Management personnel

Nearly a week after the Mount Jupiter wildfire near Hood Canal broke out, firefighters appear to have stalled in containing the blaze. At press time, no injuries or evacuations were reported.

This is largely thanks to the organized response of the Western Washington Type 3 Incident Management Team, local first responders, and extensive community support, all of whom worked together to collect food and supplies and otherwise assist.

By the afternoon of August 20, the fire had already covered 398 acres, the same area as the previous day.

However, the number of first responders and equipment on site has increased during this time.

Norma Brock, spokesperson for the crisis management team, said that as of August 20, 415 personnel and equipment units were deployed to assist in fighting the fire.

On August 19, authorities reported that the fire had expanded to an estimated 398 acres, after reaching an estimated 317 acres on Saturday, August 17, and 322 acres on Sunday, August 18.

The Brinnon Fire Department reported 8% containment from August 18-20 after reporting 0% containment from August 14-17.

Initial reports put the fire at 450 acres, but improved mapping software has revised that estimate downward.

Weather conditions proved to be a double-edged sword: The Brinnon Fire Department posted on social media on August 18 that the overnight storms brought winds in excess of 30 miles per hour and some rain, but less than forecast.

The department’s predictions of increased fire activity proved correct and additional resources were requested.

Brock found that the fire had spread to the surface and the rain did little to slow the fire.

This Sunday, emergency crews were out checking existing firebreaks for fallen trees and other flammable materials that may have crossed the firebreaks or rolled down a slope and thus endangered containment efforts.

Starting Monday, emergency services will focus on maintaining and strengthening security lines around the clock, Brock said.

A fire is considered contained when a control line has been drawn around the fire and no further spread is expected.

Fire safety managers evaluate these control lines daily to determine the percentage of actual fire containment based on current and expected fire behavior.

Since Wednesday, August 14, emergency services have been working non-stop to fight the fire.

Brock said the state’s mobilization allowed additional response teams to arrive from outside the region to help fight the fire.

Brock said a response team typically consists of five bush vehicles, a watercraft and an overhead supervisor who leads the team.

Given the large amount of equipment and vehicles on the roads near the fire scene, Brock asked motorists to be cautious and patient as these larger vehicles take longer to move and come to a complete stop.

Different methods are used to fight bush fires than to fight building fires.

Typically, they would use bulldozers and other equipment and do physical labor to “hand-draw a line around the fire,” Brock said.

This creates bare ground with nothing to burn.

Containment means that the black is cooled down to the pipe, which is monitored and tested.

This can be a lengthy process.

In the case of this fire, both planes and helicopters dropped water to slow the fire.

The 2620 Road fire, as it is also known, broke out around 5 p.m. on August 14 west of Brinnon, north of Duckabush Road on Mount Jupiter. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

As of Thursday, August 15, the fire was estimated to have spread to an area of ​​60 hectares and was continuing to spread, devastating logging and timber and threatening homes.

Crews established perimeters along the southern and eastern flanks of the fire, while resources were allocated to all buildings in the immediate vicinity of the fire to ensure their safety.

Duckabush Road and Mount Jupiter Road remained closed, allowing access only to residents.

As part of the Washington State Fire Services Resource Mobilization Plan, state fire support was mobilized to assist local firefighters in containing the fire.

At the request of Brinnon Fire Chief Tim Manly, Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste authorized the mobilization of state firefighters to the fire at 12:45 p.m. on August 15.

A temporary flight ban remains in place over the fire area.

Brinnon community members who wish to assist with the evacuation of animals if needed have been advised to contact Center Valley Animal Rescue. They have created a list of resources and are coordinating efforts to ensure all animals are safely relocated. Center Valley Animal Rescue can be reached at 360-765-0598.

Donations to feed firefighters and firefighting personnel can be sent via PayPal to [email protected].

The Brinnon Fire Department has withdrawn its previous request for pre-packaged snacks and Gatorade and Powerade powder mixes.

“The community response has been phenomenal, so we’re in a good place to move forward on that front,” Brock said.