OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — The Paradise Fire had grown by 155 acres as of Saturday morning since it last was mapped Tuesday, with most of the spread occurring Thursday.
The slow-moving fire has now burned 2,599 acres on the north side of the Queets River about 86 miles northeast of Queets and 20 miles southwest of Mount Olympus since it began after a lightning strike in early May.
Firefighters kept the southwest end of the fire east of Bob Creek from spreading with small portable pumps and Type 2 and Type 3 helicopters that dropped buckets of water.
A sprinkler system also increased the humidity level on the fire’s perimeter.
Temperatures had climbed to about 70 degrees Saturday afternoon, and relative humidity in the area was about 50 percent. Winds gusted to about 8 mph.
Weather was forecast to remain warm and sunny through next Thursday.
Other wildfires in the park and Olympic National Forest also showed little growth, according to the
National Forest Fire Information Office.
They include:
■ Hungry Fire: A reconnaissance flight Friday showed minimal fire activity. The quarter-acre fire is in the park’s eastern region near the Buckhorn Wilderness.
■ Gold Fire: Crews continued withdrawing equipment from the 10-acre fire near Bon Jon Pass northwest of Quilcene. Forest Road 2820, Forest Road 2820-010, Little Quilcene Trail and the upper portion of the Mount Townsend Trail remained closed.
■ Cabin Creek Fire: One pumper engine continued fighting a persistent smoke source, aided by another engine pumping water up a steep slope near Trap Pass southwest of Quilcene.
The 8-acre fire is in Olympic National Forest just southeast of the Brothers Wilderness. Forest Service Road 2530 beyond the 2530-100 Road remains closed.
