Residents of Goose Prairie and Bumping Lake Road are now on a Level 2 "be ready" evacuation notice because of the nearby Wildcat Fire.
Yakima Valley Emergency Management updated the evacuation level on Wednesday evening. Trail and campground closures have expanded and now include a section of the Pacific Crest Trail.
As of Thursday morning, the fire was 5,542 acres and not contained, according to an update from fire officials. The smaller Fish Lake and Swamp Lake fires have merged with the Wildcat Fire.
High temperatures, low humidity and rugged terrain are making access and suppression difficult, an update Wednesday from the fire command team said. A total of 216 people are assigned to the fire.
"Efforts continue to prepare and protect structures, as crews use bulldozers to re-open previously constructed fire lines, and scout safe and effective places to install new fire lines," officials said. "Aviation resources will be available to assist as needed and as conditions allow."
Wildfire smoke was causing poor air quality in the Yakima Valley on Wednesday. A update from the state Department of Ecology on the Washington Smoke Blog said relief likely won't arrive for a few days, with hot, dry and unstable conditions continuing through Friday.
"In addition to poor smoke dispersion, dry thunderstorms will increase the potential for lightning and new fires — and these new fires will likely grow quickly," it said. "Fire weather concerns begin to ease on Friday, but the heat will persist and it could take time for the smoke to mix out."
The Northwest Complex Incident Management Team 10 took command of the Wildcat Fire and Fish Fire at 6 a.m. on Sept. 3, under the leadership of Steve North.
Lightning started the Wildcat Fire started on Aug. 25 in the William O. Douglas Wilderness. It is next to Bumping Lake and 30 miles northwest of Naches. The Fish Fire is still under investigation.
The campgrounds at Upper and Lower Bumping Lake are closed, as is the boat launch. Trail closures have expanded to include the Pacific Crest Trail from White Pass to Chinook Pass to protect hikers.
Forest Service Road 1800 at Bumping crossing is closed and Yakima County has closed Bumping Lake Road at State Route 410, limiting access to firefighters and local residents only.
Other fires
—The Panther Fire in the Naches Ranger District is contained at 5 acres. Officials said they will continue to improve fire lines and mop-up.
—Labor Mountain Fire is burning between Standup and Stafford Creek drainages about 13 miles northeast of Cle Elum in Kittitas County. It is actively burning in brush and heavy timber in steep terrain. The fire remained active overnight and is estimated at 125-150 acres. Resources assigned include one 20-person crew, rappelers, and smokejumpers. Additional resources have been ordered.
Trail closures
—Kettle Creek 957
—American Ridge 958 (All trails within the William O. Douglas Wilderness)
—Goat Peak 958C
—Cougar Lake 958A
—Pleasant Valley 958B
—Goat Creek 959
—Dewey Lake 968
—Mesatchee Creek 969
—Swamp Lake 970
—Bumping Lake 971 (From the junction of the Pacific Crest Trail 2000 to its terminus at FSR 1800-394)
—Fish Lake 971A
—Goose Prairie 972
—Twin Sisters 980 (From the Deep Creek horse camp to a half-mile to closure boundary)
—Lily Lake 988
—Mount Aix 982 (From the trailhead at FSR 1808-640 to a quarter-mile to closure boundary)
—Indian Creek (From the Deep Creek horse camp to 0.35 miles to closure boundary)
—Pleasant Valley 999 (All trails within the William O. Douglas Wilderness)
—Pacific Crest 2000 (From the intersection of Three Lakes Trail #22 to the Chinook Pass Trailhead at SR 410)
Trailhead closures
—Goose Prairie
—Mount Aix Trailhead from Forest Service Road 1808
—Deep Creek Horse Camp/Blanketship Meadows
—Deep Creek
—Chinook Pass Trailhead Southbound
—Mesatachee Creek
—Goat Creek/Hells Crossing
—Cougar Flat/Goat Creek
—American Ridge
—Fish Lake Way
—Lily Lake
More information can be found on the Forest Service website, Inciweb and Yakima Valley Emergency Management on Facebook.
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