The Goat Rocks Fire has burned 4,193 acres as of Monday morning and is still 0% contained, according to an incident management team update on Monday.
Officials are still holding out for the start of the rainy season to fully extinguish the fire, which is located in rough terrain. It was sparked by lightning in early August and then grew rapidly beginning Sept. 9. It’s still about 1.5 miles northeast of Packwood, through it is closer to some U.S. Highway 12 neighborhoods.
Over the weekend, an inversion of smoky air settled over the fire, limiting fresh oxygen to the fire and slowing its growth. An inversion is stationary air around a fire that suppresses fire activity since no fresh oxygen is being supplied.
The inversion lifted on Sunday and allowed for increased fire activity.
Limited fire spread was seen in the upper Coal Creek drainage and east of Forest Road 4612, according to the release.
All observed fire activity on Sunday appeared to be on the ground, but with warmer and dryer conditions forecasted for the week as a high pressure system is expected to settle in the area, officials stated that the risk of torching will increase as fuels above the ground get dryer.
Firefighters are continuing hose lay efforts in the Upper Timberline neighborhood and patrols are still being conducted there as well as in the Goat Rocks neighborhood.
Hazard tree cutting on Forest Road 46 has been completed but chipping and other fire-prevention treatments are still being done.
Areas northeast of Butter Creek and north of U.S. Highway 12 are still at “be ready” evacuation status and include the Lower Timberline and Goat Rocks neighborhoods. The Upper Timberline neighborhood remains at “be set” evacuation status.
Campfire bans and restrictions are still in place, for a full list of fire restrictions visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/giffordpinchot/alerts-notices.
For information about road and trail closures visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1060181.pdf.
