NPS Photo Bear Gulch Fire The human-caused Bear Gulch Fire was ignited on July 6, 2025. The fire started in Olympic National Forest, on the steep, rocky, southwestern slope of Mt. Rose above Lake Cushman. In late July, the fire progressed towards Olympic National Park, crossed the North Fork Skokomish River, and expanded into wilderness areas. Dry, hot weather and easterly wind events in mid-August and mid-September fueled cycles of increased fire behavior and rapid expansions. The Bear Gulch Fire became the largest wildland fire on the Olympic Peninsula since 1951. After months of coordinated response, the fire was declared 100% contained on November 12, 2025. The fire left a patchwork of burn scars that increased the risks of landslides, rockfall, and treefall in the Staircase and North Fork Skokomish River drainage areas. The below closures remain in effect. Archived information about the Bear Gulch Fire can be found on the inactive InciWeb page: Waolf Bear Gulch Fire Information | InciWeb
AirNow Fire and Smoke Map A good resource for visualizing current and future smoke conditions. Fire Policy - Olympic National Park (U.S. National Park Service) Since the federal government began suppressing wildfires in the early 1900's, fire management policy has evolved with technology and our understanding of fire ecology. Wildland fires are managed under a sophisticated organization that examines each fire's conditions individually when deciding how to respond. While firefighter and public safety are always the top priority, the ecological effects and benefits are also important considerations, especially in wilderness areas. |
Last updated: May 18, 2026