Williams Mine Fire up to 5% contained after Saturday's rain

Trout Lake, ORE. – Updated at 9:15 a.m.: The Williams Mine Fire is now 11,555 acres and 5% contained.

The Williams Mine Fire started on Monday, August 5th on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in the Mt. Adams Wilderness southeast of Williams Mine. The cause of the fire is due to lightning. Below is a list of up to date information, as of Sunday, August 18th at 9:15 a.m.

Acres: 11,555

Containment: 5%

Evacuations: There are evacuations in place with this fire, but technically just out of the viewing area of Apple Valley News Now. For updates and evacuation information:

-Klickitat County Emergency Management: https://www.klickitatcounty.org/249/Emergency-Management...

-Facebook: Klickitat County 911 Dispatch / Emergency Management

-Skamania County Emergency Management: https://www.skamaniacounty.org/.../emergenc.../-fsiteid-1...

-Facebook: Skamania County Emergency Management

Closures:

-Washington DNR managed lands near Trout Lake and Glenwood will be closed to entry due to the Williams Mine fire. For more information, please see http://www.dnr.wa.gov/ahtanum .

-The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Tract D Recreation Area is closed, please see Yakama Tract D Road Closure for more information.

-The FS-23 and FS-25 roads are closed, see the Williams Mine Area and Road Closure for more details.

-The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is closed from the PCT's intersection with FS 23 to Potato Hill. The current Forest closure spans the entire Mt. Adams Wilderness.

Firefighting Effort: Yesterday’s thunderstorm produced an average of ½ inch of rain with lightning and 1-inch hail across Trout Lake and within parts of the fire perimeter. With concerns about lightning, rain, and strong winds creating the possibility of downed trees and powerlines, fire personnel were staged in safe locations during the storms, with strategic access points to assist with any new emerging incidents. Firefighters remained available for initial attack of any potential new fires from new lightning strikes. Night shift resources were also staged for the evening where they could stay safe but respond as needed. Aerial resources will be used today for recon to determine if any lightning strikes generated any new ignitions.

Today, crews are returning to the line to assess road conditions and continue securing the fire area. The added moisture from yesterday will expedite mop-up operations throughout the day.

Firefighters from the Yukon Territory in Canada arrived at the Williams Mine Fire and received a full incident briefing before beginning firefighting operations. This sharing of resources is critical during times when the National Preparedness Level is 5, the highest rating, due to lack of resources to commit to fires across the western United States. The international firefighting community has been essential in coordinated suppression efforts during the last several years of intense fire activity in the Pacific Northwest. Delegations from Australia, New Zealand, and Canada have provided personnel during the most active burning times of year to provide relief to local geographic areas.

Firefighting Resources: There are 704 total personnel working this fire, including 15 hand crews, 21 engines, and 12 dozers.

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