KING COUNTY, Wash. – Level 3 mandatory evacuations have been issued in areas near Skykomish as firefighters and other agencies battle the Bolt Creek Fire.
FOX 13 spoke to a man who was sleeping in his tent when a campground host woke him up, telling everyone to evacuate early Saturday morning.
Authorities said anyone living from Skykomish to Index, north of Highway 2 is under a level 3 evacuation, meaning ‘go now’. At around 12:00 p.m., the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) issued level 3 notices from east Eagle Falls to the Grotto areas as well. People living east of Index to Eagle Falls are under a level 2 evacuation notice, which means ‘be ready to leave at a moments notice’.
Just before 9:00 p.m., the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office said Index was under a Level 3 ‘go now’ alert.
WSDOT said on Saturday that US 2 would likely remain closed through the weekend: “US 2 Between milepost 31.7 (east of Gold Bar) and 49 (east end of Skykomish) is expected to remain closed through the weekend. The roadway is closed to all traffic except residents who need to evacuate. These closure points may change based on the needs of first responders.”
Editors note: The Everett Fire Department sent out a tweet on Saturday saying that evacuation alerts were accidentally sent to people’s cellphones throughout Snohomish County far from the area. Numerous people living in Everett, Snohomish, Bothell, Lake Stevens and Granite Falls received emergency alerts on their cell phones by mistake.
THE BOLT CREEK FIRE
Aerial view of the Bolt Creek Fire (Washington State Department of Natural Resources)
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that a State Mobilization request has been approved for the Bolt Creek Fire, which means that resources across the state are on their way to help put it out. At 12:30 p.m. the fire exploded to 2,000 acres in size. Two hours earlier it was estimated to be burning 1,000 acres. The DNR says between 300-400 homes are under evacuation notices.
Eastside Fire & Rescue crews reporting to help with the Bolt Creek Fire (Courtesy: EF&R)
According to Washington State Patrol (WSP) Trooper Jacob Kennett, troopers are assisting Snohomish County and King County Sheriff’s deputies with evacuations of the area. Anyone in need of assistance is asked to call 911.
King County Air Support headed to the fire near Skykomish (Photo: KCSOAirsupport)
At around 1:40 p.m., King County Air Support tried sending helicopters to help battle the fire, but a few hours later they announced they had to cancel their efforts, because the wall of smoke from the fire was too thick to navigate through.
ROAD CLOSURES
“On scene of the US 2 closure. #BoltCreekFire” – WSP Trooper Jacob Kennett
WSP officials say State Route 2 is now closed because of the wildfires, meaning Stevens Pass is now closed from Galena from Index-Galena Rd. to Beckler until further notice.
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is warning the public to avoid driving around road closures – a reminder they usually put out in the winter.
“PLEASE don’t go around road closures,” said WSDOT in a Twitter post on Saturday. “They are in place for everyone’s safety and doing so can put you and others, including first responders, in unnecessary risk.
FOX 13 SPOKE TO A MAN WHO WAS CAMPING NEAR THE WILDFIRE
FOX 13’s John Hopperstad and Chynna Greene spoke to Hussain Aleaziz, who was camping in the Beckler River Campground in Skykomish when the fire erupted.
“It was kind…
Read More: Bolt Creek Fire near Skykomish prompts level 3 ‘go now’ evacuations