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As the summer in the Pacific Northwest drags on hot and dry, climbers in Washington state have two more wildfires to avoid: the Sourdough Fire, above Diablo Lake, and the Blue Lake Fire, which has engulfed the common access point for many climbs in the famed Liberty Bell Group. As a result, State Route 20, the only road through the park, is closed between milepost 120 (Newhalem) and milepost 146 (east of the East Creek Trailhead) and has no scheduled reopening date.
The road closure impacts access to North Early Winters Spire, South Early Winters Spire, Lexington Tower, Concord Tower, and Liberty Bell, which are home to classic multi-pitch trad climbs like The West Face (5.11-; 500ft) The Hitchhiker (5.11-; 900ft), and Thin Red Line (5.12, 1,100ft).
As of August 22 a crew of nearly 400 people had 12 percent of the Sourdough Fire contained. The fire began on July 29 due to a lightning strike and covers an estimated total area of 4,868 acres.
As Miyo McGinn reported on Outside on August 17, officials were concerned that the blaze would destroy the Ross and Diablo dams, a source of electricity for Seattle, as well as the small town of Diablo. The fire has now passed the town without any injuries or property damage. Fire crews are attempting to steer the flames west towards a firebreak that was created from a 2015 wildfire.
In an update issued August 19, the NPS confirmed that no burning debris crossed the roadway enroute to the 2015 Goodell burn scar. “Night shift has been critical in holding the fire within the identified control features and lines,” the report continued.
Crews estimate that the fire will be contained by Oct 1, 2023.