Cherry Point Refinery fire

(Information on this site is considered to be accurate at the time of posting, but is subject to change as new information becomes available.)

Fire at the BP Cherry Point Refinery. Responders from the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have determined that no oil or polluted runoff has reached Washington waters.

Summary information

Date of incident:  February 17, 2012
Location:

BP Cherry Point Refinery
Whatcom County near Blaine, WA

Type of incident: Fire
Cause of incident: Under Investigation
Responsible party: BP Cherry Point Refinery
Fire at the BP Cherry Point Refinery

Fire at the BP Cherry Point Refinery. (Screen grab from King 5's TV coverage.)

Status updates

February 18, 2012

 

Seeing no levels of concern, EPA curtails emergency air monitoring at BP refinery fire site near Bellingham, Washington

 

As cleanup begins in earnest at the BP refinery fire site, 20 miles northwest of Bellingham, Washington, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's air monitoring team is standing down after seeing no measurable threats to public health from airborne pollutants related to the fire.

 

Air monitoring was conducted at several locations around the perimeter of the facility. No readings were found to demonstrate any level of concern.

 

Once the site was stabilized and secured, EPA and Department of Ecology responders completed their assessment and demobilized.

 

February 17, 2012

 

Ecology, EPA, Coast Guard responding to fire at BP Cherry Point Refinery to monitor environment

 

The Washington Department of Ecology, EPA and U.S. Coast Guard are responding to a fire at the BP Cherry Point Refinery near Blaine in Whatcom County to monitor and assess potential environmental impacts. A unified command involving all the parties involved in the response is being established at the refinery

 

More information about the incident and unified command will be provided as soon as it becomes available.

 

As mop-up continues at BP Cherry Point refinery, Ecology, EPA responders see no pollution threat to water but air monitoring continues

 

Responders from the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have determined that no oil or polluted runoff has reached Washington waters at the BP Cherry Point Refinery near Ferndale.

 

Ecology and EPA officials remain at the refinery to assess and monitor potential environmental problems after a large fire broke out there earlier today.

 

Officials found that all water and other materials used to fight the fire – including related runoff – was contained within the refinery, where it will be treated in the facility’s on-site wastewater treatment system.

 

EPA contractors will continue taking air samples around the perimeter and downwind of the facility to help ensure the safety of nearby residents.

News releases

Media contact

Curt Hart, Media contact, curt.hart@ecy.wa.gov, 360-407-6990