KING COUNTY, Wash. – Level 3 mandatory evacuations have been issued for 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 clear out early Saturday morning. Authorities said anyone living from Skykomish to Index, north of Highway 2 is under a Level 3 evacuation, which means “go now.” Around 12:00 p.m., the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) issued Level 3 Alerts from East Eagle Falls and the Grotto areas. People living east of Index in Eagle Falls are under a Level 2 evacuation notice, which means “be prepared to leave immediately.” Just before 9:00 p.m., the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office said Pointer was on a Level 3 “go now” alert. WSDOT said Saturday that US 2 will 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 road is closed to all traffic except residents who must evacuate. These closure points may change depending on the needs of first responders.” Editors note: The Everett Fire Department dispatched a tweet on Saturday saying evacuation notices were mistakenly sent to people’s cell phones throughout Snohomish County away from the area. Many people live in Everett, Snohomish, Bothell, Lake Stevens and Granite Falls accidentally received emergency alerts on their cell phones.
THE BOLT CREEK FIRE
Aerial view of the Bolt Creek Fire (Washington State Department of Natural Resources) The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that a State Mobilization request for the Bolt Creek Fire has been approved, meaning resources across the state are on their way to help extinguish it. At 12:30 the fire exploded over an area of 2,000 acres. Two hours earlier it was estimated that 1,000 acres were burning. The DNR says 300-400 homes are under evacuation notices. Eastside Fire & Rescue crews report assisting 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 in evacuating the area. Anyone needing help is asked to call 911. King County Air Support headed to the fire near Skykomish (Photo: KCSOAirsupport) Around 1:40 p.m., King County Air Support attempted to send helicopters to help fight the fire, but a few hours later announced they had to call off their efforts because the wall of smoke from the fire was too thick to navigate.
CLOSING OF ROADS
“On scene closing US 2. #BoltCreekFire” – WSP Trooper Jacob Kennett WSP officials say State Route 2 is now closed due to the fires, meaning Stevens Pass is now closed from Galena to Index-Galena Rd. to Beckler until further notice. The Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is warning the public to avoid driving around road closures – a reminder they usually do in the winter. “PLEASE do not drive around road closures,” WSDOT said in a Twitter post Saturday. “They are in place for everyone’s safety and doing so can put you and others, including first responders, at unnecessary risk.
FOX 13 SPOKE TO A MAN WHO CAMPED NEAR THE FIRE
Live phone interview with man who was building near the Skykomish fire when it erupted Saturday morning
FOX 13 speaks with Hussain Aleaziz, who camped near the Skykomish fire that exploded in size Saturday morning. FOX 13’s John Hopperstad and Chynna Greene spoke with Hussain Aleaziz, who was camping at the Beckler River Campground in Skykomish when the fire broke out. “It was a bit of a crazy scene this morning,” Aleziz said. “I woke up around 4:45 in the morning and opened my tent and could see a little glow over the ridge across the river. At first, I thought it was sunrise – I was half asleep, so it was a little early for that . About an hour later, I woke up the camp host telling everyone to evacuate. When I opened my tent again, you could see the fire had just spread over the ridge and was moving pretty fast.” FOX 13 asked Hussain if he had made it to safety. “Yeah, I’m at my parents’ house in Bothell right now,” Aleaziz said. “It just started snowing ash as we speak, so it looks like the winds are blowing it that way.”
FOX 13 WEATHER COVERAGE
Wildfire near Skykomish prompts evacuations, road closures
Firefighters and other agencies are battling a fire that broke out early Saturday morning near Skykomish, while people in the area are reportedly being evacuated. For more fire and weather coverage, see the links below: This is a developing story.
