Fire at Randle’s Iron Creek Campground ‘likely grown’; red flag warning extended

LONGVIEW — A wildfire that began in the Iron Creek Campground on Forest Road 25 in Randle on Saturday afternoon reached 8 acres on Monday and, according to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, has “likely grown” since then.

The National Weather Service issued Monday a red flag warning — a weather advisory cautioning the high potential fire risk due to dry, windy conditions — for the southwest interior of Washington state, including Chehalis and Centralia.

Local fire departments, Gifford Pinchot and Washington state Department of Natural Resources crews have been responding to the Iron Creek Campground fire, which caused all campers to evacuate the area.

“All Iron Creek Campground campers have been successfully evacuated and there are no reports of injury,” according to a Facebook post by the Forest Service. “The cause of the fire is under investigation. For your safety and the safety of those fighting the fire please stay away from the area around Forest Roads 25 and 76.”

A closure order is underway, the post stated. It also reminded people that the use of drones is prohibited around active wildfires.

“Yesterday a helicopter ordered to drop buckets of water on the wildfire had to be grounded because of drone use in the area,” the post stated. “The Iron Creek Campground will be closed until further notice. Campers with reservations should look for other alternatives.”