Lightning fire burning in Gifford Pinchot National Forest’s Cowlitz Valley Ranger District

VANCOUVER, WA – Lightning storms from last Monday evening triggered at least three wildland fires in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Two of the lightning fires have been contained at less than one acre. The Langille Fire in the Cowlitz Valley Ranger District is estimated to be six acres as of Wednesday afternoon.

The fire is burning in high elevation fir stands in steep terrain along a ridgeline approximately one half mile south of McCoy Peak.

Fire fighters are on the lookout for any holdover fires from this week’s lightning storm.

Due to the fire, the Langille Ridge Trail and Rough Trail have been closed.

“With the hard work of initial attack crews, we are making good progress on the recent lightning fires,” said Deb Roy, Fire Management Officer for the Gifford Pinchot and Mt. Hood National Forests. “We are experiencing hot and dry conditions with the potential for more lightning in the Cascade Mountains so we are asking people to be extra careful and check for any fire restrictions before camping or visiting the forest.”

With continuing windy and dry conditions and recurring lightning, wildland fire danger in the Pacific Northwest remains very high. During the last several weeks, the Gifford Pinchot National Forest has received little to no

precipitation. Warming weather trends, and ongoing personnel and equipment support of wildfires around the region and nation emphasize the need for extreme caution and fire prevention efforts while visiting the forest.

Please contact your local Forest Service office or visit the Gifford Pinchot web site at www.fs.fed.us/gpnf for the latest information on fire prevention and fire restrictions.