BRINNON — The 2620 Road Fire has grown to 403 acres with an increased containment at 15 percent.
The Western Washington Incident Management Team provided updates Friday on the containment efforts and the ongoing challenges faced by the crews.
The cause of the fire remains undetermined, and the steep terrain continues to present a challenge for firefighting efforts.
“We are establishing control lines all the way around the fire,” said Steve Westlake, operations section chief with the Western Washington Incident Management Team.
“The number of containment will go up exponentially over the next few days. It’s not about the weather, it’s about the efforts we are putting out on the ground with the troops,” he added.
The northwest side of the fire, where the elevation sharply rises, has proven particularly difficult to manage, he said.
“It pretty much goes straight up,” Westlake said.
“We have a lot of heat in this corner,” he added.
To address the challenge, an additional crew has been sent to assist the hotshot teams working in the area.
“The hotshots have been in there, and we sent an extra crew to help them,” Westlake said. “We’re continuing to work our way up.”
Ground crews are making significant progress in line construction, advancing around the fire area and beginning extensive mop-up operations in some sections, Westlake said.
During the mop-up phase, firefighters work to remove burning and smoldering material hundreds of feet inside the control lines, using hand tools and water. Thus far, 2 miles of hose have been successfully installed, with plans to install an additional 7 miles in the coming days, Westlake said.
The temporary flight restriction remains in place over the fire, ensuring the airspace is clear for firefighting operations.
The incident management team has urged the public to stay out of the fire area while crews continue their work.
All residents of Duckabush Road are under a Level 1 “get ready” evacuation alert. That includes the 2500 block and above, previously at Level 2 “get set” status, officials said.
Residents should continue to ensure they have an evacuation plan in place, officials said.
Duckabush Road and Mt. Jupiter Road remain closed to the public, with access limited to residents and emergency services vehicles.
Meanwhile, Clallam County Fire Marshal George Bailey announced a modification to the countywide burn ban, allowing small recreational campfires in established fire rings and the use of charcoal grills on private property and in campgrounds.
“With the current change in the weather and rainfall, it is appropriate to modify the current burn ban to allow for small recreational campfires and use of charcoal grills,” Bailey said.
“I don’t expect the conditions to change substantially in the near future, and as such, I feel confident that responsible use will not compromise the existing fire danger,” he added.
The adjustment applies only to unincorporated areas of Clallam County, as the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) continues to prohibit such activities until Sept. 30.
Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park have their own regulations, so residents and visitors are encouraged to check with those agencies for specific requirements.
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Reporting intern Christopher Urquia is a student at Peninsula College. He can be reached by email at christopher.urquia@peninsuladailynews.com.
