8/9/2018 - Miriam Fire Update

Miriam Fire Update Tuesday, August 9, 2018

Naches area (August 9, 2018)   Acres: 1,948 acres                           Percent Containment: 9%                                   Start Date: 07/30/18 Personnel/Resources: Six 20-person crews, 3 helicopters (others available, as needed), 25 engines, 2 dozer, 344 total personnel Location: Two miles east of White Pass Ski Area, within the Goat Rocks Wilderness on the Naches Ranger District, 32 miles southwest of Naches, WA. Cause: Lightning Estimated Incident Containment or completion: 9/1/2018   Fire Fighters Prepare for Increased Fire Activity   Current Activity: Firefighters continue to prepare for upcoming unstable weather and increased fire activity occurring over the next 48 hours. Yesterday crews completed structure protection around the Clear Lake organizational camps and charged sprinkler systems to reduce fire risk. Along Forest Road (FR) 1207 crews continued firing and mop up operations between the road and the eastern flank.   Today crews will continue to hold and mop up along FR 1207 and improve the road as a control line south of Miriam Creek to check the fire’s eastward spread. Aircraft will be used again today to slow and check the increasingly active fire. On the north flank a hand crew will continue building a fireline from Ginnette Lake east along the ridge to tie into the 2009 Twin Peaks Fire scar. Structure protection and construction of contingency lines will continue.   A new fire in the Goat Rocks Wilderness southwest of Shoe Lake, was detected yesterday afternoon, likely as a result of the lightning that came through last weekend. The ‘Clear Fork Fire’ is on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest will be managed by the Miriam Fire. Today aviation resources plan to check its growth using water from helicopters or retardant drops.   Weather and Fire Behavior: Today’s forecast again calls for hot and dry weather with temperatures in the 90s and relative humidity down to 15%. A Red Flag Warning is in effect from noon today through Friday. Hot, dry and unstable conditions, followed by dry and breezy winds will bring critical fire weather conditions to the area. Very active fire behavior is expected, with a potential for aggressive lateral spread, single and group tree torching, and spotting.   Evacuations: Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuations in the White Pass, Rimrock Lake and Clear Lake areas have not changed. Continue to follow Yakima County OEM for specific details on evacuation information.   Closures: A revised Closure is in effect on the Okanogan-Wenatchee and Gifford Pinchot National Forests. Find a map and list of affected sites at: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/6066/45371. The PCT is closed from Tieton Pass to White Pass. Highway 12 remains open and is not currently threatened. Caution is advised for motorists near White Pass to Rimrock Lake due to heavy firefighting traffic in the area.   For Online Miriam Fire Updates visit: Inciweb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6066/ Miriam Fire Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Miriam-Fire-Information-219341595438354/ Okanogan Wenatchee NF Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OkaWenNF/ Yakima County Office of Emergency Management: https://www.facebook.com/YakimaCountyOEM/  Incident Management Team:  Pacific NW IMT 7 -End-

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