One of our favorite places to travel to, is small-town feel Ellensburg located in the eastern portion of the State where we often hang out in a nearby location to watch to see if WA DNR’s rotors are flying or outside their quarters to be captured in time.
Credit: City of Ellensburg
However, today, we are home safe and away from all of the chaotic snow mountainous activities. We would love to go up there but since passes are somewhat still closed – we will just wait until the coast is clear.
Here is what is happening in Ellensburg, located in Kittitas County, Washington.
SNOW OPERATIONS
The City is currently clearing massive amounts of unprecedented piles of snow berms, roadways, and from sidewalks. Graders, front-end loaders, and other pieces of equipment have been seen around town. Employees are working around the clock to clear snow as quickly as possible.
Crews will finish snow removal operations early next week.
Credit: City of Ellensburg
The City would like to remind drivers:
“If a road looks like it’s not accessible or hasn’t been plowed yet, avoid driving on it if possible. The large snow berms in the middle of the streets will eventually get picked up. Emergency services are still online. Please call 911 for emergencies. Stay off the roads if you can.” – City of Ellensburg
TRANSIT OPERATIONS
On Friday, January 7th, the Central Transit (bus service) had suspended all services. The City and HopeSource were working together to clear all bus stops and shelters cleared of snow, so the service could resume on Saturday.
Credit: CWU Emergency Management
LOCAL ECONOMY STUCK
Truck drivers trying to move freight have found themselves stuck in Ellensburg due to snow and road closures.
They have been stuck in the last three to five days and will get their opportunity at moving once again as Snoqualmie Pass has been reopened this evening at 1700 hours. They are considered priority traffic to help get the economy moving again.
DISASTER ASSISTANCE
Was your home damaged by snow and ice? Check out FEMA’s Disaster Assistance by either 1) going online, 2) go to the FEMA app or 3) call FEMA for assistance. Here is a PSA flyer for further assistance.
OPENED on 1/9/2022 at 1700 hours – Freight traffic will be Priority
Blewett Pass was reopened on Sunday at 1700 hours, with drivers required to reduce their speeds down to the minimum of 45-mph. Traction tires are advised. Lanes and shoulders are narrow.
WSDOT stated freight was the priority to get moving while encouraging all other recreational vehicles and general traffic should continue to delay their traveling.
SNOQUALMIE PASS
OPENED on 1/9/2022 at 1700 hours – Freight traffic will be Priority
After the pass has been closed for almost four days, the WSDOT reopened the roadway at 1700 hours today, which is great news for the freight operators. However, speeds have been reduced down to 45-mph with traction tires advised.
Snoqualmie Pass
The traveling public is strongly encouraged to DELAY their travels until roads are more cleared. Officials say they are allowing freight/cargo trucks as a priority to help get the economy moving again.
WSDOT officials are asking drivers to sloooooow down and try not to be INDY 500 drivers because due to narrow roadways and shoulders, you and everyone else is going to be stuck up there until help can reach you during your time of need.
Just imagine yourself being stuck inside the 99 Tunnel in Seattle, where the lanes are narrow and the shoulders are very narrow. Yikes!
STEVENS PASS
CLOSED until Wednesday
The WSDOT updated the reopening schedules for all four passes, but this one still remains closed until Wednesday.
There are still mounds of snow, they are working to clear while continuing to prepare to work around the clock another day.
Credit: Stevens Pass
Stevens Pass began to have challenges as early as January 6th, when snow began to fall, forcing the closure of Highway 2. As of this afternoon, the pass is still suffering from continued roadway closures and power outages, therefore, closing the ski area until at least Tuesday, January 11, 2022.
WHITE PASS
CLOSEDuntil Monday Afternoon
White Pass snow clearing operations
Officials state White Pass is due to reopen late Monday afternoon as crews continue to clear heavy and deep snow from roadways.
Photo Credits | All photos in this post are not ours and we do not lay claim to them. Photo Credits: WSDOT, WSDOT-Snoqualmie Pass, Stevens Pass, and Blewett Pass, unless otherwise noted.
WASHINGTON STATE — As of Sunday early afternoon, Washington mountain passes were still closed even after WSDOT workers have been working around the clock to clear many feet of snow. Here is an update of the current situation on our roadways around the State.
