OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — A wildfire sparked by lightning has been discovered in the center of the national park.
Olympic National Park staff confirmed late Monday that a wildlife covering about 7 acres is burning in the Elwha River valley wilderness about 25 miles south of Port Angeles.
The fire is in approximately the geographic center of Olympic National Park, said Barb Maynes, park spokeswoman.
The closest park facilities to the fire are the Elwha River Trail and Camp Wilder Shelter, both of which are located across the river from the fire and are not at risk, Maynes said.
A fire monitor flew over the area Monday and observed the fire near the confluence of Godkin Creek and the Elwha River, about 15 miles south of Hurricane Ridge.
Thursday storms
The fire was ignited during last Thursday’s series of storms, which led to more than 400 lightning strikes over the Olympic Mountains, along with significant rainfall, Maynes said.
The fire is burning in extremely rugged and steep terrain on the west side of the valley, about a third of a mile uphill from the river at an elevation of 2,300 feet.
A six-person crew, comprised of Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest firefighters, began on-the-ground assessment of the fire, fuel moisture and other conditions Tuesday, according to Maynes.
“We will continue to monitor this fire and plan to use natural barriers such as rock outcrops, landslides and the river to limit its growth,” said Acting Superintendent Rachel Spector.
“Human safety is our top priority and any response to a wilderness fire will address firefighter safety as our first concern.”
The short-term weather forecast is calling for continued moist conditions with a warming trend this week, to be followed by cooler conditions next week.
Unlike 2015, this summer’s weather and fuel conditions are average for the Olympic Mountains, leading to a much more typical fire season for the area, Maynes said.
