10.28.22

Cantwell, Schrier, DelBene Demand “Immediate Support” from USFS to Help Prevent Landslides and Floods in Bolt Creek Fire Area

With winter weather approaching and U.S. Highway 2 under threat, letter to U.S. Forest Service calls for agency’s Burned Area Rehabilitation Program to treat area “as soon as possible

EDMONDS, WA – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Representatives Suzan DelBene (D, WA-01), and Kim Schrier M.D. (D, WA-08) today sent a letter to U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Chief Randy Moore, calling for the agency to begin post-burn treatment in the Bolt Creek Fire area.

In the letter, the Members noted that the Bolt Creek Fire burned 14,000 acres along U.S. Highway 2, a key connector in Washington State that carries 3.6 million tons for freight each year, and is traveled by over 22,000 vehicles daily. A USFS post-burn analysis found that a significant amount of watershed areas have burned, and that 47 percent of acres burned have a high risk of erosion.

“These factors are likely to result in multiple high risk hazards throughout the US-2 corridor, including high magnitude of consequence events such as runoff, road washout, debris flows, tree and rock falls, snags, and decreased hydrologic function that can all have consequences to our communities, culture, and economy in the Pacific Northwest,” the Members wrote to Chief Moore.

“Winter weather is fast approaching, likely resulting in increased precipitation and other weather events that can induce geo-hazards under these conditions. We request the immediate treatment of these USFS lands under the Burned Area Rehabilitation Program. Early action is critical to preventing harm to local communities, Washington state, and commerce throughout the Pacific Northwest and the nation.”

Yesterday, Senator Cantwell and Representatives Schrier and DelBene held a roundtable discussion in Sultan, WA, with local leaders, transportation experts, firefighters and business owners. Since the first fire closure on Sept. 10, 2022, when the Bolt Creek wildfire started, U.S. Highway 2 has closed seven different times. Local leaders and business owners fear even more closures if the post-fire landscape isn’t treated.

See the full letter below and HERE.

Dear Chief Moore,

We write to request immediate support from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Burned Area Rehabilitation Program for the Bolt Creek Fire in Washington state. To protect U.S. Highway 2 and surrounding communities from landslides and flash floods, it is critical lands affected by the Bolt Creek Fire are treated as soon as possible.

The Bolt Creek Fire is one of the largest fires to burn in Washington state this fire season, and has burned more than 14,000 acres of land that are along a key east-west connector for our state—U.S. Highway 2 (US-2). This fire has burned for almost two months, resulting in at least seven closures of US-2. US-2 is the main evacuation path and a critical route that carries 3.6 million tons for freight each year, and over 22,000 vehicles that use the road every single day throughout communities along the Highway-2 corridor. It is widely known that wildfires will have lasting effects on the landscape, including increased risk of severe flooding, erosion, landslides, and other geo-hazard activity.

We appreciate that USFS sent a Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team to the area on October 25, 2022 to evaluate the post-burn landscape. The Initial USFS BAER team report illustrates that locations downhill and downstream from burned areas are highly susceptible to flash flooding and debris flows, especially in and near steep terrain. In addition, a significant amount of watershed land has been recorded as burned—potentially impacting water quality, soil stability, and vegetation in the area. According to this report, nearly 23,000 acres of watershed burned and at least 47 percent of acres have a high to very-high risk of erosion hazards from the Bolt Creek Fire. These factors are likely to result in multiple high risk hazards throughout the US-2 corridor, including high magnitude of consequence events such as runoff, road washout, debris flows, tree and rock falls, snags, and decreased hydrologic function that can all have consequences to our communities, culture, and economy in the Pacific Northwest.

Winter weather is fast approaching, likely resulting in increased precipitation and other weather events that can induce geo-hazards under these conditions. We request the immediate treatment of these USFS lands under the Burned Area Rehabilitation Program. Early action is critical to preventing harm to local communities, Washington state, and commerce throughout the Pacific Northwest and the nation.

Sincerely,                     

Sen. Maria Cantwell

Rep. Kim Schrier, MD

Rep. Suzan K. DelBene

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