BLEWETT PASS
WSDOT released a statement around 1315 hours PT on Sunday afternoon, that Blewett Pass is slated to be reopened later this afternoon but no ETA was given.
This is great news for freight companies and travelers!
SNOQUALIMIE PASS
Snoqualmie Pass
As of 1255 hours PT, the WSDOT states their main goal today is to get the pass reopened but they are still working to clear massive amounts of deep snow from sides of the freeway and roadways. They don’t have ETA as to when that will occur and they are asking drivers not to wait by gates for another update
STEVENS PASS
Stevens Pass
Stevens Pass WSDOT workers continue to try to clear out the deep snow that remains on roadways and are working through several additional challenges as well. In addition to trying to plow off snow, they are working to resolve their power and cell phone outages a slab of four inches of ice on top of cleared lanes.
They are bringing in extra equipment to knock down the slides before they can start clearing off the rest of the snow. They have been working tirelessly for the last several days.
An update by Officials says Stevens Pass and nearby Tumwater Canyon will likely not reopen before Wednesday of this week. Ice is about four inches thick on Stevens Pass with snow slides 60-70 feet high!
WHITE PASS
White Pass snow clearing operations
Officials state White Pass is due to reopen late Monday afternoon as crews continue to clear heavy and deep snow from roadways.
Photo Credits | All photos in this post are not ours and we do not lay claim to them. Photo Credits: WSDOT, WSDOT-Snoqualmie Pass, Stevens Pass, and Blewett Pass.
WASHINGTON STATE — Us locals would hear all the time how about how much is rains in Seattle and not to go there because of too much rain. We would respond, we don’t melt, we rust.
Credit: NOAA
Unfortunately, it has all come to light as the truth but not just in Seattle, but everywhere in Washington. First, it was the snow and now the rain. It is way too much of a good thing for our roadways, ground, and other areas where flooding is now the new trend.
Here is a recap of what has been happening and what areas, hillsides, and roadways are currently impacted. Tips by local agencies are also included in this post.
DISASTER ASSISTANCE | 3 Ways to Apply for Disaster Aid | Online, DisassterAssistance.gov, FEMA App by downloading the free app and/or Call 800-621-3362 (FEMA)or TTY 800-462-7585. – FEMA Region 10
LEWIS COUNTY
Chehalis
A portion of I-5 was closed on Friday at the exit of 77 near Chehalis due to the Chehalis River overflowing its banks and reaching the freeway.
Credit: WSDOT
As you can see in the image (left) most of the lanes on the right side of the image are blocked and this is very dangerous, so WSDOT officials had no choice but to close the roadway to protect motorists.
The National Guard and US Army Corps of Engineers put together free sandbags for residents in Chehalis and Centralia on January 7th.
Would you be able to recognize a hillside, which may be ready to slide at any minute? Do you have an emergency preparedness kit and evacuation plan? How about recognizing the risks to your home, property, or valued assets? Here are some tips on what can help you with recognizing if you, your family, and your home are in the danger zone and how to mitigate the risks.
If you suspect active landslide movement, evacuate and contact your local fire, police, emergency manager, or public works department.
The Yard Birds Mall located in Chehalis was closed on January 7th, due to store owners could not get into the parking lot safely due to area flooding.
GRAYS HARBOR COUNTY
City of Cosmopolis
One resident in this small town is said to have been inside his vehicle, about 100 yards from his driveway was swept away by strong moving floodwaters and quickly submerged into deep water, according to the Sheriff’s Department. When waters receded, his vehicle was pulled from the water and the driver was pronounced as deceased. Firefighters from Grays Harbor Fire District 15 and the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident on Saturday, January 8th at 0900 hours.
Note: Firefighters with the Cosmopolis VFD are no longer providing fire suppression, EMS, and HAZMAT services due to a dispute with their current city mayor, resulting in the last 12 volunteer firefighters resigning their positions on December 31, 2021. The City Mayor declared an emergency proclamation and is currently contracting with outside agencies for services to its residents.
Ocean Shores
On Saturday, just before 0800 hours PT, SR109 was closed due to standing water north of Ocean Shores in Grays Harbor County.
