Large forest fire burning beyond Pe Ell

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Facing west from north of Pe Ell on the 1500 Line last night. / Courtesy photo by Nate Holmes

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Fire personnel are gathered at the VFW Hall in Pe Ell making plans to attack a wildfire on private timberland.

“We’re working on setting up facilities and things for about 200 people coming this way,”  Lewis County Fire District 11 Chief Michael Krafczyk said this morning.

Krafczyk and other local firefighters are assisting the state Department of Natural Resources, which is in charge of the fire.

Krafczyk said he learned at a 7 a.m. briefing the fire doubled in size from last night, and is burning an estimated 50 to 60 acres.

Exactly where it is, he couldn’t say this morning, but the access road is between Pe Ell and the Swiss Park in Francis to the west, he said. And then about an hour’s drive beyond paved roads, he said.

A DNR spokesperson said the fire is burning on a logging site, and two helicopters have been summoned.

“It’s not threatening (Pe Ell) or anything like that,” Krafczyk said. “Just forest land, right now.”

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10 Responses to “Large forest fire burning beyond Pe Ell”

  1. Will says:

    Rayonier is a large company located in ten U.S. states and New Zealand and does about 500 million a year in business and like Weyerhauser charge an arm and a leg to hunt on their land…

  2. Republican Logger says:

    Actually Rayonier was the first to charge an access fee.

  3. Jane says:

    Any updates please sat morning

  4. Darrel says:

    Get your facts correct Rayonier, don’t charge to hunt on their land it’s weyerhauser who sells the permits and no matter what fire destroy life and logging equipment in it don’t matter who logging the land what matters is the fire crews who putting there life on the line be thankful for those who do this in pray for there safety

  5. AngryMob says:

    Hopefully Rayonier will be charged every dime for fighting this fire. Just like they charge to hunt on their land. Time to drastically raise taxes on these greedy pukes.

  6. I left says:

    How is a fire that is burning someone’s valuable timber “not threatening any structures or property.”? Or, is it okay because the timber belongs to an evil, big corporation? Also, it could be a small, local logging company actually doing the work.

  7. Republican Logger says:

    Thanks Sharyn, I hope the company survives the fire.

  8. adminsharyn says:

    owned by Rayonier, i’m told — sharyn decker

  9. Republican Logger says:

    Anyone know whose logging company?

  10. BobbyinLC says:

    Let’s hope no one gets hurt fighting a fire that is not threatening any structures or property.