Northwest Interagency Coordination Center

Friday, July 28, 2017

07/28/2017 NWCC Morning Brief

Date/Time Stamp: Friday, Jul 28, 2017, 06:52

Northwest Activity Summary

No lightning in the area yesterday, and very little to no precipitation recorded. It was warm and dry across eastern Oregon and Washington, with some breezy areas in northern Washington and poor overnight humidity recovery in the mountains of northeastern Washington.

Light initial attack across the area. Initial attack was generally very successful in forested areas, but low land fires burned more aggressively in the heavy, continuous grass and shrubs.

NIMO (Quesinberry) assigned to the Indian Creek incident on the Mt. Hood NF and NIMO (Houseman) assigned to the Chetco Bar incident on the Rogue-Siskiyou NF.

Preparedness Levels

Current:

Northwest	3 (7/13)
National	4 (7/9)

Northwest PL Forecast

3	3	3
3-day	10-day	30-day

Northwest Fire Activity
Large Fire Summary
New large fires: 3
Large fires contained: 1
Uncontained large fires: 8 (OR: 6 WA: 2)

New Fires and Acres
24 fires for 2301 acres
2,550 acres growth on existing large fires
OR: 20 fires for 1415 acres
WA: 4 fires for 886 acres

Northwest IMT Activity
NIMOs committed: 2
Type 1 IMTs committed: 0
Type 2 IMTs committed: 1

National Fire Activity
Initial attack activity: Light (152) new fires

New large incidents: 6
Large fires contained: 5
Uncontained large fires: 36

National IMT Activity
Area Command Teams committed: 0
NIMOs committed: 1
Type 1 IMTs committed: 4
Type 2 IMTs committed: 11

Northwest Current Incident Details

Incidents not Previously Reported: 3

Whitewater OR-WIF-170123 IMT3. 15 miles E of Detroit, OR. Start 7/23. Confine. Cause: Lightning. 85 acres. 15% containment. Timber. Active fire behavior with backing, torching and short range spotting. Road, area, and trail closures in effect. IMT2 (Knerr) has been ordered. Not included in the large fire count.

Paterson Slough WA-MCR-000285 IMT3. 3 miles N of Irrigon, OR. Start 7/27. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 886 acres. 75% containment. Grass. Active fire behavior with wind driven runs.

Hawk OR-VAD-000142 IMT3. 10 miles NW of Jordan Valley, OR. Start 7/27. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 1,412 acres. 75% containment. Brush/grass. Active fire behavior.

Incidents Previously Reported: 5

Blanket Creek OR-RSF-000371 IMT3. 9 miles NE of Prospect, OR. Start 7/25. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 150 acres. 0% containment. Timber. Moderate fire behavior with short crown runs, flanking and group torching. Road and trail closures in place. IMT2 (Gales) planned to assume command tomorrow (7/29).

Emerson OR-OCF-000638. IMT3. 4 miles NE of Madras, OR. Start 7/25. Full Suppression. Cause: Human. 10,527 acres (-92). 60% containment. Grass/brush. Moderate fire behavior with isolated torching, creeping and smoldering. Residences and structures threatened. Road and area closures in place.

Crane OR-982S-000299. IMT3. 4 miles SE of Lakeview, OR. Start 7/24. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 602 acres (+32). 40% containment. Timber. Minimal fire behavior.

Upper Mine OR-BUD-007058. IMT2 (Johnson). 8 mi S of Fields, OR. Start 7/24. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 4,135 acres (+35). 75% containment. Grass/brush. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering. Structures threatened.

Bissell WA-NES-001521. IMT3. 8 mi N of Hunters, WA. Start 7/23. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 377 acres (+0). 98% containment. Timber/brush/grass. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering. Structures threatened. Last report on morning briefing unless significant activity occurs.

Northwest Fires Utilizing Monitor, Confine, Point Zone Protection Suppression Strategies (YTD) (link)

Lists fires (of any size) that singly utilize Monitor, Confine or Point Zone Protection suppression strategies, or use Multiple Suppression Strategies (which may also include a Full Suppression component).

