Many residents continue to reject evacuation warnings as Bolt Creek Fire threatens homes
Sep 12, 2022, 5:47 PM | Updated: Sep 13, 2022, 9:29 am
(KIRO 7)
(KIRO 7)
Heavy smoke from the Bolt Creek Fire is preventing firefighters from aggressively attacking the flames that are burning out of control between Skykomish and Index. As of Monday morning, the fire has burned approximately 8,000 acres.
Despite this, numerous residents are ignoring the mandatory evacuation orders and are refusing to leave.
“Well, like one guy I talked to said, my home is my castle and I will defend it,” KIRO reporter Nicole Jennings said on the Gee and Ursula Show. “A lot of the people I talked to in Gold Bar yesterday said they lived there their entire lives. One woman said it’s been six decades, so for them, it’s their childhood memories. There’s a lot of history there, it’s a place of comfort, and I can understand that. You don’t want to abandon the place you call home.
‘When it’s your time, it’s your time:’ Gold Bar braces for flight as Bolt Creek fire rages
“At the same time, I can’t understand it because personally, I’m such a worrier,” Jennings continued. “I’m so risk averse that I think as soon as it hit level one, I would be hightailing it out of there.”
Enforcement officers have stated roughly half of the people in the Level 3: Get Out Now Evacuation Zone have not yet left.
Only about 50% of the people asked to evacuate for #boltcreekfire in @SnoCounty have taken that advice. We ask that they reconsider. The fire remains active. We need everybody’s help protecting lives today. Evacuation and shelter info: https://t.co/yBJADscWJG pic.twitter.com/ov36beDL2S
— snocosheriff (@SnoCoSheriff) September 11, 2022
Some of those who did evacuate from the Bolt Creek fire zone returned home anyway today. Evacuees have said they can get through the closed highway to go home, but they must prove they live there as law enforcement remains worried about looters.
“We have evacuated, but we are attempting to go up,” one resident told KIRO Newsradio. “Some friends of ours are up and burrowed in their homes and they said it was okay, they didn’t see flames or smoke, so we’re going to try and just go check out our place and make sure everything’s good.”
About 400 homes are threatened by the flames as of this reporting. Level 3 evacuation orders, meaning residents should leave now, are in place for those north of U.S. 2 Highway.
“My brother’s still up there because that’s basically all he’s got,” Steve, a resident of Burien, said in an interview with KIRO Newsradio. “A lot of folks in Burien are retired, they’ve moved up there to live a nice, peaceful life and that’s all they have, so to leave their property means to give up everything and they just can’t face doing that.”
Steve confirmed the Stevens Pass Motel in Gold Bar, where he’s currently staying, is completely booked with evacuees.
During Level 3 evacuations, Red Cross serving Central and Southeastern Washington has shelters established at schools, churches, or community buildings in safe zones.
An 18-mile stretch of Highway 2 between Gold Bar and Skykomish will remain closed for the foreseeable future due to falling debris. The fire is approximately 2% contained.
While weather has greatly improved in the lowlands, we still have active fires in the area. US 2 remains closed due to Bolt Creek Fire. #wawx https://t.co/HYgQTn4GNn
— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) September 13, 2022
Follow Nicole Jennings on Twitter or email her here.
