The McEwan Fire started Tuesday, July 4, 2023, around 2:00 pm and has burned 257 acres of industrial timberland and private land. The fire remains at 0 percent containment. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The fire continues to burn within its current footprint as crews work to re-enforce and secure the control lines.
Control Line vs. Containment Line: A CONTROL LINE is a line between the fire and unburned fuels. Firefighters patrol these lines using them to stop the fire from further spread. Examples of these lines can include, small handlines, a walking trail, grassy or gravel roadways, or a single width dozer line. A CONTAINMENT LINE is identified as a strong boundary line that will hold the fire without continual management by firefighters. These lines are roughly 25 feet or greater and are clear, cold lines with no smoke or burning materials. Examples of these lines can include a two-lane blacktop roadway, black burned-out area that has been cleared and cooled with no unburned fuels, a double width dozer line that has been cleared of all unburned debris.
The Western Washington Type 3 Incident Management Team led by Incident Commander Kent Stanford has management of the fire. There are currently 94 firefighters engaging the McEwan Fire. These crews are working under State Mobilization and have come from all around the state to support this incident.
Evacuations: As of noon, Wednesday, July 5, 2023, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office reduced evacuation zones to LEVEL 2 and LEVEL 1 for surrounding neighborhoods of the McEwan Fire. All shelters closed once residents were allowed to return home.
- LEVEL 2 – BE SET: Rainbow Lake Neighborhood, Little Bear Lane, all of McEwan Drive, John’s Prairie Road from Batstone Cut-Off to Highway 3, Hiawatha Neighborhood
- LEVEL 1 – BE READY: Evergreen Drive, Oak Park
Weather: We are expecting hot, dry temperatures in the mid-80s with some southwest winds 6 to 8 mph. The area may be hazy at times due to smoke from the fire.
Closures: McEwan Prairie Road remains closed to through traffic. This is the primary access for fire crews and apparatus to access and work on fire suppression.
Resources: 125 personnel
Public Safety: Be aware there continues to be heavy fire traffic throughout the community. Please also be aware of the hot and dry conditions in the area and be careful of ignition sources.Additional Information: We have an information hotline setup with updated fire incident information at (360) 427-9670 Ext. 100