Wildfire — Okanogan Highlands, Washington

2021-09-01 to 2021-09-30 · Okanogan Highlands, Washington

Event narrative

Bulldog Mountain and Mack Mountain fires were jointly managed after ignited approximately five miles apart on August 5th. The cause of the wildfires was lightning after thunderstorms passed through northeastern Washington. Steep, rugged terrain, with limited access, and heavy fuels led to difficulty with containment. There are no reports of injuries or fatalities. The pair of wildfires burned a total 6,723 acres on the Colville National Forest before fully contained on September 30th. The cost of the firefighting resources required to contain the fires was calculated at $5,800,600.

Wider weather episode

The active 2021 wildfire season continued with nine destructive fires burning almost 100,000 acres, contained by the end of September. They were fueled by many days with windy conditions and low relative humidity. Cooler temperatures, with more moisture and wetting rains, helped with containment.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 987611. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.