Trees Continue to Smolder Months After the Archie Creek Fire

Six months after the Archie Creek Fire started, there are still trees that are smoldering inside the burn area. The video below was shot yesterday from the highway in front of Susan Creek Falls. The fire started Tuesday, September 8th, and was declared fully contained on November 16, a little over 2 months later. Fires have been known to come back even after winter has passed. There were several fires in Canada back in 2014 that smoldered underground before resurfacing in 2015. Fire can smolder deep inside logs and organic material underground as long as there is fuel and oxygen. According to Kyle Reed from Douglas Forest Protective Association, most of the "holdovers" generally burn themselves out. "Due to the size and scale of large fires, most mop-up operations are normally focused around the perimeter of the fire, typically the first 200’ into the black from the containment lines. Mop-up operations are also completed around homes and other infrastructure. The majority of smoking and smoldering materials within the interior of large fires are generally left to burn themselves out or be extinguished by the winter rains." "With that being said, it’s not uncommon for stumps, logs, or other heavy accumulations of debris to hold heat well into the spring, or occasionally, even into the summer months. Holdovers can occur anywhere within the fire but are more common in areas that burned with more intensity." Reed said. Reed also pointed out that though the "smokes" pose little threat of escapement, they are a good reminder about the hazards that remain. "At this point of the year, these smokes pose little to no threat of escapement but do serve as a good reminder that there are still many hazards within the fire perimeter. As we approach fire season, we will use detection cameras to monitor the area, in addition to aviation and ground patrols as needed. This is in addition to all the personnel from industrial landowners, public land management agencies, small woodland owners, and homeowners in the area who are all keeping an eye out for smokes."