Hey there, wildfire warriors and road trippers šš„! Buckle up, because guess what? That chunk of highway that was playing hide-and-seek with us thanks to a wildfire in Washington stateās North Cascades National Park? Yeah, the one that gave āroad closureā a whole new meaning? Well, get ready to do your happy dance, because itās finally making a grand reopening appearance this Wednesday like itās the star of a reality show we never asked for! š
So, hereās the scoop: our buddies at the Washington state Department of Transportation pulled a classic move and initially shut down State Route 20, aka the North Cascades Highway, between Newhalem and Rainy Day Pass on August 4th. Why? To ensure that those brave firefighter folks had a fighting chance against the Sourdough fire. Safety first, right? But wait, thereās more! The road decided to play a game of peekaboo once again on August 11th, this time between Newhalem and Silver Star. Oh highway, you wild child! š£ļøš„
Fast-forward to Tuesday, and the highway heroes announced that after some major rock and debris clearing action, the road is ready to rock ānā roll again at a bright and early 8 a.m. on Wednesday. Theyāre practically begging all you eager beavers not to form a line of cars like youāre camping out for the latest iPhone drop. And hereās a kicker: donāt be surprised if this roller coaster road decides to close again because, well, fires are still in the party mood. š„š
Now, listen up and listen goodāno pit stops allowed on this highway! The fire crews are out there busting their moves against the Sourdough and Blue Lake fires, and theyāve got zero time for rest stops and scenic selfies. Sorry, Instagram influencers, the fireās got dibs on this hotspot! š„šø
And hey, if youāre planning to hit up the area east of Newhalem for some outdoor shenanigans, think again! The National Park Service is putting a āclosedā sign on all the fun, probably because Mother Nature decided to throw a wild BBQ party, and no oneās invited. š³š„
Oh, speaking of fires, letās talk about the Sourdough fire. Itās like someone lit a gigantic birthday candle on July 29th, thanks to a lightning strike near Diablo. This fireās got attitude, burning through 9.3 square miles and only agreeing to be 12% contained. Itās the bad boy of fires, refusing to follow the rules! š„š
And as if one fire wasnāt enough, the Blue Lake fire decided fashionably late was its jam, starting the smoky shindig on August 14th, southwest of Mazama. Itās like the Blue Lake fireās all, āI heard Sourdoughās throwing a rager, and I want in!ā So far, itās torched less than a square mile of trees and brushes, and containment is at a whopping 5%. Way to show up, Blue Lake fire! š„š
So, for all you highway heroes and wildfire warriors, remember this: keep those seatbelts fastened, donāt even think about stopping to snap a selfie with a smoking tree, and letās give a round of applause to those firefighters who are basically the rockstars of putting out Mother Natureās pyrotechnics show! šš„šŖ And just a reminder, this North Cascades Highway? Yeah, itās like the VIP pass between eastern and western Washingtonānatureās own way of keeping us all connected. š²ššØHey there, wildfire warriors and road trippers šš„! Buckle up, because guess what? That chunk of highway that was playing hide-and-seek with us thanks to a wildfire in Washington stateās North Cascades National Park? Yeah, the one that gave āroad closureā a whole new meaning? Well, get ready to do your happy dance, because itās finally making a grand reopening appearance this Wednesday like itās the star of a reality show we never asked for! š
So, hereās the scoop: our buddies at the Washington state Department of Transportation pulled a classic move and initially shut down State Route 20, aka the North Cascades Highway, between Newhalem and Rainy Day Pass on August 4th. Why? To ensure that those brave firefighter folks had a fighting chance against the Sourdough fire. Safety first, right? But wait, thereās more! The road decided to play a game of peekaboo once again on August 11th, this time between Newhalem and Silver Star. Oh highway, you wild child! š£ļøš„
Fast-forward to Tuesday, and the highway heroes announced that after some major rock and debris clearing action, the road is ready to rock ānā roll again at a bright and early 8 a.m. on Wednesday. Theyāre practically begging all you eager beavers not to form a line of cars like youāre camping out for the latest iPhone drop. And hereās a kicker: donāt be surprised if this roller coaster road decides to close again because, well, fires are still in the party mood. š„š
Now, listen up and listen goodāno pit stops allowed on this highway! The fire crews are out there busting their moves against the Sourdough and Blue Lake fires, and theyāve got zero time for rest stops and scenic selfies. Sorry, Instagram influencers, the fireās got dibs on this hotspot! š„šø
And hey, if youāre planning to hit up the area east of Newhalem for some outdoor shenanigans, think again! The National Park Service is putting a āclosedā sign on all the fun, probably because Mother Nature decided to throw a wild BBQ party, and no oneās invited. š³š„
Oh, speaking of fires, letās talk about the Sourdough fire. Itās like someone lit a gigantic birthday candle on July 29th, thanks to a lightning strike near Diablo. This fireās got attitude, burning through 9.3 square miles and only agreeing to be 12% contained. Itās the bad boy of fires, refusing to follow the rules! š„š
And as if one fire wasnāt enough, the Blue Lake fire decided fashionably late was its jam, starting the smoky shindig on August 14th, southwest of Mazama. Itās like the Blue Lake fireās all, āI heard Sourdoughās throwing a rager, and I want in!ā So far, itās torched less than a square mile of trees and brushes, and containment is at a whopping 5%. Way to show up, Blue Lake fire! š„š
So, for all you highway heroes and wildfire warriors, remember this: keep those seatbelts fastened, donāt even think about stopping to snap a selfie with a smoking tree, and letās give a round of applause to those firefighters who are basically the rockstars of putting out Mother Natureās pyrotechnics show! šš„šŖ And just a reminder, this North Cascades Highway? Yeah, itās like the VIP pass between eastern and western Washingtonānatureās own way of keeping us all connected. š²ššØ