A wildfire burning near Lake Cushman in Washington has shut down access to several popular recreation areas near the lake and the Staircase entrance of Olympic National Park. Firefighters have been battling this human-caused wildfire using heavy helicopters and ground crews to limit the blaze’s spread in the steep, forested terrain.
As of Tuesday, July 8, the wildfire has burned 328 acres. Thanks to aerial water drops, the fire’s eastern growth was limited to just five additional acres. There are currently no evacuation orders in effect for nearby communities.
On the ground, crews are focused on keeping the fire from widening along the Lake Cushman Corridor (FS-24), the only access road to key trailheads and campgrounds in both Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park. The corridor is a dead-end route, making the protection of safe entry and exit a top priority for both firefighters and potential evacuees.
“Maintaining egress is critical,” noted an official release, citing concerns about falling debris and boulders due to the fire’s location on a steep, rocky slope. Although fire behavior included isolated torching of single trees, crews did not observe sustained runs.
While the fire is not expected to reach critical park infrastructure in the next 36 hours, fire crews are preparing to defend structures in the Staircase area if needed.
Management of the fire has transitioned to a Type 3 Incident Management Team, which has requested an infrared survey to more accurately map the fire’s size and activity. As of Tuesday evening, the fire had reached the top of Mount Rose but had not crossed over the summit.
Closures in Effect
The following recreation areas are currently inaccessible due to the fire:
- Staircase Area and Campground
- Bear Gulch Day Use Area
- Mt. Rose Trailhead
- Dry Creek Trailhead
- Copper Creek Trailhead
Officials emphasize that firefighter and public safety remains the top priority.
For the latest updates, visit the Bear Gulch Fire InciWeb page, the Olympic National Forest website, or follow @olympicforest on social media.
