Monday Update for Loch Katrine Fire  

A type 2 incident management team has taken over command of the Loch Katrine Fire as of today, Monday, October 17th

Resources have been arriving to bolster the crews out on the line and have started to assess the current footprint of the fire area to begin putting plans in place to get around the fires and limit additional spread beyond the perimeters.  

Hot shot crews at the North Bend Ranger Station

The Loch Katrine fire is estimated at 1,225 acres. The fire did show active fire behavior yesterday. Due to the continuation of the unseasonably warm and dry weather, the fire behavior will remain active through the next couple of days.

There was an infrared flight overnight that was able to give a better perimeter map to get more accurate acreage.* The fire is still burning exclusively in private timberland and on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest about 30 miles east of Seattle, WA. 

The fire may be visible from both the I-90 and I-405 highway corridors. The fire is not currently threatening communities or structures as it’s restricted to public and private timber lands.  

 No evacuation is in place for this fire currently.  

Weather: Weather has moderated, and there are not any major wind gusts in the forecast for today. Winds should be light and allow firefighters to gain access.   

Night view of Loch Katrine from Snoqualmie Ridge photo credit: Mike Walker

Smoke: There will be smoke settling in the valleys, and the inversion will keep smoke in town around North Bend. The inversion should be lifted in the afternoon, and the smoke should clear up in town. Due to the inversion lift, there will be a smoke column that would be visible from the interior pockets of fuel continuing to burn. 

Loch Katrine as seen from Snoqualmie Ridge Sunday Photo credit: Calder Productions

Smoke is a potential for some of the valleys while the inversion layer of fog mixes with the smoke. This afternoon when the weather heats up, there is the possibility of a visible smoke column.  

Closures: Forest Road 57 and Sunday Lake Trail #1000 have been closed for public safety concerns near the fire area. 

*The Washington State DNR Wildfire Twitter account reported the fire to be approximately 2300 acres last night

[Information provided by firenet.gov]

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  • Thank you to all who are fighting the fires in Washington State. May God watch over you and keep you safe. To me, you are all what a true HERO is! THANK YOU!!!

  • thjis never happened even 5 years ago , what is really going onis it the fact they are spraying in the air? People are going to get lung cancer from this

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