Smoke from the Sourdough Fire with Diablo Lake in the foreground UPDATE: State Route 20 is closed, effective immediately, beyond Newhalem between Milepost 120 and Milepost 146 due to fire activity. Real-time alerts on road conditions and open/close status can be found here.
The Sourdough Fire is currently 1,710 acres with 0% containment with gradual spread to the north, east and west. A multiagency fire response unit with more than 300 personnel continues to coordinate and implement firefighting and containment efforts with a focus on slowing the fire spread, protecting structures and preserving public safety. Previously, the fire was estimated at nearly 3,000 acres. An adjustment was made after a helicopter-based infrared assessment provided a clearer picture of the fire’s boundaries. Light rain is expected in the area, but with less than a quarter of an inch expected.
Currently, none of City Light’s dams, powerhouses, transmission lines or other critical infrastructure are threatened. The fire did reach within proximity of the town of Diablo, Diablo dam and its powerhouse early in the fire’s activity, but it has since shifted away from the area.
City Light staff continue working to maintain operations and monitor infrastructure so that little to no impacts of the fire will be experienced by customers. Diablo and Ross dams were briefly offline; their transmission lines were de-energized to provide safe access for fire crews and our staff, as well as to safeguard our infrastructure. Diablo dam resumed operations on Tuesday, August 8, and Ross dam is anticipated to return online Wednesday, August 9. Any further operational changes will be made through continuous system evaluation and consultation with the fire group.
“All fires are unpredictable, and we cannot anticipate the path it will take in the future,” said Andrew Strong, Interim Environmental, Engineering, Project Delivery and Generation Officer. “Rest assured, City Light and the Northwest Team 10 fire crews are doing their best to protect and preserve critical infrastructure and equipment from damage.”
In recent days, City Light has assisted the multiagency fire group as it strengthens potential containment areas and conducts fuel-removal operations. Our vegetation management crews are actively cutting and clearing along transmission lines and assisting fire teams as needed. Our staff are supporting fire crews with heavy equipment by clearing roads of debris and rocks and transporting crews to and from fire sites with boats on Diablo and Ross Lakes. On Monday, August 7, we welcomed the Northwest Team 10 unit to Newhalem and Diablo as it assumed leadership of the fire-coordination efforts. City Light is providing the unit with a command center space, some housing and Wi-Fi.
State Route 20 is closed, effective immediately, beyond Newhalem between Milepost 120 and Milepost 146 due to fire activity. Real-time alerts on road conditions and open/close status can be found here.
All Skagit Tours are suspended until further notice. National Park Service (NPS) trail, areas and camp closures are in effect. More information regarding NPS closures can be found here.
For updates on the Sourdough Mountain fire, please visit: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/warlp-sourdough-fire.