Crime & Safety
Wildfire Threatens Crystal Mountain Resort
The Crystal Mountain area was evacuated Monday night, and the fire was visible from the resort by Tuesday morning.
CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, WA - Flames from the Norse Peak wildfire were approaching the Crystal Mountain ski resort Tuesday morning, according to photos released by the resort. The resort reported thick smoke and spotty flames around 6 a.m. Tuesday. Local firefighters had returned to the scene after an evacuation of the area Monday night.
On Monday night, Pierce County officials issued a level 3 evacuation, the most serious. Crystal Mountain guests and local residents were able to seek shelter at the Greenwater Community Center.
"We are now under a level 3 evacuation. Please leave the area immediately," Crystal Mountain wrote in a Facebook post Monday night.
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No structural damage anywhere at this time. The smoke is thick, fire is spotty. Firefighters have returned to determine defense tactics. pic.twitter.com/diHmZQZeK6
— Crystal Mountain (@CrystalMt) September 5, 2017
Fire crews from Pierce County, Buckley, Enumclaw, and Greenwater had returned to the scene Tuesday morning to assess how to contain the fire. The Norse Peak Fire is part of a complex of fires sparked Aug. 10 by lightning strikes, according to the state's wildfire monitoring system, InciWeb. In total, the fires are burning across almost 19,000 acres along the Pierce-Yakima county border. The fire has caused the closure of SR 410 east of Chinook Pass.
As of Tuesday, the fire was only 8 percent contained, and fire officials estimate it will be 100 percent contained by Oct. 1.
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Image via Norse Peak Fire Info
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