PORT ANGELES — The Lake Sutherland Fire 13 miles west of Port Angeles continues to burn even as authorities say they’ve made good progress containing it.
The fire was reported as 10 percent contained on Monday and crews had begun mop-up operations in some areas of the fire, which began on Saturday and had burned 108 acres off U.S. Highway 101 and the Joyce Access Road by Tuesday.
The fire is located in steep, rugged terrain with dry and receptive fuel beds, according to the Western Washington Type 3 Incident Management Team, the interagency group which assumed command of the fire Monday morning. Other challenges firefighters face include falling rocks and rolling debris.
Overnight fire crews patrolled for flare-ups and continued to monitor the area for any unexpected fire growth, the management team said in a press release.
Four homes were under elevated evacuation warnings over the weekend, but those advisories were downgraded Monday and remained at Level 1 on Tuesday. Level 1 evacuation warnings advise homeowners to be aware of the fires in their area and to monitor for updates.
According to Josie Williams, public information officer for the incident management team, two helicopters and 108 personnel fought the fire Tuesday, down from three aircraft and 150 personnel on Monday.
Light rain moved into the area Monday afternoon and continued into Tuesday, bringing less than half an inch of precipitation, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasts for the rest of the week showed warmer and drier conditions.
Winds between 4-8 mph were expected throughout the day. Winds over the weekend helped spread the fire, which was reported at about 1 p.m. Saturday.
There were moderate smoke impacts in surrounding communities, the management team said, but air quality in Port Angeles remained normal, according to the state Department of Ecology.
There are currently no road or trail closures in the area, but passing motorists are asked not to stop along the highway to watch operations or take pictures. A temporary flight ban is in place over the area for both planes and drones.
The fire is located on state Department of Natural Resources land, which is investigating the cause of the fire.
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Reporter Peter Segall can be reached at peter.segall@peninsuladailynews.com.
Northwest Incident Management Team liaison officer Tim McKern points out areas of interest on a map of the Lake Sutherland Fire on Tuesday at a command post set up at Dry Creek School in Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
