GLENWOOD, Wash. — Heavy west winds pushed the Cougar Creek Fire on the south side of Mount Adams through dense stands of bug-killed trees on Friday, increasing the acreage to 21,800.
The Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office has advised residents north of Glenwood to be ready to evacuate.
Lightning started the fire on Monday. It is about 6 miles northwest of Glenwood burning on state and federal forest lands plus the Yakama Indian Reservation.
The Washington National Guard send two Blackhawk helicopters to assist on Friday. Another 100 National Guard ground forces will arrive on Sunday to help.
Firefighters are focused on the south and east edges of the blaze to protect structures, private lands and timber.
The South Climb route up Mount Adams, plus all other trails south and east of Gifford Pinchot National Forest road No. 23 at Williams Mine to the eastern boundary are closed.
The closure includes Pinchot roads Nos. 80 and 82.
The Glenwood Block managed by the state Department of Natural Resources is closed as is Tract D of the Yakama Indian Nation.
Alder Lake Fire — The Gifford Pinchot National Forest on Saturday reported a second fire, this one about 25 acres and just south of Alder Lake near Elbe.
Started by lightning, the fire is burning in timber on extremely steep terrain. Helicopters are dropping buckets of water, but the area is unsafe and inaccessible for firefighters.
A wildfire management team with approximately 40 firefighters and other personnel are assigned to the fire. There is no estimate of containment or control.
