Smoke from the Bear Gulch wildfire north of Lake Cushman near Hoodsport has been bringing air quality in Sequim to unhealthy levels. By noon Wednesday morning the State Department of Ecology’s Air Quality Index had dropped within the moderate range to 52. 

However, heavy smoke appearing in Sequim and Port Angeles yesterday had reached unhealthy levels of 183 by 4 am this morning before beginning to recede according to the Washington Smoke Blog, a partnership between state, county and federal agencies and Tribes. 

The Bear Gulch wildfire burning on the north side of Lake Cushman is the primary source of smoke.  The nearby smaller Tunnel  Creek fire has also been contributing to the smoke.  As of Monday, Bear Gulch had burned 10,843 acres and is 9 percent contained. The fire received less than a tenth of an inch of rain Sunday, moderating the fire behavior in the short term.  The lightning caused Tunnel Creek fire is 290 acres and zero percent contained.

Accessibility advocate Ian Mackay set off on a new adventure in his battery powered wheelchair Friday, August 22.  The 3-day Sea to Sound event is a 70 mile, multi modal group ride that spans the entire length of the Olympic Discovery Trail. Day 1 is 20 miles. Well over a hundred participants in wheel chairs and bicycles will be traveling from the Camp Creek Trailhead on the west side of Lake Crescent.  Appearing on Friday’s Buck Ellard show on KSQM, Ian says a large support group will be riding along with them to assist.

“The ride is designed for people with disabilities to go on a long ride with the community in a fully supported way. I mean we have over 67 volunteers to make this three day event possible. We ride like 20 to 28 miles per day.  Very few people have done that. And they love that. They love that choice.

Ian says about 130 participants have registered for this year’s event.

“We have a wheelchair and a bike mechanic and an EMT traveling along with the group throughout the weekend just in case anything breaks down or people are feeling less than perfect. We have delicious lunches halfway through the day.  We have a cool after party with dinner at the end of each ride. At lunch we try to make if fun and kooky. We have a flutist – a flute player that plays out in the woods for us out by Lake Crescent on day one. We have a father and daughter on guitar and sing for us at lunch on day two. And you know, it’s just really fun.” 

He says the mission of the organization he founded, called “Ians Ride” is to make outdoor access accessible to everybody.

“Remember, the volume of disabled individuals that join Sea to Sound, really, it shows the desire for access to the outdoors. And more folks should have these opportunities throughout our country. And the infrastructure really needs to be there to make that possible.”

The City of Sequim is seeking public opinions about the city’s festivals, events and even fireworks displays in a survey that can be found on the city’s website at www.sequimwa.gov. The survey responses will help guide city officials as they plan, support and improve future community gatherings. The survey asks if the respondent is satisfied with the city’s Sunshine Festival, the Independence Day Celebrations, if the city should even continue hosting an Independence Day celebration and if so, if the city should include fireworks in Independence Day celebrations.

The survey comes at a time when several local organizations are advocating for a ban on commercial fireworks displays within the city limits, primarily to protect wildlife and the environment.  Three local environmental non-profits, the North Olympic chapter of the Sierra Club, Protect the Peninsula’s Future, and the Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society have all issued official statements on the question, and are encouraging community members to share their thoughts on the city’s survey.  All three groups are advocating replacing fireworks with drone shows and relocating events away from sensitive wildlife areas to better protect the environment and residents. All three groups are encouraging the community to weigh in with their own thoughts, whether they support fireworks displays, or not, and express their opinions on why or why not on the matter.  The survey can be found on www.sequimwa.gov.  

Port Angeles residents are breathing a sigh of relief today after a “Do Not Drink” the water order was lifted yesterday after samples tested OK and the water was determined safe to drink. The order was lifted at 5:15 Sunday ending some nine hours of frustration, panic and very long lines were formed at distribution sites for bottled water being passed out to city water customers. 

The Do Not Drink order came after petroleum products entered the Elwha River, the city’s primary source for drinking water, when a fuel tanker truck crashed and landed upside down into Indian Creek that feeds into the Elwha Friday, July 18.   Officials say an estimated 3,000 gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel were released into the river.

At a news briefing at the crash site yesterday Gov. Bob Ferguson praised the rapid and coordinated response to the spill by scores of agencies, including firefighting first responders, the Dept. of Ecology, the Elwha Klallam tribe and many others.

“There’s been a lot of coordination and that’s how it should be. That’s what the people expect – to see different levels of government coordinating, working with tribes, working with individuals.  And that’s certainly been the case today. It has been a response, not just from organizations of governments, but by the people as well. Folks are conserving water to help make the water supply that we have go further. So it’s really been from individuals, to government, to tribes, organizations, businesses have really stepped up in a challenging time.  And I deeply, deeply appreciate that.  And I think that’s one of the things that makes Washington so great. We’re seeing that during these last 48 hours.”

Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Chair Frances Charles says their hearts sank when the extent of the crash was known.

”We have worked for decades on restoring the resources of what our ancestors had worked on for many generations to bring back our salmon runs. But unfortunately what has happened in the last 48 hours, our hearts sank. Our hearts sank that day.”

Klallam Tribe Natural Resources Director Nat Burns says the spill killed scores of fish.

“Untold hundreds, perhaps thousands of fish likely have died and were transported down river. Many have been consumed by wildlife.  We don’t know.  We’re going to continue monitor this in the short term and into the long term.”

Meanwhile, Chairwoman Charles says the tribe is continuing to make preparations to host thousands of canoe paddlers at the mouth of the Elwha River at the end of the month.

”We are in the process of a canoe journey event. And we’re not cancelling it. I want to say that again. We are not cancelling it because of what happened. And the theme of the dam removals itself was our theme for the canoe journeys on July 31^st. So, it will move forward as we see fit. Elwha’s waters is OK.  I want to say that again.  Elwha on the tribal land’s water is OK.

The President and CEO of the Petro Card, the company that owns the truck, says the driver of the truck that overturned suffered a medical event, is now at home and has a long recovery ahead.

PHOTO:  Courtesy KIRO TV

It was a busy Fourth of July holiday weekend for fire crews across Clallam County as they responded to numerous fires and fire-related incidents.

The most significant incident occurred early Sunday morning, when a large fire that sent plumes of black smoke into the sky broke out in the metal recycling section of the Port Angeles Transfer Station at 5:21 am.  Port Angeles Fire Department (PAFD) units responded to reports of smoke in the area of West 18th Street. Multiple callers quickly confirmed a large column of black smoke rising from the landfill.

Crews arrived to find a fire engulfing a 200-by-25-foot area filled with discarded appliances and scrap metal. Flames reached approximately 50 feet in height. Additional engines and personnel from Clallam County Fire Districts 2 and 3 joined the response, along with heavy equipment operators from the City Landfill, who helped sift through debris. Firefighters spent over five hours on scene and used an estimated 60,000 gallons of water to extinguish the blaze. No injuries were reported, and the cause remains undetermined.

Meanwhile, Clallam County Fire District 3 (CCFD3) logged an intense 48-hour period from Friday morning through Sunday morning, responding to 65 calls for service including 6 wildland fires caused by fireworks with the cause of two others under investigation. In addition, District 3 firefighters responded to 2 structure fires, 1 traffic crash, 4 smoke investigations and burn complaints, and 50 Emergency Medical Service (EMS) calls.

Fire Chief Justin Grider says there were no reported injuries to people or pets during the weekend incidents.  He says that would not have been possible without the relentless efforts of our Fire District 3 staff and with the invaluable support of our Volunteer Firefighters, who showed classic dedication when demand peaked.

Photo: City of Port Angeles Fire Department

Clallam County’s law enforcement community raised over $5,000 during this week’s annual Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch run, earning the top fundraising spot among all law enforcement agencies in the state of Washington. 

Celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the event, volunteers from law enforcement agencies, corrections and public safety agencies carried the Flame of Hope across a 37-mile course from Laird’s Corner west of Port Angeles to 7 Cedars Resort Wednesday. The event concluded with a celebration and Fundraising Finale at 7 Cedars where Special Olympics athletes and community members gathered to honor inclusion, unity and athletic spirit.  Clallam County Sheriff Brian King said, “We are incredibly proud of the compassion, generosity, and teamwork demonstrated by our community. Thanks to the tireless effort of so many, we were able to bring visibility and support to Special Olympics athletes while also highlighting the strength of our partnerships here in Clallam County.”

The Fundraising Finale at 7 Cedars Resort included a $1,000 donation from the resort and use of its facilities. The event included an opportunity dunk Sheriff King, Port Angeles Police Chief Brian Smith, Sequim  Police Chief Mike Hill and members of the Port Angeles Lefties baseball team by Clallam County Orcas Special Olympians.

The Special Olympics games are being held in Tacoma and Federal Way today through Sunday.

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PHOTO: Jesse Major photography

The teenager who fell to his death over the Sol Duc River waterfall June 8 had been traveling with a friend seeking to visit seven national parks on a post-graduation trip after graduating from high school. Eyewitnesses said 18-year-old Grant Herridge fell over the 50-foot waterfall after slipping while he was attempting to walk across rocks at the top. Olympic National Park officials say rescuers have been unable to recover his body since the accident due to unsafe conditions due to high river flows from snow melt. Recovery efforts will resume once conditions are safe. 

The teen’s father, Brad Herridge, a pastor at Ocker Brethren Church in Bell County Texas, said his son was always full of life and “loved doing exciting, fun things.”  He lived without anxiety and lived life to its fullest.”  He says Grant wore a ring for several years with an inscription inside that says, “While we wait for life, life passes.”

