Weather conditions help slow the spread of Perry Fire near Ross Lake
Cooler temperatures and light rain slowed the spread of the Perry Fire over the weekend, according to a Sept. 8 release from the North Cascades National Park Service Complex.
The fire is currently at an estimated 1,557 acres, up from the 1,477 acres reported Saturday. The fire was first reported Aug. 27 following lightning storms in the area. A total of 18 personnel are on site for the fire, which is 0% contained, according to InciWeb, an interagency all-risk incident information management system.
The Perry Fire is located west of Ross Lake in eastern Whatcom County. It is about 600 feet from the Little Beaver Campground, although it is not near any park buildings, according to Katy Hooper with the North Cascades National Park Service Complex.
Several campsites and trails are closed as a result of the fire. Trails include The Little Beaver Trail from Ross Lake to Stillwell Camp, cross-country zone access from trails is also prohibited. Campsites include Silver Creek boat-in, Little Beaver boat-in, Little Beaver Group, Perry Creek and Stillwell. A full list can be found at the National Park Service North Cascades website.
A team of 10 highly trained U.S. Forest Service wildland firefighters — the Type-1 Whiskeytown Wildland Fire Module — installed hoses and sprinklers in the Little Beaver boat-in camp area over the weekend, although air support was limited by weather conditions, according to the release.
The cliff terrain around the fire is making it difficult for firefighters to access it on foot. Fire managers are taking full advantage of aircraft to deliver water on the fire, according to the release.
Firefighters are working to protect nearby infrastructure from the impacts of the fire, and are looking to remove brush, trees and needles that could provide ground fuel for the fire, Hooper said. Crews are also wrapping flammable features with structure wrap and installing sprinklers for water delivery. Other ground fuel is being burned with a drip torch in a controlled manner.
If conditions and visibility allows, a type-3 helicopter will provide support for the containment of the fire. A type-3 helicopter is the smallest type of helicopter used in fighting fires, but they have a high cruise speed, allowing them to quickly arrive on scene. They can carry 4-5 firefighters at a time and typically carry a 180-gallon bucket, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
Light rain showers and more thunderstorms are expected in the area throughout the week. These conditions are expected to keep the fire behavior moderate, according to the release.
The change in weather has improved the smoke conditions, according to the release. Smoke conditions north of the fire are currently moderate, according to the AirNow interactive map.
Drones are prohibited in the area as they can interfere with helicopters. If drones are spotted nearby, all helicopters are grounded until the airspace is clear, according to the release.
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