Sourdough Fire stagnates with cooler weather

WHATCOM COUNTY , Wash. — The Sourdough fire in the Ross National Recreation area has had minimal growth with the arrival of cooler temperatures and light rain.

The fire remains at 6,234 acres with 25% containment.

Park officials have reopened some trails, and camps including Diablo and Gorge overlooks, East Bank, and Thunder Knob trails. All trail access south of State Route 20 is also open.

Ross Lake and other area, trail, and camp closures remain in effect.

The Sourdough Fire started July 29th from a lightning strike. State Route 20 has been closed multiple times in the weeks crews have worked to mitigate the fire.

The Sourdough Fire was initially a concern for Seattle City Light because of its proximity to infrastructure for three Skagit River dams that supply 20-30% of power to Seattle City Light Customers. However, that danger has passed.

Seattle City Light assisted in firefighting efforts by offering space for fire agencies to set up command centers, using heavy machinery to clear debris, and offering boat access for crews to travel around Diablo and Ross lakes.

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