KING COUNTY
Credit: KCFD2
Burien
King County Fire District #2 were on the scene on Friday of a landslide at SW 175th and in the 2100 block of Sylvester Road SW, which blocked both directions of the roadway on Friday, January 7th.
South Park
Flooding occurred in the South Park area on January 7th, prompting multiple streets to be closed.
Credit: WSDOT
THURSTON COUNTY
Near Rochester
Just after 1420 hours on Saturday, WSDOT Tacoma Maintenance workers and local fire agencies in the area were reporting vehicles and semis on I-5 NB at the Lewis County Line and I-5 SB at Maytown instead of using US 12 near Rochester as getting stuck and unable to turnaround. US 12 is closed at Moon Road and WSP requests you use alternate routes. They are urging drivers not to go around road closures and barricade signage.
SNOHOMISH COUNTY
Reiter Foothills State Park
WA DNR closed the popular Reiter Foothills State Park in the County of all rec park users due to snow and ice. Officials said the parking areas were inaccessible and the county road is impassable at this time.
The park was closed on Friday, January 7, 2022.
Reiter Foothills State Forest
Capitol State Forest
WA DNR also closed the A-line entrance to Capitol State Forest at the Straddleline ORV Park Entrance/A just off of SR8 due to road damage caused by flooding. The area is accessible via the Rock Candy Trailhead entrance.
WHATCOM COUNTY
Forecasted King Tides along with wind, melting snow and continued heavy rain arrived higher than expectations and caused area flooding. Roads were closed while others had “water over roadways” signage alerting drivers were seen in impacted areas. on Friday.
Credit: Whatcom County
WASHINGTON STATE LANDSLIDE HISTORY
North Fork Stillaguamish River, Snohomish County.
March 2014: SR530, OSO. 262 acres of landslide and debris at the North Fork Stillaguamish River in Snohomish County. 43 deaths, partially dammed river, destroyed 49 homes. Cut off access for nearly two months. Estimated property loss and damage at over $80,000,000.
2006: Hazel Landslide. OSO. 1,000 feet long and 1,000 feet wide with approximately 2 million yards of volume which would partially dam the river. No fatalities. The same thing occurred but was less significant and with the same name for the landslide but this occurred in 1988.
WASHINGTON STATE — Mountain Passes around the State are still struggling with too much of a good thing and crews are working tirelessly to clear all the feet of snow. Here is a recap of what has been happening in the last 24 hours.
BLEWETT PASS
Avalanche Specialists and crews mitigated hazards on the pass recently, when they successfully performed avalanche control operations by using artillery or explosives to trigger a snow slide.
According to their website, Avalanche Explosive Experts used various delivery methods to reach the intended target area(s) to place explosives, which some e of these techniques used would include placing by hand, using cable-pully bomb trams, or with surplus military weapons.
The WSDOT state they also use passive control methods to manage snow slides to include elevated roadways so avalanches pass under them and into basins to halt the avalanche before snow reaches the highway. Additionally, diversion dams and snow berms to keep the snow off the highway are also used as prevention methods.
Another plow from the Davenport area along with crews has also been dispatched to this pass to assist with snow clearing operations. Officials are hoping this Pass will reopen on Sunday but won’t have a clear definitive answer until they conduct a reassessment late Sunday morning.
SNOQUALMIE PASS
Snoqualmie Pass.
WSDOT maintenance crews are currently using plows, blowers, and graders to clear snow to ensure hillsides are safe and stable from avalanche hazards. Additionally, they are busy clearing catch basins to enable melting snow and rain to drain properly.
Fact | As of January 7th, the Pass had received 12 inches of snowfall with a total season amount of 286 inches, which has surpassed its 5-year season average to date at 148.2 inches!
WSDOT officials say their Spokane shop’s tow plow, the Plowie McPlow Plow has been temporarily moved to this pass to assist with plow operations.
Plowie McPlow Plow crews from Spokane and Davenport.
Fact | US 2 Tumwater Canyon, east of the Pass impacts Stevens from opening has had 208 snow slides in the Canyon, which is about 25 slides per mile!
The pass is hopefully on schedule and to be reopened on Sunday but officials won’t know until late morning when they do a reassessment of current conditions.
