As of Monday morning at 11:30 a.m., all evacuation notices set in place due to the Goat Rocks Fire in Packwood area neighborhoods were lifted, including all of Timberline, High Valley, Goat Rocks and other communities.
Firefighters at the Goat Rocks Fire northeast of Packwood have begun removing portable water tanks, pumps and hoses from the Timberline neighborhood. The items were put in place as a layer of possible defense from the nearby blaze.
“Emergency managers, in consultation with fire management, wanted to ensure that the rain event that was forecast for the weekend arrived,” wrote Lewis County Emergency Management in a news release.
Winter weather is forecast to douse much of the fire, which prompted the lifting of these contingencies. Firefighters also removed structure wrap, hoses and pumps from around the structures by Packwood Lake, according to a Monday morning news release.
While equipment is being removed, emergency management staff are encouraging residents to maintain defensible space around their homes to protect them against current and future fire events. Officials say homeowners should thin trees and brush around the home, clear any fuels such as propane or vegetation from within 10 feet of the structure and stack woodpiles 100 feet away and uphill from the home.
Light rain and some snow fell Sunday, with heavier rain and gusty winds expected Monday. Snow levels were expected to drop to 2,000 feet before rising again in the evening. This weather has restricted the movement of fire crews on snow-covered roads and increased the hazard from falling trees, stated the release.
The Goat Rocks Fire grew to more than 6,000 acres as of Monday after being sparked by lightning in early August.
Current weather conditions will keep fire activity to a minimum but smoke may be visible at times. For current local smoke conditions, visit: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/ or https://fire.airnow.gov/.
For the most up-to-date evacuation information, visit Lewis County’s Emergency Management website or Facebook page. For more information on defensible space visit
https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Wildfire/Preparing-homes-for-wildfire
To receive alerts from Lewis County in case of an emergency, sign up at
https://lewiscountywa.gov/departments/emergency-management/lewis-county-alert/.
More information on the Goat Rocks Fire can be obtained by calling 360-370-4168 or emailing 2022.goatrocks@firenet.gov.
