The Jolly Mountain fire was a wildfire in Wenatchee National Forest, Kittitas County, Washington, that began with lightning strikes August 11, 2017 and burned for over three months.[2][1] Fires burned in the upper reaches of the Teanaway River a few miles east of Cle Elum Lake.[3]
| Jolly Mountain Fire | |
|---|---|
 Fire as seen from government firefighting aircraft on August 30, 2017 | |
| Date(s) | Ignited: August 11, 2017 State of Emergency: August 29 Evacuations: August 31, 2017 EOC activation: September 2, 2017 100% contained: November 2, 2017 |
| Location | Wenatchee National Forest Kittitas County, Washington |
| Coordinates | 47°20′N 121°02′W / 47.34°N 121.04°W |
| Statistics | |
| Burned area | 36,808 acres (14,896 ha) as of November 2, 2017[1] |
| Land use | Forest and residential |
| Impacts | |
| Damage | Unknown |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | Lightning |
| Map | |
  Location of fire in Washington | |
| Season | |
← 2016
2018 → | |
History
editBy August 18, the fire was over 500 acres and the state's Teanaway Community Forest was closed in response.[4]
On August 24, the fire stood at over 1,700 acres and public meetings were held to discuss area closures and possible future evacuations.[5] By August 28, the fire was over 5,000 acres,[6] and smoke was noticeable in the Seattle metropolitan area about 100 kilometers away.[7][8]
On August 29, Kittitas County declared a state of emergency,[9] and pyrocumulus clouds were visible on satellite images of the Cascades.[10] On the same day, the Washington Military Department's Emergency Operation Center at Camp Murray was activated in response to Jolly Mountain.[11] Smoke continued to affect visibility and air quality in Seattle on August 30, and air quality in Kittitas County was officially termed "unhealthy".[12][13] The fire grew rapidly August 30–31 due to winds.[6]
By August 31, the fire stood at over 9,000 acres and was zero percent contained; local government near the city of Cle Elum began ordering evacuations of over 150 homes.[14][15] On September 2, at over 14,500 acres, the fire was deemed to be too big for local response and authority was transferred to the Washington State Patrol's Fire Protection Bureau[broken anchor].[16] Due to the Jolly Mountain event and the slightly larger Norse Peak fire, air quality in Wenatchee and Yakima was "very unhealthy" and outdoor sports events canceled.[17][18]
On September 4, the fire stood at just under 21,000 acres,[19] the city of Ellensburg declared a state of emergency, Cle Elum's air quality was deemed "dangerous" by the county,[20] and contingency plans to evacuate Cle Elum by turning State Route 10 into a one-way avenue were discussed.[21] On September 5, skies were darkened and ash fell on Seattle "like snow".[22]
By September 20, the beginnings of the rainy fall season began to abate the fires and a few days went by with zero new acres burned and greatly improved air quality except in the immediate Cle Elum area.[23]
On September 29, with the fire 50% contained, all evacuation orders were canceled.[24][25]
By November 2, the fire was 100% contained but still burning.[2][1]
Environmental impact
editThe fire affected an endangered species, the northern spotted owl.[26]
-
Satellite image of Washington showing active fires in the Cascade Mountains -
Ground-level panorama of normal conditions -
Ground-level panorama of fire -
From government firefighting aircraft on August 30 -
Ash on an outdoor table near Seattle, September 5
References
edit- ^ a b c Jolly Mountain Fire incident information dated November 2, 2017; accessed 2017-11-09
- ^ a b Kaitlin Bain (November 2, 2017), "Jolly Mountain Fire still burning; 100 percent contained", Yakima Herald Republic – via Ellensburg Daily Record
- ^ "Jolly Mountain Active Fire Map", Kittitas County GIS, retrieved August 31, 2017
- ^ Donald W. Meyers (August 18, 2017), "C. Washington wildfires thwart campers, hikers, drivers", Yakima Herald
- ^ Dave Bernstein (August 24, 2017), "Jolly Mountain Fire near Cle Elum over 1,700 acres", KPQ (AM) News
- ^ a b Fire growth chart, US Forest Service Great Basin Incident Management Team Region 4, dated August 31, 2017 (accessed at noon Pacific)
- ^ Sarah Anne Lloyd (28 August 2017), "A smoky haze returns to Seattle as wildfire burns in the Cascades / But it's not as thick as earlier this summer—and shouldn't last as long", Curbed Seattle
- ^ Gustavo Olguin (August 28, 2017), "Firefighters setting fire lines around Jolly Mountain Fire to 'trap' the blaze", KIMA-TV, Yakima
- ^ Kaitlin Bain (August 29, 2017), "No relief in sight from Norse Peak, Jolly Mountain fires; air quality deteriorating", Yakima Herald
- ^ Cliff Mass (University of Washington) (August 29, 2017), "Smoke Returns and More Warm, Dry Weather Ahead", Cliff Mass weather blog
- ^ "Kittitas County Emergency Operations Center activated for Jolly Mountain Fire", KAPP-TV, Yakima, August 29, 2017, archived from the original on September 3, 2017, retrieved September 2, 2017
- ^ "Wildfire smoke is back in Seattle area; here's how long it will stay", KIRO-TV, Seattle, August 30, 2017
- ^ "Be Aware of Changing Air Quality Conditions", Kittitas County Sheriff (press release), August 30, 2017
- ^ Christine Clarridge (August 31, 2017), "Jolly Mountain Fire sparks emergency evacuations near Cle Elum", The Seattle Times
- ^ "Jolly Mountain Fire: 154 homes evacuated near Cle Elum", KCPQ-TV, Associated Press, August 31, 2017
- ^ "Washington state mobilizes to fight Jolly Mountain Fire, where 3,800 homes are in peril", The Seattle Times, September 2, 2017
- ^ "Air Quality "VERY UNHEALTHY" in Wenatchee", KPQ News, September 2, 2017
- ^ Miles Jay Oliver (September 2, 2017), "Jolly Mountain Fire threatens 3,800 homes, unhealthy levels of smoke hit Yakima", Yakima Herald
- ^ Jolly Mountain Fire incident information, accessed 2017-09-04
- ^ Tammy Mutasa (September 4, 2017), "Wildfires creating dangerous air quality conditions in Eastern Washington", KOMO-TV, Seattle
- ^ "Monday fire update: Ellensburg declares state of emergency, evacuation levels the same", Ellensburg Daily Record, September 4, 2017
- ^ Evan Bush, "Ash falls like snow in Seattle as wildfires rage in Pacific Northwest", Alaska Dispatch News, Anchorage
- ^ "Air Quality Outlook - September 20th, 2017", InciWeb, archived from the original on 2017-09-21
- ^ Jolly Mountain Fire incident information, accessed 2017-09-29
- ^ Kaitlin Bain (September 29, 2017), "Evacuation orders lifted for Jolly Mountain Fire", Yakima Herald-Republic
- ^ COURTNEY FLATT (September 8, 2017), "Wildfires Are Big Trouble For The Northwest's Lynx, Pygmy Rabbits And Other Creatures", KUOW-FM
Sources
edit- Jolly Mountain Fire incident, Official U.S. Forest Service website (InciWeb)
External links
edit
- Official public information website (Facebook)