Long burn time complicated investigation into Hurricane Ridge lodge fire

Long burn time complicated investigation into Hurricane Ridge lodge fire

An investigation could not determine a particular cause of the fire that destroyed the Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge last spring.

Investigators were able to determine an area of origin and several potential ignition sources but could single out one in particular.

The fire likely originated in the northeast portion of the building, which was unoccupied and undergoing a full interior renovation at the time. The building was already a total loss when it was discovered on fire around 4:30 p.m. on May 7, 2023. The day lodge had been burning for hours at that point, and the long burn time destroyed evidence of fire patterns, triggered additional potential ignition sources and compromised investigators’ ability to analyze electrical components where the fire is believed to have originated, according to a news release from Olympic National Park.

The Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge housed the area’s hub for electrical, water and communications infrastructure. The fire destroyed the park’s facilities for supporting recreational access to the Hurricane Ridge area. Temporary restrooms were installed to allow limited public access through the summer of 2023.

The Hurricane Ridge area closed for demolition of the remaining lodge debris and construction of utilities in October of last year and reopened on the Friday following Thanksgiving for winter recreation. The area is currently open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through March 31.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray requested $80 million out of the federal government’s $56 billion federal budget to rebuild the day lodge in Olympic National Park last October.

President Joe Biden set aside $375 million of his $56 billion supplemental budget to repair and rebuild federal facilities and roads that were damaged as a result of wildfires in Washington and snowstorms in California.

Originally built in 1952 as a ski lodge, the lodge saw about 300,000 visitors each year.