ONP still watching for wildfires
August 19th, 2008 - 6:32am
(Port Angeles) -- Olympic National Park firefighters are actively suppressing 7 small fires in the Deer Park area.
Officials say there were about 50 lightning strikes in the east half of the Park Sunday, causing 11 backcountry fires that were observed during an aerial reconnaissance Monday.
Olympic National Park Assistant Fire Management Officer Todd Rankin says their top priority is fighting the Deer Park blazes that cover an area of about 5 acres, near park boundary.
Deer Park area of the park remains closed until further notice.
Some of the fire activity is on east side of Blue Mountain, near the campground, which was evacuated Sunday and another series of fires in the general vicinity of the trail
between Deer Park and Obstruction Peak, towards Green Mountain.
A couple of fires are also near Deer Ridge and Three Forks to the south of Blue Mountain.
Total of 16 firefighters with three engines are involved in the effort.
Another small fire is visible from the Obstruction Peak area, north of Windfall Peak.
Rankin told KONP last night that most of the fires are isolated and in areas of high elevation.
He says few have already burned out against rocks or green areas.
Most are expected to be extinguished over the next couple of days by a rain storm expected in the Olympics.
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