The Goat Rocks Wilderness fire is now 2 and a half miles away from Packwood, Lewis County officials announced just before 3:30 p.m. on Friday.
“The fire is growing faster than we can react —it has the potential for spotting,” said Matt Mahe, a member of the U.S. Forest Service's incident command for the fire, in a news release.
The fire, which was started by a lightning strike Aug. 9, had burned more than 90 acres as of Friday, according to a news release.
The fire was 80 to 90 acres in size and approximately 5 miles away from Packwood as of Wednesday.
Smoke from the fire has made it increasingly difficult for Forest Service rangers to monitor the blaze, according to a news release.
The U.S. Forest Service ordered evacuations in the Timberline, High Valley and Goat Rocks communities east of Packwood earlier Friday afternoon.
The level three evacuation notice means anyone in those areas need to leave immediately.
Packwood residents have been placed on level two evacuation notice of a high probability to evacuate and to prepare now by packing necessary items for the potential of having to depart.
Those evacuation notices had not changed as of 3:30 p.m. on Friday.
Lewis County Emergency Management Deputy Director Ross McDowel met with Lewis County Manager Erik Martin on Friday to discuss emergency plans involving Lewis County Sheriff’s deputies and local firefighters, who McDowell says may go “door-to-door” in some areas to alert people of the impending wildfire threat as is safe and necessary.
U.S. Highway 12 over White Pass has been closed.
Read our previous report here: https://www.chronline.com/stories/evacuation-notices-issued-after-goat-rocks-fire-near-packwood-grows-rapidly-on-friday,299552
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
