Evacuations ordered as fire grows in Olympic National Park

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The Mason County sheriff’s office ordered people near Olympic National Park to evacuate as the Bear Gulch fire grows.

The human-caused fire was first reported early this month near the park and has since grown to cover 2 square miles on the northern shores of Lake Cushman. It is less than 10% contained.

Anyone near the Dry Creek Trail, along the lake’s westernmost shores should evacuate immediately, the sheriff’s office said on social media. This is called a Level 3 evacuation order.

The area south of dry creek is under a Level 1 order, meaning people in the area should prepare for evacuations and stay tuned for additional information. 

Just days ago, firefighters hustled to protect the popular Staircase area of Olympic National Park. They installed sprinkler systems and wrapped buildings in protective materials. At the same time, helicopters continued to dump thousands of gallons of water on hot spots as they popped up in the area. 

Portions of Forest Service Road 24 in the area remain closed as crews fight the flames.