US 2 reopens again as Bolt Creek Fire evacuation notices lowered
Sep 30, 2022, 10:19 AM
(Photo from WSDOT)
After re-closing part of US Highway 2 Monday night due to debris from the Bolt Creek Fire, the Washington State Department of Transportation re-opened the road Thursday evening.
There is a reduced speed limit around Skykomish as crews work near the highway to extinguish the fire.
Skykomish businesses staying open amidst Bolt Creek Fire
Before re-opening, crews had to clear debris, put out hot spots and remove burning and hazardous trees.
The Bolt Creek Fire has burned 12,070 acres since it started Sept. 10 and is now 28% contained.
Evacuation notices were issued when the fire went from 96% contained to just 7% contained last Sunday.
Now all those evacuations have been reduced to Level 1 — get ready — as firefighters continue to extinguish the fire.
A complete list of evacuation orders can be found on the Snohomish County website.
UPDATE on #boltcreekfire
ALL evacuations for the Bolt Creek Fire have been reduced to Level 1.
HWY 2 has also re-opened from MP 46 – MP 50 with reduced speed limits. @wsdot_traffic will provide updates should this change.
For all other updates, visit: https://t.co/kJhYqPQyrr https://t.co/PFR4W83k3q pic.twitter.com/sTkk90xZsG
— King County Sheriff’s Office PIO (@kingcosoPIO) September 30, 2022
“Two days of moderated fire conditions contributed to mostly minimal fire spread from Wednesday through Thursday night, though the fire has continued to burn up to containment lines on the west, south, and east edges of the fire,” Washington State Department of Natural Resources said in their daily update.
More than 150 personnel are working on getting the fire contained, according to the Incident Information System updated Friday morning.
Temperatures in the 60s and 70s, along with 38-58% humidity have helped firefighters control the fire.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated.