VANCOUVER, Wash. — The Cowlitz Complex, a collection of 21 small, active wildfires burning in steep terrain in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in a 20-mile radius around the small town of Randle, has burned 697 acres and is currently 5% contained, according to fire officials.
A total of 469 personnel have been assigned to fighting the fires. In Monday's update, officials said they believe "cool, wet weather conditions will help suppress fire behavior in the coming days." They said a continued threat are the rocks and burning debris rolling downhill and outside of the established fire perimeter. Officials said that both poses a risk to firefighters and can create new spot fires.
As of Monday, Sept. 4, the Cowlitz Complex included 21 active wildfires, ranging from one-tenth of an acre to 311 acres. The largest individual fires include the Snagtooth (311 acres) and Spencer Quartz (198) fires. See a complete list of the fires in the map below.
Fire commanders said most of Gifford Pinchot National Forest has no recorded history of wildfires. That means there's a thick bed of fuel on the forest floor that can cause fires to spread quickly.
Campfires are currently prohibited in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest Multiple roads around the fires, many of them Forest Service roads, are closed to the public. A temporary flight restriction, including for drones, is in effect between Highway 12 and Mount Rainier National Park. Click here to learn more about current restrictions.
There are no evacuation notices currently in effect.
To learn more about the Cowlitz Complex, call 360-208-8075 or visit the following sites:
What is a wildfire complex?
According to InciWeb, when there are two or more individual fires burning in the same general area that are assigned to a single incident commander or unified command, that is called a fire "complex."
There is another complex, a particularly large one, burning on the southwest Oregon and California border. The Smith River Complex has burned nearly 85,000 acres since it started on Aug. 15.
VIDEO PLAYLIST: KGW wildfires coverage