Officials due to the extremely hazardous conditions, Stevens Pass are saying this stretch of roadway is most likely not due to reopen until Tuesday of next week. Crews continue to work and reassess conditions often.
Snoqualmie Pass is located in both King County and Kittitas County and is a mountain pass, in which I-90 through the Cascade Range, and its summit is at the elevation of 3,015 feet. The area is said to have a population of 366 but with it being closed, it could have a higher occupation due to stranged motorists, truckers, and skiers, alike.
STEVENS PASS
Stevens Pass.
Stevens Pass has had several snow slides with new depths upwardly to 30-35 feet in some places.
Fact | The WSDOT stated some blower cuts were 16 feet deep!
One lane has been opened to allow crews to access avalanche control and clearing of snow. Due to high stacks of snow, Officials are looking at possibly using a helicopter on Monday to help mitigate hazards that have built up.
Blowering cutting through all that white stuff.
Power is currently out (as of 1500 hours) and hard-working crews worked their magic to dig out one of their generators.
Fact | Stevens Pass was named after John Frank Stevens, the first non-indigenous person to discover the area.
Due to special permission and approval by safety officials, a Chelan County PUD worker was allowed in the impact to start making repairs but crew members are said to be communicating by radio for a while. This is one way of dealing with the snow incidents all over the state and they are well-prepared.
Stevens Pass is a mountain pass that carries motorists on Highway 2 through the Cascade Mountains at the border of King and Chelan Counties. The max elevation is 5,845 feet.
Co. PUD worker begins repairs on power outage on Stevens Pass.
WHITE PASS
Another Pass is closed not from avalanche threats but due to heavy loads of snow and debris, as well as trees, rocks, and other debris which has fallen onto the roadway.
Fact | White Pass is about 12 miles southeast of Mt. Rainier National Park at the summit, a national scenic byway.
Crews have been busy trying to clear roadways as quickly as possible but Officials say even though an excavator has been brought in to assist, this Pass is due to not be opened until Monday of next week. Another Sunday update will be released after an assessment has been completed.
At this time of this update released, crews were able to gain access to a now stabilized roadway on SR971 near Chelan which was considered unstable and has 10-plus feet of now. With so much snow, an ETA to reopen this road to drivers is unknown.
White Pass is also known a the Dead Horse Trail with an elevation of 4,500 feet, is a mountain pass in the Cascade Range of Washington, southeast of Mount Rainier and north of Goat Rocks. The Pass is on Highway 12 which if you head over the pass, will connect you with Yakima County on the east side with Lewis County. The Pass is also home to the White Pass Ski Area, which is located approximately 53 miles west of Yakima and 54 miles east of Morton.
Photo Credits | All photos in this post are not ours and we do not lay claim to them. Photo Credits: WSDOT, WSDOT-Snoqualmie Pass, Stevens Pass, and Blewett Pass.
Back in the day before we were officially the NW Fire Blog, we were former volunteer Fire REHAB members with the Seattle Fire Buff Society, which provides rehydration and replenishment sources back to fire personnel, which are on long duration incidents.
We shared this photo on our Facebook page in 2016, as a remembrance for some of the great days helping firefighters and personnel with firefighters REHAB during long incidents, including house and commercial structure fires, gas leak calls, HAZMAT scenes, Confined Spaces, and other types of calls.
We interfaced with Seattle, Northshore, Shoreline, Bothell, Bellevue and a few times with the Everett Fire Departments. We have met some really great people along the way and made lifelong friendships. Though we are no longer with the organization, it still continues to evolve even to this day providing the same services to the Seattle Fire Department.
As a member in 2008, we had the rare and amazing opportunity to visit the Fire Training Center in North Bend, Washington (WA), as the organization was host to the International Fire Buff Association conference being held in Seattle.
Watching fire crews train and watch their egress skills in action first, then being invited to do a ride-a-long in an Osh Kosh while responding to an aircraft fire drill, was the best day ever. Was the best day as a fire photographer who could wish for and one lifetime moment never to be forgotten.
More respect to firefighters on that day was given.
To those who were there that day to make this moment happen and to those who do this every day, THANK YOU, you are greatly appreciated.
