OLYMPIA – Yesterday’s thunderstorms and associated high winds created increased activity on the Foster Creek Fire. This caused the fire to breach containment lines and grow in size to around 1,180 acres. Aided by a KAMAX helicopter and extended hours into the evening, fire crews were able to hold the fire against a branch of Foster Creek.  A night shift of firefighters reported good progress on containment and holding of the fire; however, there remains considerable heat within the fire line. A dozer will be working at extending containment lines today, and hand crews will be making efforts to extinguish heat within the perimeter of the fire.

A strike team of five Department of Natural Resources (DNR) fire engines and associated crews have arrived on the fire this morning to aid with suppression efforts.  In addition to this, two new ten-person inmate hand crews have been ordered and are scheduled to arrive later today. The suppression efforts on this fire are a combination of DNR personnel, Douglas County Fire District personnel, US Forest Service, Federal Bureau of Land Management, and private contractors.

The public is being asked to use caution when driving on the Mansfield Cutoff or Bridgeport Hill Road, as well as State Highway 17 from milepost 130 through 134 and in the vicinity of the high school. Please slow down in these areas to assist crew bosses with the safe deployment of resources to and from the fire.

Each wildfire is a powerful reminder to be prepared now so your home is not in harm’s way; create defensible space free of shrubs and flammable materials.

DNR’s Wildfire Mission
DNR is responsible for preventing and fighting wildfires on 12.7 million acres of private and state-owned forestland.  DNR is the state’s largest on-call fire department, with hundreds of people trained and available to be dispatched to fires as needed.  During fire season, this includes several hundred DNR employees who have other permanent jobs with the agency, about 300 seasonal workers, and about 500 Department of Corrections’ inmates who participate in the Washington Work Camps Program.  DNR also participates in Washington’s interagency approach to firefighting.

Media Contact: Seth Barnes, Fire Information Officer, 360-219-6389, or seth.barnes@dnr.wa.gov

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