The Goat Rocks Fire in East Lewis County continues to grow just 1.5 miles northeast of Packwood. As of Wednesday morning, the U.S. Forest Service reported the fire had grown to 3,212 acres and was 0% contained.
Fortunately, calmer weather early this week has kept the fire from prompting further evacuation orders for area residents. On Wednesday afternoon, Packwood and nearby neighborhoods remained at a level one, “get ready” evacuation notice while the upper Timberline neighborhood south of U.S. Highway 12 has stayed in a level two, “be set” notice.
Level three notices indicate residents are in immediate danger and need to evacuate. While the upper and lower Timberline, High Valley and Goat Rocks neighborhoods were all in a level three notice over the weekend due to a red flag warning signaling high fire danger, better weather on Sunday evening allowed residents to return home.
La Wis Wis campground remains closed, but campers who left gear behind during evacuation are allowed to collect their belongings.
In total, 261 people were working on the fire in some capacity, including as air support and providing help on the ground to increase buffer space between fire fuel and structures. Cloudy, slightly rainy days in East Lewis County have been helpful to crews.
“At the end of the day, the highest priority is always life safety,” said Adam Turner, a spokesperson for USFS. “That's both us as responders and members of the public, if life safety is threatened, we will always protect members of the public and ourselves before anything else.”
After that, Turner listed homes and community infrastructure as the next priority for crews.
At 7 p.m. Wednesday, a public meeting was scheduled in the Packwood Community Hall with livestreaming to be held on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest’s Facebook, with intention of the meeting “to brief the community on the fire efforts and planning,” said Ross McDowell, deputy director of Lewis County emergency management.
To receive alerts in the case of a local emergency, sign up for Lewis County alerts at https://lewiscountywa.gov/departments/emergency-management/lewis-county-alert/.
Find more coverage following the meeting at chronline.com.
Campfire bans and other use restrictions are in place across the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and much of the region. Campfires are allowed within certain campgrounds on an approved list at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/giffordpinchot/alerts-notices.
Forest Roads 1260, 1262, 1266, 4600, 4610, 4612, 4830 and all connected spur roads remain closed. Additionally, #65 (Bluff Lake), #69 (Three Peaks), #74 (Pipeline Road), #61 (Clear Fork Trail from the trailhead to the Clear Lost Trail), #76 (Clear Lost Trail from the junction of the Clear Fork Trail to the junction of the Packwood Lake Trail), and #78 (Packwood Lake Trail) are closed. Hikers can continue to access the Clear Lost Trailhead but can only hike south on the Clear Fork Trail.
