Gold Bar residents impacted by Bolt Creek Fire should prep for 'numerous hazards'

GOLD BAR, Wash. - After the Bolt Creek Fire ripped through areas near Gold Bar in 2022, the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management is warning residents to be prepared for another fire season in 2023. 

In addition, local leaders also want residents to develop emergency plans for flooding, earthquakes and the potential for man-made hazards like train derailments and hazmat spills on US 2. 

"We did get ashes, lots of smoke," said Lee Russell, a Gold Bar resident and city council member who experienced the impacts of the Bolt Creek Fire last year. "It smelled like it was awfully, awfully close. You could stand out in the front yard and feel the heat." 

More than 100 people attended a meeting in Startup along with Russell to learn more about what residents in the Gold Bar community should consider doing heading into wildfire season 2023 and beyond. 

"The whole valley needs to be aware of not only just the fire there are plenty of hazards around here," said Russell.   

"Our main thing is people being able to get out in a timely manner," said Eric Andrews, Fire Chief of Sky Valley Fire. 

Snohomish County Director of Emergency Management Lucia Schmit and other leaders talked about the need to be prepared for evacuation in the event of an emergency and the closure of Highway 2, whether it be from a wildfire, winter storm, or earthquake.   

"In our worst-case scenarios, it’s going to be bigger than anything the government can handle alone, and we are going to rely on the community. So, we are going to work with the community now to become resilient and build that preparedness so that they can take care of themselves until we can come here to help," said Schmit. 

In the event of an earthquake, leaders say Gold Bar has an elevated risk for liquefaction of the soil and Schmit says residents could be isolated in population islands.  Leaders say they should be ready to be self-sufficient for as long as two weeks. 

Because Gold Bar is bordered by two rivers and many homes are located in a historic flood plain, Schmit is urging residents to get flood insurance.  

Emergency managers say hazmat situations similar to the recent Ohio rain derailment are also possible in and around Gold Bar.  In those situations, officials said it will be very important for residents to listen for direction from local leaders on whether to shelter in their homes or evacuate.  County officials say signing up for SnoCoAlerts is a good first step.  

"We've had derailments up here before. This is a major east-west route. That’s certainly a hazard, but the highway has just as many cargos if not more," said Andrews.   

Schmit said it's important that members of the community talk about what skills they can bring to the table in the event of an emergency, so they can help one another if disaster strikes and the community becomes isolated.