Washington state’s Olympic National Park has lost its Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge in a fire. On Sunday, May 7, at 4:39 PM, Clallam County Fire District 2 responded to a dispatch reporting the blaze. Clallam County Fire District 3 and the Port Angeles Fire Department joined the fire rescue team to help control the scene. According to Clallam County Fire District 2, “the structure had already collapsed to the foundation” when help arrived.
No onsite injuries were reported, and no visitors were in the lodge during the fire. Due to an ongoing rehabilitation project, the lodge has been closed since March 27. While renovations were set to be finished in 2024, park officials now say that “the structure appears to be a complete loss.”
As of May 8, the fire’s cause remains unknown. Olympic National Park’s acting Deputy Superintendent Roy Zipp told The Seattle Times that the park is “still developing the basic facts around the incident and trying to determine the origin of the cause.” The park will be handling further investigation into the fire, according to Clallam County Fire District 2.
Built in the 1950s, Day Lodge holds a special place in the hearts of many locals. For Heidi Walker of Discover Your Northwest, a Seattle-based nonprofit that supports the region’s public lands, the loss of this iconic structure has hit home.
“How can it be gone? It’s such a big part of the park, and it’s gone,” Walker told Seattle’s KIRO 7 News. “It’s almost like, almost like losing a friend even in my adulthood.”
In the comments of an Olympic National Park Facebook post announcing the fire, past visitors have begun sharing memories of the lodge. For many, the lodge was the backdrop for cherished moments within the park. Those who want to follow the topic as further details emerge can find official releases via the park’s news hub.