Blue Canyon Fire above Lake Whatcom is 50% contained as helicopters resume dropping water
The Blue Canyon fire is 50% contained, and helicopters are being used again to control the north fire line, officials said.
The Blue Canyon Road fire evacuation has been reduced to a Level 1, however the road is still closed except to local residents, according to a release from Ben Shearer, spokesman for the fire management team.
Level 1 means that people in the area should begin preparing for Level 2. Consider what to pack in the event an evacuation is necessary.
The north fire line is steep, which makes it difficult to create a fire line and contain the fire, so helicopters are being used again after previously being grounded, state Department of Natural Resources spokesman Chris Hankey told The Bellingham Herald Friday.
Helicopters were doing water drops until about 7 p.m. Thursday, and will begin working again Friday around 10 a. until about noon, Hankey said.
The fire has been reduced to 40 acres due to better GPS mapping.
The lake opened to boaters Thursday afternoon despite helicopters being used once again, but people still need to stay away from the fire area to avoid falling debris such as boulders and burned out trees. They should also stay away from areas where helicopters are pulling water out of the lake.
The fire is located primarily in the hills above Blue Canyon Road on the southern portion of the lake. It began Monday afternoon by a lightning strike during a thunderstorm.
There is no immediate danger to people or property, but people living in the area had been put under a Level 2 evacuation notice on Tuesday, meaning that if the winds shift and the fire starts heading in their direction, they need to be prepared to leave.
Hankey said Thursday that firefighters from DNR and others are trying to contain the fire by blocking it in, and then letting it burn itself out. They believe the fire could burn slowly until heavy rains arrive in the fall.
This story was originally published September 1, 2023 at 8:48 AM.
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