WASHINGTON — The South Thurston Fire and Rescue agency is hiring and they are looking to establish a list for LT/EMT and a part-time FF/EMT. Are you the one they are looking for?
Check out their website for what is required, deadlines, and other details here: souththurstonfire.org. Their phone number is 360-264-4116 and their mailing address is PO Box 4010, Tenino, WA 98589.
About the South Thurston Fire & EMS
The South Thurston Fire & EMS, created in 2017, from the merger of Thurston County Fire Districts #12 and #16, serves the City of Tenino and surrounding communities, Gibson Valley, Skookumchuck, and Violet Prairie. The area is about 76-square miles, which is mostly made up of rural homes, farmland, and forest. Additionally, the agency protects an 11,000-acre water reservoir for the nearby Bonneville Power Administration regional high voltage distribution systems’ power plant.
In 2018, the population was at about 8,995. As of this year, the call volume has reached an all-time high of 1,429. In 2020, the total calls were 1,097 and in 2019, total calls were 1,167.
There are four Fire Stations:
FS 41 – HQ. Located at 187 Hodgden Street, Tenino has Paid and Volunteer personnel, Admin staff, Offices, meeting room, day room/kitchen and sleeping quarters.
FS 42 – Gibson Valley. This station is located at 21249 Bucoda Hwy SE, Centralia. is staffed by volunteer personnel and is home to a classroom and office.
FS 43 – Violet Prairie. This station is located at 17134 Old Hwy 99 SE in Tenino is staffed by volunteer personnel.
FS 44 – Skookumchuck. This volunteer staffed station is located at 5405 Skokkumchuck Road SE in Tenino.
According to the City’s website, their current staffing levels include A shift with one 1 LT/EMT and 1 FF/EMT. B shift also has a FF/EMT and currently has a temporary FF/EMT. There are 28 volunteer firefighters with one Chief Officer, one Office Manager, and an Emergency Vehicle Mechanic on board.
This year, voters approved a 2021 Bond Measure – Prop 1 which asked its residents to approve the bond measure at the rate of $0.37 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The bond is for a duration of 20 years which amounts to a total of $5.7 Million Dollars.
What does this mean for the Tenino citizens?
The funds will be distributed to replace their original Fire Station 41, their headquarters located downtown which is a 7,400-square foot building that was built in 1961 and has gone through some reno projects over the last 50 years. The building’s usage has outgrown its original intended purpose, so fire personnel is using a house across from the station that is even older than HQ. The district plans on building a 17,000-square foot facility with 6 individual bedrooms and a 1,500-square foot public use area and training room. The Department is also looking to add 24-hour shift personnel to Station 42.
Their second item on the agenda is to replace aging fire apparatus. Their newest ambulance is a 2008 model year and was acquired as a surplus unit from Thurston County Medic One program. Slowing over the years, they have managed to replace slowly as their needs have been growing.
The last item but not least is to replace equipment such as PPE and other non-compliant equipment. Per the Department, they state the NFPA states that PPE gear is only serviceable for 10 years and after the pull date, it is supposed to be removed from service and replaced.
To learn more on how you can help this Agency, by going to their website at https:/www.souththurstonfire.org/
PIERCE COUNTY, WASHINGTON — At 1050 hours PT this morning, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office was notified of an avalanche in Silver Basin on Crystal Mountain’s backcountry area, where six skiers were pulled from underneath the avalanche.
All were pulled from the snow and their conditions were unknown. However, there was one fatality reported.
Crystal Mountain is one of Washington State’s biggest resorts with 2,600 acres of snow-covered terrain. They had a late start and added some natural snow to the ground until the real stuff began falling from the big sky.
Shot this morning on GoPro – Credit: Vivika Stamolis
The Resort is now reporting snow piling up and winds are coming in strong.
The Mt. Rainier Gondola was not operating today due to winds reaching a whopping 100-mph at the summit. Isn’t that the same for a tornado? Crazy.
WASHINGTON, OREGON — Happy Saturday, everyone. This is fire news from around the northwest and what’s happening in each of your communities. Stay safe and thank you for reading our post. We appreciate you!
