WEST SEATTLE SMOKE: Not just from one fire

| Environment | West Seattle news

The five-week-old Bolt Creek Fire isn’t the only one that’s been sending smoke our way. Two other fires have come into view east of Seattle – the photo above was tweeted tonight by Kevin Freitas, who has that view from one of West Seattle’s higher elevations, near Providence Mount St. Vincent (Beacon Hill is in the foreground). Earlier today, Eastside Fire and Rescue noted that the Loch Katrine and Murphy Lake fires had come into view from this side of the Cascades. Right now, West Seattle has better air quality than North Seattle (as shown here), after a day in which the high-temperature at Sea-Tac Airport smashed the old record for this date – 88, previous record 72. The forecast still suggests rain is expected, finally, by Friday.

1994 October 16, 2022 (8:24 pm)

I will be so happy when the rains return. Everything is very dry and dusty, and the weeks of lingering smoke just make it worse!

miws October 16, 2022 (8:40 pm)

On at least one occasion in recent weeks among the WSB stories related to the wildfire smoke, (and, I think, actually more than one), there’s been a comment wondering why “…they aren’t doing anything about the fire…” (WSB actually corrected them on that). I just came across this that a friend posted on their Facebook page: https://www.ncwlife.com/news/franz-explains-why-smoke-from-the-bolt-creek-fire-hasnt-stopped/article_5ee9105e-4c0e-11ed-ba2e-97f818b4ec71.html?fbclid=IwAR3k8_j6kR4fhYSdftA5hVZQarxaBZ0xLid8bAmkiGIFQP2hqg-BRp1HlRQ

Jeff October 17, 2022 (6:53 am)

Whenever someone says that it just means they have not even begun to do the math comparing how many tanker trucks it would take to deliver the amount of water as little as a quarter inch of rain over a small part of the burn area would deliver. It’s just a question of scale, and the scale isn’t even close.

Joe Z October 16, 2022 (9:11 pm)

Yeah you can’t “put out” large wildfires, especially ones in our westside forests that are loaded with fuel. The Bolt Creek fire hasn’t really grown much in weeks except in the inaccessible areas. Even if they dumped a few hundred 747s worth of water on that fire it would still flare up on every warm day until rainy season. They are also doing some really smart controlled burning on the edge of the fire to protect that area against future fires and reduce landslides. The smoke is just a fact of life here now.

Resident October 17, 2022 (7:06 am)

A fact of life as long as careless people keep causing them.
Servo October 17, 2022 (12:37 pm)

I believe this statement to be accurate. There’s nothing we can do at this point but succumb to the fact that one quarter of the year we will likely be subjected to poorer air quality – this is part and parcel of why I’m moving my family away from this area ASAP. The beauty is amazing here, but when your options to enjoy it either involve wet, rainy conditions, intense dry heat or poor air quality, it provides limited ideal conditions to actually take advantage of the beauty that surrounds us. I’d rather die of a tornado than PM 2.5 toxins invading my lungs annually.

Audifans October 17, 2022 (10:33 am)

Tracy:I really appreciate your dedication to your craft and your staff. You give great links to everything in every story if it’s available. I had no idea about other fires and your linkage showed me exactly where they were. Thank you!Jonathan

WS Res October 17, 2022 (12:36 pm)

They are using a “consumptive strategy” with Bolt Creek and other fires, which will hopefully have a very helpful long-term effect, reducing the possibility of future fires and mudslides, but it does mean having patience while they let the fire burn itself out safely.

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