On July 6, a human-caused fire was reported in Olympic National Forest near the Mt. Rose Trailhead along the Lake Cushman Corridor (FS-24). The fire – named the Bear Gulch Fire – is burning on a steep, rocky slope north of Lake Cushman and southeast of the Staircase area of Olympic National Park. The fire is approximately 200 acres. There are no current threats to structures or nearby communities.
Due to the steep and rocky terrain, aviation resources offer the safest and most effective methods for suppressing the fire. Scoopers and helicopters have used water from Lake Cushman to mitigate the spread. Two twenty-person handcrews and four interagency engines are responding to accessible areas near FS-24 and the lower ends of the fire. A Type 3 Incident Management Team and additional crews will join the effort tomorrow.
The following recreation sites are inaccessible:
- Staircase Area and Campground
- Bear Gulch Day Use Area
- Rose Trailhead
- Dry Creek Trailhead
- Copper Creek Trailhead
Public and firefighter safety remains the top priority. To support this effort, visitors are being asked to avoid the Lake Cushman and Staircase areas.
Due to ongoing efforts to contain the Bear Gulch Fire, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office is assisting with aerial fire suppression operations on Lake Cushman.
Boaters: Please keep the northwest section of the lake (see red-marked area on map) CLEAR at all times. This zone is being actively used by firefighting aircraft for scooping and landing.
All boaters are asked to follow standard boating navigation: counterclockwise travel around the lake, staying closer to the shoreline and keeping the center of the lake clear for aircraft operations.
MCSO Marine Unit will be patrolling the area to ensure safety for both the public and firefighting crews.