SULTAN, Wash. — The smoke has cleared but the impacts of this summer's Bolt Creek wildfire still hang heavy in the air along Highway 2.
Just as the wildfire season has subsided, winter is approaching quickly. Many residents are now concerned over winter landslides and flash floods precipitated by burn scars left behind by the 15,000-acre fire.
On Thursday, business owners met with federal lawmakers at Bubba's Roadhouse in Sultan to discuss ways to keep the community safe.
Business at Bubba's is finally starting to get back to normal after a hot, smoky summer.
"It was just a recipe for disaster," said Duane "Bubba" Deach. "There was the dust, a dry climate and all the heat that was there."
The Bolt Creek wildfire burned for more than a month along Highway 2, charring trees that toppled into the road causing its two-week closure.
Some businesses reported a 75% loss of income.
"You have to remember, many of our businesses aren't necessarily on Highway 2," said Debbie Copple, director of the Sky Valley Chamber of Commerce. "We have rafting businesses, people who clean vacation homes, wedding venues. All of them were impacted."
With so many trees gone there are immediate worries about landslides, flash floods and avalanches as winter approaches.
The Department of Transportation is already advising people living along the corridor to have enough food and fuel to last two weeks, in case of a closure.
"It would be nice to have the confidence level that when we're hit with something adverse that we can meet the need or at least try to meet it, but right now it doesn't feel like we have the resources," said Deach.
Two winters ago people along Highway 2 were trapped for two weeks, not by smoke, but by snow.
With early warnings that floods and slides will likely close Highway 2 at some point this season, neighbors fear a repeat.
Several communities were cut off from water, food, fuel and power, forcing people to form relief convoys to help their neighbors survive.
"We have to do something to keep that from happening again," said Copple, "Even if it's some temporary barricades. We have to keep that highway open."
At Thursday's roundtable, local businesses said they want the governor to declare the area an "emergency zone" to allow the release of financial aid for those affected by the fire.
Federal FEMA relief will apparently be more difficult to come by, according to Copple.
"I've been informed that fires don't always qualify for disaster relief," said Copple. "To be honest I cannot understand why a hurricane is more important than recovering from a fire."
When Rep. Kim Schrier (D-08) was asked about FEMA relief, she said there are different parameters that are taken into account.
"Some of that has to do with population, some of it with area. I guess the fact of the matter is with a hurricane you see all the damage at once," Schrier said. "With this sort of event, you see ripples of damage. We'll just have to make the case to get as much relief as we can, right here."
Federal lawmakers are asking the U.S. Forest Service to prioritize funding for the Highway 2 corridor to plant new trees, but that takes time, and with winter looming, time is running out.
"We just never know," said Deach. "Literally, out here you can't predict anything."
A fundraiser to help local businesses is scheduled for Nov. 10 at Angel of The Winds Arena. To get tickets, click here.