Lightning Strikes Thought to be Cause
By Steve Byquist
Update from North Cascades National Park: 11 a.m., 8/2/2018
The Rainbow Falls Fire and the small fire around Blackberry Creek are contained and mopped up. The closure around Rainbow Falls has been lifted and is open to the public and Red Bus Tours.
Update from North Cascades National Park: 3:00 p.m., 7/29/2018
Lightning from the storm last night started a quarter-acre fire above Rainbow Falls and a small fire in the Blackberry Creek drainage above the airstrip. North Cascades National Park Service Complex (NOCA) fire and NPS Helitack crews are actively fighting both fires with personnel and helicopter water-drops. As a safety precaution during firefighting operations, Rainbow Falls road is closed north of the Stehekin Valley Road and red bus tours to the falls themselves are cancelled.
Additionally, smoke is visible from a large fire on US Forest Service land in the Methow Valley District near Cutthroat Pass, north of State Route 20.
Due to the substantial number of overnight lighting strikes, there is still the potential for new fires. If you see smoke, please call NOCA fire dispatch at 360-854-7351.
Fire update: 2:00 p.m., 7/29/2018
The Rainbow Falls Fire is now said to be only 1/4 acre in size and still smoldering after helicopter bucket drops this morning. It is not visible from Buckner Orchard.
The road into Rainbow Falls remains closed for safety reasons. (possible helicopter activity overhead) Another small spot fire was discovered across valley from Rainbow Falls but fire fighters were inserted and it is not visible from the valley floor. Weather remains calm and hot.
Fire update: 11:00 a.m., 7/29/2018
No fire expansion and very little smoke. Observation from Buckner Orchard shows a fire smaller than originally reported. Now estimated to be much less than one acre.
It’s a smoldering fire that looks to be nearly surrounded by rocks and steep cliffs and is located at the very top of Rainbow Falls. The Rainbow Bridge Fire from 2010 burned in the same area so there looks to be limited fire fuels available.
In the mean time, summer Stehekin activity continues with a crowded bakery and usual Sunday morning church services. The valley road remains open.
Fire update: 9:00 a.m., 7/29/2018
As of 9 a.m. there is still no visible flame, and the fire appears to be smoldering in steep, rocky, cliff-like terrain. Smoke is visible, but there appears to be little to no fire expansion. Pump and hose deployment to the Old School continues as a contingency. National Parks Service is ensuring that there are no hikers or campers in the Rainbow Ford or Rainbow Loop campsites.
Initial post, 7:00 a.m., 7/29/2018
A very active lightning and thunder storm hit the Stehekin area at about 8 P.M. Saturday night, July 28, and it was accompanied by very little rain. At least one fire has resulted, and others are likely to be observed over the next several days as there were dozens of lightning strikes.
The fire is currently burning above Rainbow Falls, and was first reported just after one of many lightning strikes. As the National Park Service was responding to the area of the falls, it was reported to have grown to about one acre in size. By 10pm Saturday night, the wind at Stehekin was minimal, and fire growth was mainly downslope. The fire was estimated to have grown to about 2 acres by that time. As of 6 a.m. on Sunday morning, there was no visible flame, just smoldering, and the fire appeared not to spread overnight beyond 2 acres.
The fire will apparently be know as the Rainbow Falls Fire and is in the same area as The Rainbow Bridge Fire that occurred in 2010. Because of the location, darkness, and the very steep terrain, no manpower was deployed to directly work the fire on Saturday night. Ground personnel and potentially air resources will begin working the fire directly on Sunday morning.
The 2010 Rainbow Bridge Fire threatened the Old Stehekin School, along with the “New School” and other structures on that side of the valley. During the 2010 fire, pumps and hoses were installed to protect those facilities and other nearby structures. A similar process to install pumps was again underway as of about 10 P.M. Saturday night. At the same time, crews were beginning to reopen the fire line used in 2010.
This story will be updated as more information is available.
