Bear Gulch Fire
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July 6, 2025 – November 12, 2025
| Bear Gulch Fire | |
|---|---|
| Part of the 2025 Washington wildfires | |
 Smoke from the Bear Gulch Fire on the Olympic Peninsula, visible on August 12 over Seattle and obscuring the Olympic Mountains | |
| Date(s) | July 6, 2025 – November 12, 2025 |
| Location | Olympic National Forest, Mason County, Washington |
| Coordinates | 47°29′45″N 123°18′08″W / 47.49583°N 123.30222°W[1] |
| Statistics | |
| Perimeter | 100% contained |
| Burned area | 20,233 acres (8,188 ha; 81.88 km2) |
| Impacts | |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 0 |
| Structures destroyed | 0 |
| Damage | $42.6 million[2] |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | Human |
The Bear Gulch Fire was a wildfire that began on July 6, 2025, on the north side of Lake Cushman near Mount Rose in the Olympic National Forest.[3] It was the largest fire on the Olympic Peninsula since the Great Forks Fire in 1951.[4] As of November 12, 2025[update], it had burned 20,233 acres (8,188 ha) and is 100% contained.[1]
"Go now" evacuations from Copper Creek/Staircase Campground area due to Bear Gulch Fire were ordered on July 30.[6] Staircase Campground was ordered evacuated on July 31.[7] Haze from the fire reached Seattle and other Puget Sound communities the same week.[8] The fire caused unhealthy air conditions in Bellevue on August 4.[9] On August 12, the fire caused pyrocumulus clouds to form,[10] and darkened the skies around the central Puget Sound area, including Seattle.[11] The pyrocumulus cloud above the fire was visible from Whatcom County near Canada to Ocean Shores on the state's central Pacific coast.[4][12]
Fire managers reported "wetting rains" beginning September 29 and expected to continue, that would mitigate risk of fire spread.[13] Meteorologist Cliff Mass said the wet weather would "close out the fire season" around the beginning of October;[14] the season was declared over on October 27 by the Washington Department of Natural Resources.[15]
The fire was reported 100% contained on November 12.[1]
Crew arrests
United States Department of Homeland Security officers arrested two firefighters during a U.S. Customs and Border Protection operation on August 27 as fire crews were setting up on Lake Cushman.[16][17][18] One of the firefighters had applied for a U visa in the past, or a family member had done so on his behalf.[19] He was released following a habeas corpus demand around September 24.[20]
