‘More closures possible’ for US 2 lasting through winter
Oct 10, 2022, 7:30 AM | Updated: 7:58 am
Fallen tree closing US 2 Sunday Oct. 9 (Photo from WSDOT Twitter)
(Photo from WSDOT Twitter)
US Highway 2 has been opening and closing on and off for the past month in response to the Bolt Creek Fire, as crews work to clear hazardous debris destabilized by the fire.
On Sunday, the highway was closed from mileposts 45 to 50, between the Money Creek Tunnel and the 5th Street Bridge in Skykomish. The closure started shortly before 8:00 a.m.
US 2 reopens after multiple closures over the past month due to Bolt Creek Fire.
Officials say the road may face closures through winter as they continue work in the area.
For those asking:
YES; US 2 is open.
YES; more closures are possible.
YES; we are coordinating with the #BoltCreekFire Incident Command.
YES; we will keep you updated here & on the real-time travel map.
YES; we very much appreciate your patience— WSDOT Traffic (@wsdot_traffic) October 10, 2022
“In a normal year, we have trees fall. Now with fire damage in addition to that, we’re not sure what it’s going to look like. So I would expect to see times where this has to happen again,” said Bolt Creek Fire Operations Section Chief Scott Sorenson to KIRO 7.
Sorenson also said heavy rain is the only way that the northern parts of the fire will be extinguished.
A team of investigators are working to determine what first sparked the fire Sept. 10.
Crews have been working to identify and remove hazards from near the road, including partially burned trees and rocks, which officials are worried that if they are not cleared, they are in danger of falling onto the highway. Hundreds of trees have been removed in the past month.
Wildfire smoke has cleared from most of the Puget Sound region, with much of the area experiencing “good air quality” or “moderate air quality,” though smoke continues to plague the area around Wenatchee National Forest with “unhealthy air quality,” according to the Washington Smoke Blog.
The Bolt Creek Fire is 36% contained and estimated to have burned 13,278 acres as of Monday morning. According to the incident report, officials say the fire is estimated to be contained by Halloween.
KIRO 7 contributed to this report.
