Single Publication

Miners Complex Fire

2:30 PM, July 23, 2024

Estimated size:                 500 acres

Start Date/Time:               July 17, 2024

Area of Origin:                  21 air miles east of Darrington WA

Cause:                              Lightning

Fuels/Topography:            timber, rugged terrain

Structures Damaged:        None, there are no homes threatened at this time.

The Miners Complex consists of nine wildfires caused by lightning strikes in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The fires included in the complex are: Miners Fire, Vista Ridge Fire, Dolly Creek Fire, Sulphur Three Fire, Sulphur Four Fire, Sulphur Thirty-Four Fire, Upper Sulphur Thirty-Two Fire, Lower Sulphur Thirty-Two Fire, and Plummer Fire.

Closures: The following areas are closed due to the fires in the Miner's Complex. The full Closure Order, as well as Exhibit A, is attached. https://www.fs.usda.gov/mbs

• Suiattle River Trail #784 from its inception at the Suiattle Trailhead within T32N, R12E, S24, extending through T32N R13E, S24, 25, and 36; T32N, R14E, S31; T31N, R14E, S6, 5, and 4; to its terminus at the intersection with the Pacific Crest Trail #2000 in Section 3. (See Exhibit A)
• Miner’s Ridge Trail #785 from its inception at the intersection with the Pacific Crest Trail #2000 within T31N, R14E, S12, extending through T31N, R15E, S7, 8, 5, and 9 to its terminus at the intersection with the Pacific Crest Trail #2000 in T31N, R15E, S10. (See Exhibit A)
• Image Lake Trail #785.1, in T31N, R15E, S5 and S8. (See Exhibit A)
• Miner’s Ridge Lookout Trail #785.3, in T31N, R15E, S7. (See Exhibit A)
• Grassy Point Trail #788 from its inception at the intersection with the Pacific Crest Trail #2000 within T31N, R14E, S28, extending through T31N R14E, S21 to its terminus in T31N, R14E, S26. (See Exhibit A)
• Buck Creek Pass Trail #789 from its inception at the intersection with the Pacific Crest Trail #2000 within T31N, R15E, S15, extending through T31N R15E, S16, ,21, 22, 28, and 27 to the boundary with the Okanagan-Wenatchee National Forest in T31N, R15E, S34. (See Exhibit A)
• Milk Creek Trail #790 from its inception at the intersection with the Suiattle River Trail #784 within T32N, R13E, S25, extending through T32N, R13E, S36; T32N, R14E, S31; T31N, R14E, S6, 7, 18, and 19, to its terminus at the intersection with the Pacific Crest Trail #2000 in T31N, R14E, S20. (See Exhibit A)
• Gamma Way Trail #791 from its inception at the intersection with the Upper Suiattle Trail #798 within T31N, R15E, S19, extending through T31N, R14E, S24 and 25 to its terminus in T31N, R14E, S36. (See Exhibit A)
• Sulphur Mountain Trail #794 from its inception at the Suiattle Trailhead within T32N, R12E, S24, extending through T32N R13E, S24 and T32N, R14E, S30, to its terminus in T32N, R14E, S29. (See Exhibit A)
• Miner’s Cabin Trail #795 from its inception at the intersection with the Miner’s Ridge Trail #785 within T31N, R15E, S7, extending through S8 to its terminus at the Miner’s Ridge Trail #785 in T31N, R15E, S9. (See Exhibit A)
• Canyon Lake Trail #797 from its inception at the intersection with the Miner’s Ridge Trail #785 within T31N, R15E, S8, extending through T31N, R15E, S5 and 4; T32N, R15E, S33 and 28, to its terminus at Canyon Lake in T32N, R15E, S29. (See Exhibit A)
• Upper Suiattle Trail #798 from its inception at the intersection with the Pacific Crest Trail #2000 within T31N, R14E, S13, extending through T31N R15E, S18, 19, 20, and 29 to its terminus in T31N, R15E, S32. (See Exhibit A)
• Pacific Crest Trail #2000 from Mica Lake in T31N, R14E, S19, extending through T31N, R14E, S20, 21, 28, 27, 22, 23, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 3, and 2; T31N, R15E, S18, 17, 16, 15, and 10; to the boundary with the Okanagan-Wenatchee National Forest in T31N, R15E, S11. (See Exhibit A)
• Miner’s Ridge Lookout, located in T31N, R15E, S7. (See Exhibit A)
• Sulphur Creek Campground and Suiattle Trailhead, located within T32N, R12E, S24 (See Exhibit A)

Evacuations: None, there are no homes threatened at this time.

Update: Not much has changed in the last 24 hours. The fires are still creeping and flaking.

Smoke: In Washington, communities closest to active wildfires will continue to observe the greatest smoke impacts. The current Air Quality Alert for Chelan County and Methow Valley remains in place. Air quality will likely be unhealthy on the Colville Reservation due to smoke from the Swawilla and Bridge Creek Fires. Increasing winds from the west starting this evening will clear out lingering haze in the rest of the state. Please continue to recreate responsibly and heed all burn bans..  For more information on smoke and air quality please visit: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/

Air Space Restrictions: There are no air space restrictions at this time.

Campfire Restrictions: The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie will be elevating to a full campfire ban, even in developed campgrounds, starting Wednesday July 24, 2024 to help prevent human-caused starts in this critically dry period. Additional details at: www.fs.usda.gov/mbs

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