OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — A fire on Mount Hopper grew 155 acres on Sunday, reaching a total of 325 acres burned.
The smoky fire, which can be seen from miles away, is being monitored by Olympic National Park fire managers.
Originally, only the Mount Hopper Way trail was closed, but the Scout Lake way trail to St. Peter’s Gate at Mount Stone and the way trail to Hagen Lake also were closed, Olympic National Park officials said.
Park officials will fly over again today at 3 p.m. to check the status of the fire, and officials also are on the ground monitoring its growth.
“August is a great time to visit Olympic National Park and we understand that many people have trips planned this time of year,” said Olympic National Park Superintendent Karen Gustin.
Updates, maps and photos of the Hopper Fire are available at http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2065/.
The fire is burning about 11 miles north of the Staircase area.
With temperatures remaining high, Olympic National Park officials believe the fire will continue to spread in the same manner over the next couple of days, a news release from the park said.
The fire is being allowed to burn because natural fires allow the release of nutrients, which stimulate plant growth.
Mount Hopper is on the southeastern side of Olympic National Park, about nine miles north of the park’s Staircase campground.
A lightning strike started the fire Aug. 5.
It grew to about 2 acres within a week, then swelled to 120 acres Friday, when northeast winds blew hotter air into the area.
The fire is surrounded by natural barriers that keep the fire from spreading very far, including rock, bare ridge tops and snowfields.
