News in Brief is published online every Friday, and updated throughout the week with bite-sized news from across Whatcom and Skagit counties. Read a roundup of the week’s news in print the following Friday.
Thursday, Aug. 10
State Route 20 closed again due to aerial fire operations
State Route 20 between mileposts 120 and 146 is closed again while firefighters combat the Sourdough Fire, the state Department of Transportation announced Thursday, Aug. 10.
There is no estimated reopening at this point.
The fire, burning north of Diablo Dam since late July, currently stands at 1,809 acres and is 0% contained, according to an incident management team news release.
The fire is not expected to grow much over the next few days while weather conditions remain relatively cool and humid.
Health Department to give away Narcan at Aug. 30 event
Whatcom County officials will distribute free Narcan from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30 on the lawn behind Bellingham Public Library, 210 Central Ave.
The life-saving nasal spray can revive people who are overdosing on opioids such as fentanyl.
The event, taking place on International Overdose Awareness Day, is hosted by Whatcom County Health and Community Services, and county Emergency Medical Services. Staff will provide instruction on how to identify an overdose, and how to use and store Narcan, the device that contains the anti-opioid naloxone.
More information is available at whatcomoverdoseprevention.org.
Sourdough Fire quiets in favorable weather conditions
Cooler temperatures and higher humidity have slowed the Sourdough Fire northwest of Diablo Lake.
The fire grew about 60 acres overnight, to 1,809 acres as of Thursday, Aug. 10, and remains 0% contained, according to an incident management team news release. Fire crews took advantage of favorable weather on Wednesday, securing the fire line around the community of Diablo. Firefighters also strengthened the line from North Cascades Environmental Learning Center to Ross Dam.
The fire is not expected to grow much on Thursday, as cool, humid conditions will persist. Air quality should not be affected outside the immediate fire area.
Highway 20 from Newhalem to Rainy Pass remains open on Thursday, after a four-day closure earlier this week. The speed limit along that stretch, from milepost 120 to milepost 156, has been reduced to 35 mph.
Tuesday, Aug. 8
Motorcyclist killed in Tuesday morning I-5 crash
A motorcyclist involved in car and motorcycle collision on Interstate 5 early Tuesday, Aug. 8 has died, according to Washington State Patrol public information officer Kelsey Harding.
The collision, around 5 a.m. Tuesday, occurred just south of Lake Samish Road (MP 240).
The motorcyclist was life-flighted to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, Harding tweeted around 7:30 a.m.
The road was closed for about three hours while state troopers, firefighters and incident response investigated the collision.
Details about the other driver or the cause of the accident were not immediately available.
Monday, Aug. 7
Skagit to receive $45.8K for environmental restoration
Skagit County Public Works Department will receive almost $46,000 for the Hart Slough restoration project.
The funds, available from the state Department of Ecology for restoration projects around Washington, will help the county remove 24 creosote pilings from the Hart Slough and the floodplain. It will also allow the county to restore 4.15 acres of riparian habitat along the slough.
Ecology will distribute about $318,478 to seven organizations across six counties, including Skagit, to help with environmental remediation projects. The grants come from penalties paid following oil spills.
“Oil spills are a threat to human health, our environment and economy, and they can have a lasting impact on our state. These grants are a way to offset damage by restoring areas of our environment that need it the most,” said Geoff Baran, Ecology’s Natural Resources Damage Assessment lead and grant administrator.
Friday, Aug. 4
White cloud over Mount Baker from Sourdough Fire
Residents in Whatcom and Skagit counties may have noticed a white pyrocumulus cloud drifting near Mount Baker Friday afternoon, Aug. 4.
The cloud is a product of the Sourdough Fire, according to a National Weather Service tweet.
The wildfire spread to more than 500 acres overnight, and has resulted in the evacuation of the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center and Ross Lake Resort, among other areas.
