Wildfires Burning Near Ross Lake as Weekend Rain Moves In

Happy Friday, Bellingham. It is August 21 and we are heading into the weekend with a mix of good news and a few things worth knowing before you head out the door. Coffee in hand? Let's get into it.

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Today’s Weather: Partly sunny Friday with a high near 75. Northwest winds around 2 mph keep things mild. Tonight, clouds move in and there's a slight chance of showers or thunderstorms after 5am Saturday morning. Low around 57. Check the full forecast at the National Weather Service.

Safety Update

Wildfires Burning Near Ross Lake as Weekend Rain Moves In

Whatcom County's Division of Emergency Management confirmed Thursday that the Luna and Ptarmigan fires are actively burning in the far eastern part of the county near Ross Lake. The Emergency Operations Center is not activated, and county crews are in contact with the incident management teams on both fires. More information is available through the North Cascades National Park Service.

The county-wide Stage 2 burn ban remains in effect until further notice. All outdoor burning is prohibited. Fire danger across the lowlands and Cascades is rated Very High. Rain is expected to move in by Saturday morning, with a slight chance of thunderstorms, which may bring some relief but also the potential for lightning ignitions. Residents in eastern Whatcom County should stay alert and make sure they are signed up for emergency alerts at WhatcomReady.org. Full briefing details here.

Outdoors

Glacier Creek Road Reopens After December Flood Damage

Good news for hikers. Glacier Creek Road (Forest Service Road 39) reopened on August 20 after being closed since the December 2025 floods washed it out. The road leads to the Heliotrope Ridge trailhead, one of the most popular routes for hikers heading toward Mount Baker's Coleman Glacier.

If you have been waiting to make that trip, now is your window before summer fades. Keep the weekend weather in mind and check conditions before you go. Read the full reopening update here.

Transit

Whatcom Transit Overhauls Bus Routes Serving WWU

Whatcom Transportation Authority rolled out major route changes this summer, and if you ride the bus to or from Western Washington University, the system looks a lot different now. The old Blue Line system, which had six overlapping routes running through campus, is gone. In its place: Route 190 now serves as the main backbone, running every 15 minutes through campus during the school year.

Two new Campus Circulator routes, numbered 97 and 98, handle peak demand during peak school hours. Three additional new routes replace the old overlapping campus lines. Western students account for about 40% of all WTA rides, and transit to campus already outpaces personal vehicle trips by more than 10 to one. The changes come just ahead of the September 1 fare increase, when base fares double to $2. Full route details here.

Environment

Federal Roadless Rule Repeal Would Open 400,000 Acres Near Bellingham to Logging

A proposed federal rule would rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule, which has protected about 58 million acres of national forest from road building and logging for more than two decades. Locally, that means roughly 400,000 acres in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest could be opened to new roads and timber harvest.

The U.S. Forest Service has released a draft environmental impact statement and a public comment period is currently open. If you use Mount Baker trails, camp in the forest, or care about watershed health around Lake Whatcom and the Nooksack River, this one is worth your attention. Read the full story and find out how to comment.

Family + Education

Proposed Federal Head Start Changes Alarm Local Program Directors

Directors of Head Start programs in Whatcom and Skagit counties are warning that proposed federal rule changes could significantly impact services for low-income families. The proposed changes would roll back performance standards that programs are required to meet, which local administrators say would reduce accountability and make their work harder, not easier.

Head Start serves some of the youngest and most vulnerable kids in our community, providing early education, health screenings, and family support services. A public comment period on the proposed rule is open now. More details on the proposed changes and what they mean locally.

Feel Good Friday

Noisy Waters Mural Festival Picks Its 2026 Winners

The fourth annual Noisy Waters Mural Festival wrapped up this week and drew more than 7,000 people to the Portal Container Village. Denver-based muralist Catie Michel took home the grand prize with "Sea to Salal," a wolf surrounded by native plants and wildlife. Two other winners, Oak Bloak (Max Coleman, also from Denver) and Jessa Gilbert (from Squamish, BC), will also paint permanent murals in Bellingham next year.

The three winning murals are headed to locations in Sehome, Sunnyland, and along Ellis Street in 2027. See the full winner list and mural locations here.

Feel Good Friday

Whatcom County Renames Canyon Lake Trail for Land Trust Founder Rand Jack

The Whatcom County Council voted to rename the 3.5-mile main trail leading to Canyon Lake, part of the Canyon Lake Community Forest, in honor of Rand Jack. Jack is one of the founders of Whatcom Land Trust and spent decades working to preserve land across the county, including this forest.

The trail is now officially the Rand Jack Trail. If you have not hiked it, it is worth putting on your list. More on the trail and the honor here.

Civic

Washington Cities Pay $300K in Settlements Over Flock Camera Records Failures

A Washington man has collected more than $300,000 in legal settlements from local governments that failed to release Flock camera data after public records requests. Sedro-Woolley settled for $40,000 after failing to hand over license plate reader records that were legally public at the time. The city council later voted to turn the cameras off entirely.

Worth noting locally: Bellingham Police conducted 5,648 plate searches in the publicly available dataset. If you want to check whether your vehicle was ever flagged, the story includes information on a public website where you can search. Full details on the settlements and how to check here.

Safety

Dreyer's Recalls Outshine Fruit Bars Nationwide Over Possible Glass

Heads up if you have Outshine fruit bars in your freezer. Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream is voluntarily recalling select flavors after consumer reports of glass found in the product. Affected items include Outshine Strawberry, Watermelon, Grape, Tangerine, and Black Cherry 6-count bars, along with the 24-count Variety Pack. No injuries or illnesses have been reported.

Do not eat the recalled products. You can return them to your place of purchase for a full refund. See the full recall details and affected lot numbers here.

Community

Lynden Heritage Museum Fights for Survival With $100K Fundraising Push

The Lynden Heritage Museum, often described as one of the biggest small-town museums you have ever been in, is in a fight to stay open. The museum has faced a rollercoaster of crises in recent years, including a fire in October 2025 and budget pressures from the city. Community members are now rallying behind a push to raise $100,000 by the end of 2026.

The museum features a life-sized replica of Lynden's historic Front Street on its first floor, and new director Jennifer Maas has opened up the displays so visitors can step inside them for a more immersive experience. Read the full story on the fundraising campaign here.

New Business

Fairy-Tale Children's Salon Opening at Bellis Fair Mall This October

Parents, this one is fun. A new children's salon with a fairy-tale theme is set to open at Bellis Fair Mall in October. Separately, Salon Bellissima, which has operated in Fairhaven, is expanding with a second location in Ferndale.

More new business news for Whatcom County as the fall season shapes up. Full details on both openings here.

Sponsored

Start the Weekend Fresh

Between wildfires, summer adventures, and kids home all day, your house has earned a deep clean. This week only, Cascade Home Cleaning is offering 50% off your first deep clean when you sign up for recurring service. Reliable, local, and trusted by Whatcom County families.

This offer expires at the end of the week, so do not wait. Book your clean at cascadehomecleaning.com.

The Upcoming Week