OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — The Hopper fire near the Staircase campground remained at about 385 acres Thursday, and the White fire in the Quinault Valley also had not spread, said fire officials.
A nine-person crew monitoring the Hopper fire, which is creeping through downed logs and avalanche chutes on the east and west flanks of Mount Hopper, hiked out on Tuesday.
An update issued Thursday said the fire in the southeastern part of Olympic National Park increased in fire activity slightly Wednesday because of wind, but the flames were confined to internal pockets of the fire, and there was no increase in the area burned.
The Hopper fire, discovered Aug. 5, is located at the headwaters of the Crazy Creek Drainage and Skokomish River in the Olympic National Park, about 11 miles north of the Staircase area.
The White fire, which is about two miles north of the Enchanted Valley Chalet, continues to smolder in Douglas fir forest and has burned one-eighth of an acre since it was discovered during Aug. 17.
Park fire officials said both fires were caused by lightning strikes.
A fire in Boulder Creek Falls campground, which was reported Sunday, had burned itself out by the time two park firefighters arrived on-scene.
Some of the trails that are now closed in the Mount Hopper area could be re-opened next week, fire officials said.
Closed now are the Skokomish River trail from Nine Stream to the Duckabush/Home-Sweet-Home junction, the Scout Lake way trail to St. Peter’s Gate at Mount Stone, the Hagen Lake way trail and the Mount Hopper way trail.
The Hopper fire presents no immediate risk to life, safety or property, Olympic National Park fire officials said, and they are allowing the fire to burn out on its own while monitoring it.
“The National Weather Service has forecasted cooler, wetter weather over the next few days and into next week,” fire officials said Thursday, adding they expect fire activity to slow.
The next report on park fires is expected Thursday, unless fire activity warrants an update.
Hikers should be aware they may encounter smoke in the Mount Hopper area.
Before hiking in the eastern portion of the park, phone the park’s Wilderness Information Center at 360-565-3100 or check the park’s website at www.nps.gov/olym for current information.
Recorded information about the Hopper fire is available at 360-565-2975.
Updates, maps and photos of that fire are available online at www.inciweb.org/incident/2065.
