Sen. Drew MacEwen, R-Shelton, and Reps. Dan Griffey, R-Allyn, and Travis Couture, R-Allyn, issued the following statement regarding wildfires burning in the 35th District:
“These three fires remain active: Bear Gulch is now over 3,000 acres with only 3% containment; Hamma Hamma is about 66 acres and is currently 60% contained; and Browns Creek remains smaller at about a dozen acres but under close monitoring.
“All three are confirmed or strongly suspected to be human-caused. While we await details about whether these were accidental or intentional, the fact remains: human-caused wildfires are preventable. That requires us all to be extra vigilant-avoid any open flame, honor fire restrictions, and report anything unusual as soon as you see it.
“Firefighters are working tirelessly, relying heavily on aircraft, sprinklers, remote ignition patrol, and intelligence tools due to steep, hazardous terrain. Poor access makes containment slow, but crews are coordinating across federal and state lines under a unified Incident Management Team.
“In the larger Bear Gulch fire, Level 3 – Go Now — evacuations are in place for the Copper Creek and Staircase Ridge areas. Fire officials are asking boaters to stay off Lake Cushman so scoopers can access the water to fight the fire.
“Please obey evacuation orders, closures, and air quality alerts. Your compliance allows responders to do their jobs safely and effectively.
“We are actively engaged with state and federal agencies to ensure we’re getting every available resource. We are also advocating for the restoration of state and federal capacities to prevent future gaps in wildfire readiness.
“Our community’s strength is resilience paired with clarity. We face these fires not through blame, but through preparedness and unity. We will keep you updated as we learn more.”
You can find the latest information on the fires here.