Approximate Location
Incident Overview
The Rainbow Bridge Fire began on July 29, 2010 about 4:45 PM and is located within the Lake Chelan National Recreational Area of the North Cascades National Park Complex near Stehekin,WA. The fire began from a lightning strike near Rainbow Bridge camp on the Rainbow LoopTrail and burned in the Rainbow, Boulder and Little Boulder drainages.
Fire activity on the Rainbow Creek Fire has remained low over the past ten days with little measureable growth and is now being managed by a Type 5 local National Park Service organization. The North Cascades National Park Wildland Fire Crew will continue to carefully monitor the fire activity and perimeter and perform mop up operations if necessary. All other resources previously assigned to the fire have been released. Some fire activity may continue within the fire perimeter until the end of the fire season and significant rain falls.
Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team is currently assessing post fire watershed conditions in areas affected by the Rainbow Bridge Fire. Specifically this team is evaluating the risks to life, property and natural and cultural resources below the watersheds between Rainbow Creek and Little Boulder Creek. The team will prescribe immediate mitigating measures or treatments and seek funding to alleviate any estimated risks.
North Cascades National Park has reopened the Rainbow Lake Trail for its entire length and the Rainbow Creek Trail from McAlester Pass to Bench Creek Camp. Bench Creek, Bowan and Rainbow Meadows Camps have also reopened. These areas were not directly affected by the Rainbow Bridge Fire and the threat of fire impacting these trails has significantly decreased.
The Rainbow Loop Trail, Boulder Creek Trail and Rainbow Creek Trail from the junction with the Rainbow Loop Trail to Bench Creek Camp remain closed. These trails are closed due to trail impacts, hazardous trees or remaining potential for fire activity.
The reopening of these trails allows hikers to complete the McAlester Lake-Rainbow Lake loop beginning from the Bridge Creek Trailhead on Highway 20. These trails still cannot be accessed from Stehekin.
Overall life in Stehekin has returned to normal and all activities and services to and from Stehekin are open and on schedule. This is the final updates on the Rainbow Bridge Fire unless new information arises or conditions change.
For further fire information please call 360-854-7365, extension 13.
Basic Information
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
|---|---|
| Cause | Lighting |
| Date of Origin | Thursday July 29th, 2010 approx. 02:00 PM |
| Location | 2.5 miles up valley from Stehekin Landing |
| Incident Commander | Michael Koenen |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 4 |
|---|---|
| Size | 3,635 acres |
| Percent Contained | 30% |
| Fuels Involved | Grass, brush, thick timber, scattered dead standing and down material |
| Fire Behavior | There is currently little fire activity due to favorable weather conditions. |
| Significant Events | Community briefing took place at the Stehekin Community Center on August 4th at 9am. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Type 5 NPS Team is managing. Fire fighters are monitoring the fire perimeter and mopping up as needed. |
|---|---|
| Growth Potential | Moderate |
| Terrain Difficulty | Extreme |
| Remarks | Trail closures: Boulder Creek Trail Rainbow Loop Trail Rainbow Creek Trail: from the junction with the Rainbow Loop Trail to Bench Creek Camp Camps located within the trail closures are also closed, including Reynolds, Rennie Creek, Hooter, Rainbow Bridge, and Rainbow Ford. Lakeshore Trail: trail impassable to stock from Hazard Creek to Four Mile Creek due to debris flows, but is passable for hikers. |
Current Weather
| Temperature | 85 degrees |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 35% |