BELLEVUE FIRE DEPARTMENT (WA)
Credit | BFD
Structure Fire | On the morning of December 9th, there was a large resource response dispatched to a fire in a condo building in the Eastgate area. Firefighters say it was a challenging fire due to extreme heat and low visibility fire conditions. They were able to successfully bring the fire under control in less than 35 minutes. The American Red Cross helped an unknown number of displaced residents. All of the occupants had evacuated from the building safely. No word on the cause of the fire, as it was still under investigation at the time of this post.
EAST JEFFERSON FIRE RESCUE (WA)
New EMTs | Four new EJFR graduates from the Jefferson County 2021-2 EMT school. The Fire Department states students will spend nearly 200 hours of training before taking their written and practical exams before starting on their journey of becoming career firefighters.
EAST PIERCE FIRE & RESCUE (WA)
Credit | EPFR
Coats to Local Kids | Firefighters take part in annual local community events that benefit kids and people, alike. Currently, EPFR firefighters have launched their Coats-4-Kids Drive, which began on December 7th with firefighters fitting coats at both Emerald Hills Elementary and Crestwood Elementary schools. By December 16th, firefighters will have outfitted about 200 kids with warm coats in about 10 schools throughout the District. You can help with Operation Warmy by donating, so First Responders can buy more warm coats for kids, by visiting their site at https://bit.ly/3pEkjEW.
SOUTH PIERCE FIRE & RESCUE (WA)
Santa’s Route | Santa has added an additional stop on his route in the agency’s service district, Eatonville on December 14, 2021 from 1700 hours to 2100 hours PT. Santa will be escorted by SPFR firefighters throughout the area. The map below with the route marked in RED shows his path through the City.
Credit | SPFR
TACOMA FIRE DEPARTMENT (WA)
Credit | TFD
Training Buildings | TFD Firefighters are using the old Fawcett Elementary to conduct fire and rescue training. The training involves building searches, activating fire alarms, and mock fire call responses. The existing Fawcett building will be demolished next year, with the construction of the new school slated from 2022 to 2023. Fawcett staff and students will use the former McKinley campus for the next two school years, during the construction of their new school.
TUALATIN VALLEY FIRE AND RESCUE (OR)
Credit | TVFR
New Additions | TVFR added eight new members to the agency who will begin their journey through the Medic program this month. This will be Paramedic Recruit Academy 21-01.
VALLEY FIREFIGHTERS (WA)
Credit | Valley Professional FF IAFF 1352
Toys For Kids Program | The Valley Professional Fire Fighters, IAFF Local 1352 need your help! Firefighters are investing in their community’s local children who need your help this Holiday Season. Firefighters support approximately 1,000 local children in their community and they are asking for donations, so they can provide gifts to them. These gifts will benefit the families in the Algona, Auburn and Pacific areas.
KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON — Firefighters were dispatched to an early morning blaze on Saturday, December 11, 2021, to the 1300 block of West Newton Street, Seattle, Washington at 0048 hours PT.
Credit | SFD
Units dispatched to the scene were A5, AIR10, B2, B4, DEP1, E18, E2, E20, E41, E8, L4, L6, L8, M18, M44, MAR5, REHAB1, SAFT2, STAF10. A second alarm was requested at 0147 hours PT, bringing an additional three resources.
Significant events occurred during this fire operation.
Scaffolding on Floor 2 wobbling caused a hazard for all firefighters working on the fire ground, which prompted Command to set a Collapse zone.
Collapse zone was 1.5 times of the building height then reduced.
Fire began spreading throughout the building then through the roof.
Windows had to be broken out by crews to get water on the fire.
A second alarm during the incident.
A ladder pipe began operating around 0224 hours PT. (on the Alpha/Bravo side).
A metro bus was requested for Firefighter rehab.
Fire was wind-driven with winds coming out of the South, would then die down.
The incident clock was stopped at 0154 hours PT.
PAR was conducted and all members were accounted for.
Fire building – Was being fought as a defensive fire with no entry. 360* completed and collapse zone.
Firefighters were finding that this fire would be burning slowly for quite some time. This is due to be a long-duration incident. You can check our tweets on our *Live Coverage* on our Twitter page @nwfireblog Check back for more updates on this incident.
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