(The Center Square) – The wildfires in Washington state’s North Cascades National Park are nearing Seattle City Light’s $1.3 billion hydroelectric project, causing the department to assist in efforts to control the spread of the Sourdough Mountain wildfire.
The fire started on July 29 near the Sourdough Mountain trail in the North Cascades as a result of a lightning strike. Over the next several days, it grew to a high of a reported 2,933 affected acres, but was adjusted down due to more accurate mapping with an infrared helicopter flight. As of Aug. 6, the fire was 1,397 acres with 0% containment, according to InciWeb.
The Seattle City Light department said its staff is working to maintain operations and monitor infrastructure so that very little to no impacts of the fire will be experienced by customers. The Skagit Hydroelectric Project consists of three dams that supply up to 30% of Seattle’s power during the year, according to the department.
Seattle City Light began evacuating employees and residents from the town of Diablo on Aug. 3. The department also assisted with the evacuation of visitors and staff from the North Cascades Institute’s Environmental Learning Center on Diablo Lake and the Ross Lake Resort as the fire approached.
“I want to thank the hundreds of fire personnel, emergency management teams, first responders and City Light staff who are working tirelessly on the Sourdough wildfire efforts,” Seattle City Light Interim General Manager and CEO Mike Haynes said in a statement. “It takes constant communication and coordination to tackle a rapidly evolving fire of this scale and their ability to work under pressure is astounding.”
The Sourdough Mountain terrain is deemed extremely steep, rugged, and inaccessible. Three helicopters have been executing water drops to slow the fire spread. Moisture was predicted in the area over the weekend of Aug. 4, but InciWeb stated that the amount was “not significant enough to slow the fire’s progression.”
Seattle City Light has not provided details on the proximity between the wildfires and the Skagit Hydroelectric Project to The Center Square at the time of this publication
