OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — Rain on Sunday helped to control the fires that have been simmering in the backcountry of Olympic National Park since June and July.
“We had anywhere from a quarter-inch to 1 ½ inches in some of the areas of the fire,” said Todd Rankin, incident commander for the high country fires.
“We’re expecting a significant decrease in fire activity from here on out.”
More than 30 miles of trails were reopened last week after fire activity subsided.
Two areas remain closed.
They are:
•The Duckabush Trail from LaCrosse Pass junction to the park’s eastern boundary because of its proximity to the 750-acre Ten Mile Fire.
•Dosewallips Road — already limited to hikers because of an earlier washout — is closed from the Olympic National Forest’s Elkhorn Campground to the Dosewallips Trail at Dose Forks, one mile west of the Dosewallips Ranger Station.
Lightning-ignited
The Heatwave Complex was 12 lighting-ignited fires discovered in Olympic National Park since June, all of which are now smoldering or inactive.
None of the fires has increased in size since middle of last week.
Because fire activity has significantly decreased, the Incident Information System Web site said its final update was issued on Friday.
“We may even have some of the fires go out after this rain — or maybe mostly go out but just have one or two logs or stumps smouldering,” Rankin said.
For additional Heatwave Complex fire information, maps, and photos, visit http://www.inciweb.org.
An aerial monitoring of the fires is planned for later in the week, Rankin said.
According to the Web site:
•The 10 Mile fire has burned about 750 acres. It is currently smoldering and creeping in some areas.
“We have two people still stationed out at the 10 Mile fire as trail guards and to monitor the activity,” Rankin said.
•The Constance fire in the Dosewallips River Valley at Constance Creek remained at 440 acres and has had no growth in the past couple of weeks.
•The Buckinghorse fire in the upper Elwha Valley in the heart of the park remained at 330 acres and was creeping downslope on both the west and east sides.
•The Knife fire is 170 acres and is also creeping downslope on both the west and east sides.
•The Solduc fire remained at 6 acres and has minimal burning.
•The Dose, Second Column, Five Ridge, Morganroth, Long, Wilder One and Wilder Two fires were all inactive at less than 1 acre each.
