Single Publication

A fire was reported on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in the Siouxon drainage on September 22, 2022, at around 6:30pm. Fire resources were dispatched to a site above the reported fire location and did not see or smell smoke. It was dark and an inversion had set in.
 
On Friday, September 23, Gifford Pinchot National Forest Fire Engine 631 responded to the reported fire and at 7:20 am found the Siouxon Fire burning in steep terrain within the 2020 Big Hollow Fire burn scar. That day firefighters took early and extensive action to suppress the fire. Helicopters and single engine air tankers worked the fire for 5-6 hours. As the fire size increased a Type 3 Incident Command Team was ordered. Despite early suppression efforts the fire grew to 30 acres that day.
 
To protect the public a closure area in the vicinity of the fire was established, and hikers and other forest users were evacuated from the closure area.
 
The Siouxon Fire continues to burn in steep, remote terrain in an unburned island within the Big Hollow Fire scar. The fire currently poses little threat to values at risk. A direct approach to suppressing the fire has little chance of succeeding and carries high risks of injury or death to firefighting personnel. These risks outweigh the probability of success with any actions they may be able to take on the fire.
 
Leadership has decided that due to the time of year, location of the fire, topographic challenges, and lack of safety mitigations available, the Fire team will not be staffing the fire on the ground at this time. Fire staff are monitoring the fire daily and posting road guards and signs to keep the public safe.
 Fire activity increases during periods of warmer, drier, windy weather, or when it reaches higher accumulations of fuels, and decreases when temperatures and winds drop, and humidity rises. Most of the fire spread has been through fuels on the ground, such as rotting logs and light slash. Larger fuels will continue to burn until they are fully consumed, extinguished along the Big Hollow Fire scar lines, or soaked by rain and snow. 
 
Public and firefighter safety remain the highest priority as crews work to monitor the Siouxon Fire.