Residents near Nakia Creek Fire warned ‘be ready’ to evacuate

Residents living near the Nakia Creek Fire, located about 15 miles northeast of downtown Washougal in the Larch Mountain area, are being urged to get ready for possible evacuation orders. 

According to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), as of 10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11, the fire had burned 250 acres and was 10% contained, with approximately 90 firefighters working to control the blaze. 

The Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency (CRESA) sent out emergency evacuation notifications to 110 households on Monday, Oct. 10. The majority of these households were in the Level 1 “Be Ready” area, with 14 homes in the Level 2 “Be Set” zone and no homes in the Level 3 “Go Now” zone as of Tuesday, Oct. 11. 

The notices, according to CRESA, are “voluntary and precautionary.”
“Those living in these areas should take steps to prepare to go and make plans on relocating any livestock that may be in the impacted area,” CRESA announced Monday. 

The fire was reported on Sunday evening, Oct. 9, on DNR land near Larch Mountain. 

DNR staff tweeted on Tuesday that, although the fire “showed some extreme fire behavior on Monday, crews (are) making good progress on handlines in the steep, rocky terrain,” and urged people to avoid the area and heed all road and trail closures. 

To access CRESA’s interactive map of the fire and evacuation notice areas, visit tinyurl.com/2p9emrus. For the most up-to-date information, visit CRESA’s Facebook site at facebook.com/CRESA.911.