In a statement posted on Facebook, Grant Herridge’s former school, Vanguard College Preparatory said, “We love you, Grant.  You were a bright light and a true lighthouse in the Viking community, guiding others with kindness, joy, fun and unwavering faith and inclusivity.  Whether in the classroom, on the golf course, or in the halls, your light drew people in and made them feel seen, valued and welcome.  The students, faculty, staff and coaches are all better because of you.”

Photo: Facebook

A Sequim man who barricaded himself in a home in Carlsborg and fired numerous shots at law enforcement was arrested yesterday during an incident that forced the lock-down of Greywolf Elementary School and the evacuation of nearby neighbors for safety.

The incident began at 8:04 am Tuesday as Deputies responded to a home in the 200 block of Village Lane for a report of a man banging on windows in a residence in the area, saying he was the Messiah and had guns and ammunition, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release. 

The man, identified as 37-year-old Justin Cox, was known to law enforcement from multiple prior encounters. When Deputies arrived they contacted him at the residence as he was rambling and yelling about being the “Messiah.”  He refused to come out and talk to deputies.  Another man at the house said he believed he could calm Cox down. 

However, Cox suddenly produced an AK-47 style rifle threatening to shoot law enforcement from inside the home.  A perimeter was formed around the residence and Deputies began evacuating nearby residents for safety.

The Peninsula Crisis Response Team and crisis negotiators responded to the scene with two armored vehicles and began negotiations. They told him over a loudspeaker he was under arrest for unlawful possession of a firearm was given instructions to safely surrender.

Shortly after 11 am, he began firing shots through the front door of the home, striking one of the armored vehicles and a neighboring house.  Crisis Response Team members were inside the armored vehicle when it was struck by bullets.  It’s estimated as many as 25-30 rounds were fired towards law enforcement.  Ultimately, the armored vehicle breached a window and chemical munitions were deployed and Cox fled from the back of the home. He was apprehended while running through neighboring property and booked into the Clallam County jail where he is being held on charges of first and second degree assault, unlawful possession of a firearm, resisting arrest and obstructing a law enforcement officer.

The City of Sequim has added a new employee to its roster – former Police Chief Sheri Crain. She began serving the city once again May 19 as Sequim’s Emergency Management Coordinator.  Crain retired from the police department Feb. 29, 2024 after a 33 year career with the department. She began her career with Sequim Police as the department’s  first full-time police officer in 1991.

The Emergency Management agency of Sequim helps city departments and local partners exercise the city’s plans and processes, whether through training or by responding to unplanned events, such as the 2019 snow storm and Covid-19, according the Sequim City website.  The site says it is equally important that community residents prepare for emergencies as well.  Whether you live, work, shop or go to school in Sequim, all are encouraged to be prepared for disastrous situations.

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Agnew accessibility advocate Ian Mackay is known in the community for his extraordinary achievements riding his wheelchair across the state and other long distances, and finding great joy as he has developed a life promoting outdoor accessibility and inspiration for others challenged with mobility issues.  A new book “Ian’s Ride: A Long Distance Journey to Joy” describing Ian’s life transformation after great tragedy left him paralyzed from the neck down was released Tuesday, April 1. 

 Ian explained to Sassy Susan on KSQM Monday the book is about his transformation from years of depression after a bicycle crash rendered him a quadriplegic in 2008, to today and all the support he’s had along the way.

“What this is about is my journey back from tragedy and the only way I’m here today is because of my incredible family network that I have that picked me up and kept me moving forward.  And no matter how much I may have wanted to throw in the towel in the early days. And so I’m super lucky to have this incredible family.  And my mom has a huge voice in the book.

His mother, Tina Woodworth, kept a detailed dairy during those first years after the bicycle crash, an invaluable source of information for writer Karen Polinsky as she pieced together Ian’s story. 

“Basically she drank the ocean. She took in all this information and then she needed to distill it down to the story that she really chose to write. And then Ian and I would read, and then we’d tell her, no, no, that’s…and it’s like no good and we went back and forth many times. And it’s so honest and it’s so raw. And Ian and read this book and I don’t know how many times – dozens maybe. And every time I still cry. Every time it still brings me back to some really painful times.”

Since then Ian says he has found great joy in riding his chair outdoors every day he can.  He founded the Ian’s Ride non-profit organization to help spread the word.  

“That’s where I found my solace, was getting outside and getting to have some independence in finding a local pathway. Where it blew up is getting to talk with others about how special it was about those benefits and seeing how almost addictive that can be.”

 “Ian’s Ride: A Long Distance Journey to Joy” is now available through "iansride.com" and Amazon in paperback and audio book.  Proceeds from all sales benefit the Ian’s Ride non-profit.

Photo: from Iansride.com