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.
Wednesday, Aug. 16
Bellingham issues recreational fire ban
A recreational fire ban for Bellingham went into effect at 4 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 16, according to a news release from the city.
“Due to the increased fire danger from dry weather and low fuel moisture levels in our region, the Bellingham Fire Department is prohibiting all recreational fires,” Bellingham Fire Marshal Shawn Linville said in the release.
All outdoor fires where solid wood is used as fuel are prohibited within city limits until further notice. That includes campfires, outdoor fireplaces, and fire pits or other fire enclosures, regardless of protective screening or grating.
Propane and natural gas fire pits, and charcoal barbecues are still allowed as long as solid wood is not being burned.
Samish Bay closes for shellfish harvest due to biotoxins
Elevated levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins have prompted the closure of recreational shellfish harvesting for all species in Samish Bay starting Wednesday, Aug. 16, according to a news release from Skagit County.
Guemes Island, Cypress Island, Sinclair Island and Vendovi Island areas are also closed to all shellfish harvesting due to PSP.
Species of shellfish affected include clams, oysters, mussels, scallops and other invertebrates such as the moon snail.
“Crab meat is not affected, but ‘crab butter’ and crab entrails can harbor biotoxins and should be discarded during PSP advisories,” according to the release. “PSP and other naturally occurring biotoxins are not destroyed by cooking or freezing, and algae that contain the toxins cannot be seen and must be detected by laboratory testing.”
For more information on closures, call the Marine Biotoxin Hotline at 1-800-562-5632 or visit the state’s Shellfish Safety Map.
Waterfront wall painted black in preparation for mural festival
People visiting Waypoint Park on Wednesday, Aug. 16 likely noticed the public mural wall along the waterfront being painted black. The wall, among other surfaces, will serve as a blank slate for artists during the flagship Noisy Waters Mural Festival, Aug. 18–20.
Of 150 applicants, eight artists were chosen to paint 8-by-8-foot portable murals during the three-day event. The public will vote for their favorite murals and the top three artists will receive a monetary prize. The grand winner will receive a mural commission of $10,000 with a Bellingham business.
Eleven runner-ups were chosen to paint within the letters in “Noisy Waters” on Waypoint Wall, said Nick Hartrich, co-founder of local placemaking agency, Paper Whale.
The event will also feature a 150-foot-long mural, painted by artists from seven tribes across North America, and a spray-painting workshop.
The festival is free and open to the public, and is based at the Peter Paulson Stage near the Portal Container Village, at 298 W. Laurel St. in Bellingham.
Whatcom County orders burn ban
Whatcom County’s fire marshal has ordered a burn ban in unincorporated areas of the county, outside city limits.
The ban, which went into effect at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 16, includes yard-debris fires, land-clearing fires and recreational fires. Propane and charcoal barbecues are still allowed, as are propane fire pits without wood fuel.
Those living in cities or within tribal boundaries should contact their jurisdiction for restrictions in those areas. Also, people visiting national forests, and national or state parks, should check those agencies for their current rules on fires.
Violations of the county burn ban could result in a $250 minimum fine. The ban will remain in effect until officials determine that weather conditions have changed sufficiently to reduce fire risk.
Direct any questions to the fire marshal’s office, 360-778-5900.
Sourdough Fire persists as hot, dry weather increases risk
The Sourdough Fire, burning near Diablo in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area since late July, is almost 3,000 acres and at 11% containment, firefighters reported Tuesday, Aug. 15.
Almost 400 personnel are working to slow the spread of the fire and ensure the safety of the Diablo community, as well as the Environmental Learning Center and Diablo Dam. Those firefighters are also assisting with the Blue Lake Fire, a wildfire burning about 30 miles east on Highway 20.
The ongoing heatwave in Western Washington has contributed to the fire’s growth and increased fire risk in the region as hot, dry, unstable weather is expected to continue through Thursday night, Aug. 17.
The Environmental Learning Center extended the pause on its programs to Monday, Sept. 4.
Tuesday, Aug. 15
North Cascades National Park closes additional trail, camp due to wildfire
Officials at North Cascades National Park have closed trails, camps and areas near the Blue Lake Fire, a wildfire burning close to milepost 160 along state Route 20.
The fire, approximately 30 miles west of Winthrop in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest area, is the second in the national park to require trail and road closures this summer.
Currently, there is no access to the national park or the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area from the Bridge Creek Trailhead, or via Blue Lake, Maple Pass or Twisp Pass.
There are no reroutes for recreaters along the Pacific Crest Trail at this point.
Both Dagger Lake and the Dagger Lake Stock camps are closed, as are the Stiletto Cross-country Zone and the Hock Cross-country Zone.
Campfires banned on all DNR-protected lands
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources has banned all campfires and permitted burns on DNR-protected lands throughout Northwest Washington due to hot, dry summer weather and increased wildfire risk in the region.
The ban extends through Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom counties, where DNR manages more than 387,000 acres of trust land.
Propane and butane camp stoves and backpacking stoves are still allowed as needed on the protected lands.
“Our landscapes are already dry and only getting drier, and we’ve all felt the smoke in the air,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz. “I am asking everyone in Washington to do their part to protect our firefighters and our communities this summer. Please do not start a fire outside so we can all breathe easier.”
