Bear Gulch Fire expands to more than 4,700 acres, Level 3 evacuation orders remain in place

The Bear Gulch Fire near Lake Cushman has now grown to more than 4,700 acres and is still just 3% contained, officials said Sunday.

Crews have spent several days setting up sprinkler systems to protect cabins and other structures in the area.

There has been increased humidity in the area this weekend, and fire managers say that has helped a bit.

They say moisture in the air has reduced the fire to a “moderated” growth rate, but the fire is still growing.

On Thursday it was reported to be 3,000 acres in size.

The flames are burning on steep mountain slopes on the north side of Lake Cushman near Mount Rose, in the Olympic National Forest near Hoodsport, Washington.

Level 3 evacuations in place near Bear Gulch Fire

The Bear Gulch Fire area near Dry Creek Trail is under a Level 3 “GO NOW” evacuation order. This includes the Staircase Campground and areas across the causeway on the north side of Lake Cushman, officials said. The area south of Dry Creek has a Level 1 “READY” evacuation notice in effect.

The Bear Gulch Fire broke out across the North Fork Skokomish River.

“The fire made active crown runs upslope through the tree canopy,” officials said.

They attributed the initial increase in fire activity last week to the warm, dry conditions, heavy fuels, and steep terrain.

Fire spokesperson Jaclynn Swope said crews are reinforcing containment lines and using drones to monitor the fire’s aggressive spread.

“We can always hope that it won’t get worse from here,” she told KIRO Newsradio. “As far as the weather goes, it is supposed to continue to be warm and dry, so we’re gonna expect to have more activity.”

The fire was human-caused, but the exact origin remains under investigation.

Frank Lenzi is the News Director for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here.

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