Firefighters continue to work the lightning-caused Thunder Creek Fire within North Cascades National Park Service Complex, now at about 30% contained.

Yesterday brought one ‘slop-over’ of about a quarter acre, but firefighters were able to stop the fire’s spread, aided by a helicopter with a water bucket.

“Firefighters are doing an exceptional job of taking care of business, using minimum impact suppression techniques in the wilderness and paying attention to safety while working in extremely difficult terrain,” said Dee Townsend, Fire Management Officer for the North Cascades National Park Service Complex.

Dry weather with temperatures about 15 degrees above normal are predicted to challenge firefighters in the next couple days. That means hot work, but it also means no clouds, so helicopters can fly. No major wind is expected beyond the local winds in the steep mountain terrain.

Park officials have closed portions of the Thunder Creek and Fisher Creek trails because of the fire. The Thunder Creek Trail is closed between Neve and Skagit Queen camps, and the Fisher Creek Trail is closed west of Cosho Camp to the junction with the Thunder Creek Trail. The Trail from Thunder Creek over Fourth of July Pass into Panther Creek remains open.

Firefighters from the Whiskeytown Fire Module, North Cascades and Redmond smokejumpers and local North Cascades National Park Service Complex firefighters are at work on the fire, which is about eight miles up Thunder Creek from the Colonial Creek Campground.