Olympic National Forest

10/23/2026

Prescribed Fire Update

It’s been a successful week of pile burning on the west side of the Forest! Fire personnel burned roughly 1,000 acres of piles in the Quinault and Forks areas.

Monitoring and holding over efforts are now underway. Smoke and smoldering material may remain visible for several days.

Pile burning is a type of prescribed fire where firefighters burn piled forest debris to reduce wildfire risk. These treatments help remove overgrown vegetation and protect local communities, infrastructure, and natural resources from wildfires.

This effort was made possible in partnership with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. 🌲

10/23/2026

Staff across the Forest have reported multiple bear (and cub!) sightings recently! 🐻🐾

Please remember to make your presence known and always practice Leave No Trace when recreating.

Bears may opportunistically seek food in areas where people are present. If you’re camping, store food and scented items properly. If you’re hiking or exploring the Forest, pack it in and pack it out to help keep both wildlife and visitors safe.

Give us space, we bearly know you!

On your next trip to Olympic, you may see more bears than you expected! Every fall, bears prepare for winter by eating as much as possible. Larger bears can take the choice foraging spots, pushing smaller bears to less desirable foraging areas near trails. Young bears need space to find food. Help these bears by using the Rule of Thumb to figure out if you're a safe distance away:

1. Extend your arm and stick out your thumb
2. Close one eye
3. Try to cover the animal with your thumb

If you can completely cover the animal with your thumb, you are a safe distance (100 yards) away!

Never approach, touch, or feed wild animals.

Photo: NPS/R Kunz

Image description: A black bear stands in a mountain meadow. The bear has short, round ears, dark eyes, traces of blonde fur around the mouth and nose, and is looking slightly to the right of the camera. The bear is surrounded by brown earth and short yellow plants. Green trees are visible in the distance.

10/22/2026

Thinking about dressing up as Woodsy Owl this Halloween? 🎃

Steal His Look: Woodsy Owl Edition 🦉

✅ Classy green trousers
✅ Fresh white polo
✅ Iconic green hat with red feather
✅ Knows batteries don’t belong in the trash or recycling bin

And while you’re getting ready for spooky season, remember that batteries can power everything from light-up costumes to decorations and toys. When they’re used up, turn them in safely.

10/19/2026

PRESCRIBED FIRE UPDATE:

Conditions lined up today, and crews successfully completed pile burning operations in the Forks and Quinault areas. Favorable weather and fuel conditions allowed firefighters to safely move forward, and additional operations are planned in these areas throughout the week as conditions allow.

Ignitions may take place between 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., tomorrow through Friday. Fire managers will assess weather conditions before each day’s operations, and burns may be paused if conditions are not suitable. When burning does occur, crews remain on-site until all piles are fully extinguished.

If you see smoke in the area, please do not call 911. Piles may continue to smolder for several days after ignition.

Forest Service photo by: J. Fields, 10/19/26, piles burning near FS-2923

10/19/2026

October is Firewood Month! 🪵🔥

10/19/2026

Favorable weather and fuel conditions are lining up for the week of October 19 to conduct pile burning in the Forks and Quinault areas.

Pile burning is a type of prescribed fire where firefighters burn piled forest debris to reduce wildfire risk. These treatments help remove overgrown vegetation and protect local communities, infrastructure, and natural resources from wildfires.

Piles in the Forks area were created through Good Neighbor Authority projects, and operations will occur jointly with the Washington Department of Natural Resources. In Quinault, the Forest Service will coordinate all operations.

Officials estimate ignitions will begin at 10:30 a.m. and may continue through 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, as conditions allow.

Fire managers will evaluate weather conditions shortly before operations begin, and burns may be canceled if conditions are not suitable. When burning occurs, crews will remain on-site and monitor piles until they are fully extinguished.

Please do not call 911 if you see smoke in the area. Piles may continue to smolder and produce smoke for several days after ignitions.

10/16/2026

Our partners at the Olympic Peninsula Outdoor Recreation Collaborative are currently collecting information about recreation use on the Hood Canal between between Brinnon and Quilcene.

Provide your insight online or join the open House October 22nd from 4- 6 PM at the Community Center in Brinnon, WA to learn more and share your experiences!

Take this survey before it closes Oct 30!

🌲"How often do you engage or recreate outside in North Hood Canal area?"🌲

Local residents, Tribes, and recreation enthusiasts are invited to participate in a community survey that will help guide the future of outdoor recreation access in the North Hood Canal region. The survey is open from July 13 to October 30, 2026, and is focused on gathering input that will inform land management and visitor use planning along Highway 101 between Brinnon and Quilcene, including the Dosewallips and Duckabush corridors.

Laurie Thorpe, Director of the Olympic Peninsula Outdoor Recreation Collaborative, emphasizes the importance of community voices: “This survey is a practical way for everyone who uses and loves this place to share what matters most for recreation today and for future generations.”

Participants are encouraged to share:
How and where they recreate in the area (trails, camping, boating, scenic drives)
Views on key interests and issues (safety, environment, cultural values, economic opportunities)
Hopes for future recreation and engagement

How to Get Involved:
Take the survey online: https://outdoorengage.mysocialpinpoint.com/north-hood-canal (or see the QR code)

Find updates and events: https://www.opoutdoorreccollab.com/northhoodcanal
Meet the Collaborative at public events throughout Summer 2026

Early survey findings will be shared with the community in Fall 2026, and draft recommendations will be available for feedback in Spring 2027.

The Olympic Peninsula Outdoor Recreation Collaborative brings together residents, business owners, non-profits, and agency representatives to foster sustainable, equitable recreation across the peninsula. Your input will help set the standard for outdoor recreation planning in the North Hood Canal.

10/15/2026

Many thanks to Gray Wolf Trail Crew for their efforts in replacing the Jolley Creek footlog on the Lower Big Quilcene Trail!

Each year volunteer trail crews perform crucial trail improvements and maintenance on trails across the forest 💪

Well, October 17 must have come early as a small 4-person crew finished all the remaining work on the Jolley Creek bridge today. Working late, they finished surfacing the stringer, adding posts and rails, plus the step-up billets. Hard to imaging going from old bridge to new bridge in just three days.

10/15/2026

FS-29 ROAD UPDATE – BIG NEWS! 🚧🌲🎉

The ERFO-funded FS-29 road rehabilitation project is now complete!

Nine major washout sites caused by previous atmospheric river events have been repaired, and many culverts were upsized to better handle future severe weather.

While we haven't confirmed in our over 120 year history, engineers estimate this may be the largest construction projects completed on the Olympic National Forest!

Huge thanks to our local, county, and federal partners, including the Federal Highway Administration, for their coordination and support in getting this work across the finish line.

⚠️ ⚠️ Please note: The road remains closed at milepost 23.9 due to a separate road failure that was not part of the ERFO project. Additional efforts are underway to address this site and restore full access.

Forest Service Photos by D. Bladek, 10/14/26, FS-29

10/13/2026

🌟 Calling Community Members of All Backgrounds! 🌟

Passionate about making a positive impact in your community? Consider becoming a member of the Olympic Peninsula Resource Advisory Committee!

🗳️ What Do Committee Members Do?

They review and recommend Title II projects like:
👉Maintaining roads, trails and infrastructure.
👉Restoring forest ecosystems and watersheds.
👉Helping wildlife and fish habitats.
👉Re-establishing native species.

Learn more: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/olympic/working-with-us/committees