Mt. Tom Creek Fire Burning in Olympic National Park’s Remote Interior

A lightning-ignited wildfire is burning in a remote, high-elevation section of Olympic National Park, prompting monitoring by park and Forest Service fire staff as the blaze grows slowly in terrain that makes suppression challenging. The Mt. Tom Creek Fire, located on the west side of the park, is not currently threatening popular visitor areas but is being watched closely as fire season intensifies across Washington state.

Fire Details

The Mt. Tom Creek Fire was sparked by a lightning strike on Tuesday, June 23, in a remote area on the western slope of the Olympic Mountains. As of July 2, the fire has grown to 86 acres and remains 0% contained. The fire is burning at high elevation in terrain characterized by steep slopes, dense timber, and limited road access — conditions that make direct suppression difficult and hazardous for ground crews.

Fire officials report the blaze is located approximately six miles from the Hoh Rain Forest, one of the most visited areas in Olympic National Park and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. All trails in the area remain open to the public, and the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center is operating normally.

Management Strategy

Park and federal fire managers are employing a monitoring strategy for the Mt. Tom Creek Fire, consistent with the approach used for many remote lightning fires in designated wilderness or national park settings where natural fire plays an ecological role. Crews are assessing fire behavior, tracking smoke, and evaluating conditions that could shift the management approach if the fire were to grow significantly or move toward areas with greater resource or public safety concerns.

The rugged, roadless terrain of the Olympic interior makes aerial reconnaissance and helicopter operations a primary tool for fire management. Smoke from the fire may be visible from the Hoh Valley and surrounding lowlands on days with light winds.

Context: Olympic’s Fire History

Olympic National Park encompasses nearly a million acres of diverse terrain, from temperate rain forests on the western slopes to alpine meadows and glaciated peaks in the interior. Fire plays a natural role in many of the park’s ecosystems, particularly in the drier rain shadow areas on the eastern side of the Olympics. Lightning-caused fires in the remote interior are not uncommon in summer and are often managed for resource benefit when conditions allow.

The Mt. Tom Creek drainage sits in the wetter western portion of the park, where fire is historically less frequent. Fire managers are monitoring fuel and weather conditions closely given the drier-than-normal conditions affecting much of western Washington this summer.

Visitor Guidance

Olympic National Park is one of Washington’s premier summer destinations, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. Park officials offer the following guidance for those planning visits:

All visitor areas, including the Hoh Rain Forest, Rialto Beach, Hurricane Ridge, and Sol Duc, remain open
Visitors should check current conditions at nps.gov/olym and sign up for park alerts before their trip
Campfire restrictions may be in effect in some areas of the park; check before building any fire
Smoke from the Mt. Tom Creek Fire may affect air quality in the Hoh Valley on some days; those with respiratory sensitivities should check AirNow.gov before visiting
Report any new smoke or fire activity to park rangers immediately

Broader Olympic Peninsula Fire Conditions

While the Olympic Peninsula’s wet climate historically provides some buffer against large wildfire, the region is not immune to fire risk during drought years or hot, dry periods. The 2026 season has seen below-normal precipitation and above-average temperatures across much of the Pacific Northwest, and even traditionally moist landscapes are carrying drier-than-normal fuels heading into the peak of summer.