The campfire ban was announced Tuesday, Aug. 15 — the same day as the campfire ban in southwest Washington. Earlier campfire bans were announced for the Olympic Peninsula and South Puget Sound, meaning campfire restrictions exist on all DNR-protected lands in Washington State.
Police seek suspect in Ferndale robbery
Ferndale police are looking for a suspect in a reported armed robbery at the Haggen grocery store Tuesday morning, Aug. 15.
A man fled the store at 1815 Main St. around 8:25 a.m., after allegedly displaying a knife when he was confronted by employees who thought he was stealing alcohol and tools, a Ferndale Police Department news release said. The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office and the Bellingham Police Department aided in the search with a police dog and a drone, but the man wasn’t located.
Law enforcement does not believe the man is “an imminent threat to the general public at this time,” the release said.
Police plan to release surveillance images of the suspect as they become available. Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact Ferndale police at 360-483-5723 or tfoeung@ferndalepd.org.
Semi rolls over on I-5 near Sunset Drive
A semi rolled over on Interstate 5 South near Sunset Drive early Tuesday morning, Aug. 15.
All southbound lanes and the on-ramp have been blocked since around 3 a.m. and the Department of Transportation said there is no estimated time the freeway will reopen.
Tow assistance arrived around 5 a.m., according to DOT, and crews are now moving any remaining debris in order to reopen the lanes. A detour is available and drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes.
Emergency crews responded initially but it is unknown if the accident caused any injuries.
Monday, Aug. 14
PSE asks customers to curtail energy use during peak heat
Puget Sound Energy, one of the largest utility providers in Washington, is asking customers to reduce their energy use from 4–6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, in advance of an anticipated heatwave in Western Washington.
This week, temperatures around Puget Sound are expected to hit the highest numbers of the year, with many areas anticipating 90-plus-degree weather. The hottest temperatures in Whatcom County are expected in Lynden, which may reach the low-90s, according to the National Weather Service Seattle.
The state Department of Health is predicting “dangerously hot conditions” to continue through Thursday, Aug. 17.
PSE asked customers to conserve electricity to help “meet our region’s growing demand for energy” and reduce strain on the already stressed electric grid.
Here is a list of the cooling stations in Whatcom County for Monday and Tuesday.
Bellis Fair Mall: One Bellis Fair Parkway in Bellingham. Mon–Tue, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Deming Library: 5044 Mt. Baker Highway, Deming. Mon–Tues, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
North Fork Library: 7506 Kendall Road, Maple Falls. Only Tuesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
East Whatcom Regional Resource Center: 8251 Kendall Road, Maple Falls. Monday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
State Supreme Court upholds $4M asbestos verdict in Ferndale refinery death
The Washington State Supreme Court upheld a $4 million verdict in favor of the family of Warren Wright, a contract worker who died after asbestos exposure at the ExxonMobil refinery in Ferndale in the 1970s.
Wright died in September 2015 of mesothelioma after he was exposed to asbestos “as a result of negligence of ExxonMobil Oil Corporation,” according to Schroeter Goldmark & Bender, the law firm representing the Wright family.
Wright worked as a contract worker at the refinery beginning in 1979. Though the work included handling asbestos-containing materials, Wright and other contract workers were not “adequately educated” regarding asbestos-related hazards.
Warren’s son, Wayne, brought a case against ExxonMobil and other defendants in 2018, and a jury awarded the Wright family $4 million in damages. ExxonMobil appealed to the state Court of Appeals, which affirmed the verdict in 2021, and later to the state Supreme Court, which upheld the original $4 million verdict.
“We are pleased the verdict was affirmed, and we hope the Wright family is finally able to achieve some measure (of) closure,” said Luke Garrett, the attorney representing the family.
Saturday, Aug. 12
Excessive heat watch issued for Whatcom County
Western Whatcom County is expected to see temperatures reach the 80s and 90s next week as an excessive heat watch was announced by the National Weather Service (NWS) in Seattle on Saturday, Aug. 12.
The heat watch will be in effect from 11 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 14 through 10 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 17.
The NWS’s seven-day forecast for Bellingham shows daytime temperatures reaching 85 degrees by Monday, and nighttime lows in the 60s throughout the week.
The heat wave “poses a major risk for heat-related illnesses for anyone without effective cooling or adequate hydration,” according to the announcement.
For more information on weather conditions in Whatcom County, visit the NWS website.
Friday, Aug. 11
Wiser Lake tests positive for high levels of biotoxin
Recent sampling of water quality at Wiser Lake — located south of Lynden — showed high levels of microcystin, a toxin caused by algae that can be harmful to both humans and animals.
When ingested, microcystin can cause liver damage and is a major health concern, the Whatcom County Health and Community Services announced in a news release Friday, Aug. 11.
Since 2019, Wiser Lake has consistently tested positive for elevated levels of algae-related toxins. Whatcom County is conducting research, funded by grants from the state Department of Ecology, to understand the cause of ongoing algae blooms that contribute to biotoxin accumulation.
The county says some activities, including boating and fishing, are considered “low risk” because of limited water contact, but advised against waterskiing and swimming in the lake until further notice.
