Bolt Creek fire

The Bolt Creek Fire was a large wildfire on the western slopes of the Cascade Mountains in Washington along U . Route 2 in 2022. It burned north of the towns of Index, Grotto and Skykomish in northern King and southern Snohomish counties from September 9 through late October when changes in the weather extinguished it. During the fire, U . Route 2 was closed for prolonged periods of time forcing traffic to detour across passes to the south and north, trapping some local communities with no alternative exits, and severely impacting regional air quality for multiple days. The total cost of the fire and post-event mitigation is estimated to have been $8 million. Following the fire, the section of U . Route 2 running along the burn scar was deemed a higher risk for flash flooding, with the risk expected to diminish over an estimated five year period. The lack of alternate routes through the section, due to the closure of the Old Cascade Highway, was again brought into public discussion.