Fires in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest have forced the closure of at least a dozen trails, including part of the Pacific Crest Trail.
Lightning ignited nine wildfires about 20 miles east of Darrington, according to a post by the agency on social media site X. The size of the fires, which the agency called the Miner’s Creek Complex Fire, was not immediately clear.
The Pacific Crest Trail, which runs continuously from Mexico to Canada, is closed from Mica Lake to the boundary with the Okanagan-Wenatchee National Forest, according to a notice posted to the Forest Service website.
The Suiattle River Trail, a popular hiking trail in the area, is closed. Sulphur Creek Campground and the Suiattle Trailhead are also closed due to the fire.
Meanwhile, dangerously high temperatures are expected east of the Cascades this weekend, and the risk of heat-related illness in the region is high.
The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning from 11 a.m. Saturday to 10 p.m. Monday as temperatures between 100 and 110 degrees are expected in portions of Central and Eastern Washington.
People in the area should drink fluids, stay out of the sun and remain in air-conditioned spaces. A map of cooling centers is available at wa211.org or by dialing 211 to help people who don’t have access to air conditioning.
On Friday, Spokane tied a previous record with 15 consecutive days at 90 degrees or warmer. This record was broken on Saturday, with NWS recording temperatures of 98 degrees Saturday afternoon.
Most of the inland Pacific Northwest and the Southwest are braced for sweltering temperatures this weekend. Residents are also advised to wear loosefitting clothing and to avoid outdoor activities during hotter daytime hours.
On Sunday, the high temperature is expected to reach 107 degrees in Spokane, 108 degrees in Moses Lake and Wenatchee, and 113 degrees in Lewiston. Temperatures aren’t expected to reach quite as high as they did during the record-breaking summer of 2021, when hundreds died in Washington and Oregon during a prolonged heat dome.
The weekend heat could also worsen wildfires burning north and east of the Cascades, increasing smoke.
Coastal parts of Washington are insulated from the blistering heat this weekend. In Seattlehigh temperatures will remain in the 80s, but a marine push will lower temperatures by the end of the weekend, with Monday starting off in the mid-70s.
On Friday, Seattle hit its 16th straight day with temperatures surpassing 80 degrees, which is a record.