing at the ridge by now.
ONP says an investigation is underway.