Northwest Fire Potential Summary

Large fire potential is decreasing back to normal levels following several days of heavy lightning. Any additional lightning will not be as concentrated over what has been observed for the past few days. Initial attack will likely remain engaged with holdover fires in southwest, south central, and eastern Oregon for the next several days but the number of new fires is not expected to exceed resource capabilities. A warming and drying trend setting in will help keep fire danger indices above average for the next week at least. No widespread critical fire weather patterns are expected for the time being but local conditions should be monitored for influence on ongoing incidents.

See your local NWS fire weather planning forecast for the weather details and any Red Flag Warnings in your area.

More info, see NW 7-Day Significant Fire Potential Forecast, and National 7-Day Significant Fire Potential Forecast

National Incident Management Situation Report (IMSR): https://www.nifc.gov/nicc/sitreprt.pdf

Other GACC Morning Reports:

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Thursday, July 27, 2017

7/27/2017 Indian Creek Fire Update

7/27/2017 24-hour Lightning Map

7/27/2017 Central Oregon AM Update

Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Update - July 27, 11:00 a.m.

Redmond, Oregon –Approximately 150 lighting strikes were recorded across Central Oregon yesterday and firefighters responded to 9 new fires—all held to under ½ acre—on public lands. While the storms have passed, firefighters expect to be responding to new fires from those strikes in the coming days and weeks.

Firefighters will continue constructing and improving containment lines on the Emerson Fire, 5 miles northeast of Madras today. Firefighters expect to see minimal growth on the fire today that is estimated to be 10,619 acres burning on private land and the Crooked River National Grassland. Containment remains at 30%. This fire was determined to be human caused.

As we reach the peak of fire season, fire officials want to remind the public that hot and dry weather conditions have created extreme fire conditions throughout Central Oregon. Fire restrictions are now in place on public lands, limiting campfires to only designated campgrounds. The public is asked to avoid driving or parking over dry grass and properly extinguish cigarette butts before disposing of them. As a reminder, fireworks and exploding targets are always illegal on public lands.

-End-

7/27/2017 NWCC Morning Brief

Morning Brief

Date/Time Stamp: Thursday, Jul 27, 2017, 06:58

Northwest Activity Summary

Another day of abundant lightning yesterday across most of eastern Oregon, with the storms in southeastern Oregon being the wettest. Several stations in SE Oregon reported .3-.7 inches of precipitation over the past 24 hours, while elsewhere precipitation was limited to a few stations showing only a few hundredths of an inch. It was warm and dry across eastern Washington, with some breezy areas, and poor overnight humidity recovery in the northeastern part of the state sets this area of the region up for another high risk day.

Light to moderate initial attack on lightning fires across the area. Initial attack was generally very successful, due to the precipitation and the status of green live fuels – and, of course, the good work of initial attack crews, dispatchers and support.

NIMO (Quesinberry) assigned to the Indian Creek incident on the Mt. Hood NF and NIMO (Houseman) assigned to the Chetco Bar incident on the Rouge-Siskiyou NF.

Preparedness Levels

Current:

Northwest	3 (7/13)
National	4 (7/9)

Northwest PL Forecast

3	3	3
3-day	10-day	30-day

Northwest Fire Activity
Large Fire Summary
New large fires: 1
Large fires contained: 0
Uncontained large fires: 6 (OR: 5 WA: 1)

New Fires and Acres 64 fires for 495 acres
5,669 acres growth on existing large fires
OR: 57 fires for 238 acres
WA: 7 fires for 257 acres

Northwest IMT Activity
NIMOs committed: 2
Type 1 IMTs committed: 0
Type 2 IMTs committed: 0

National Fire Activity
Initial attack activity: Moderate (258) new fires

New large incidents: 8
Large fires contained: 7
Uncontained large fires: 38

National IMT Activity
Area Command Teams committed: 0
NIMOs committed: 1
Type 1 IMTs committed: 4
Type 2 IMTs committed: 10

Northwest Current Incident Details

Incidents not Previously Reported: 1

Blanket Creek OR-RSF-000371 IMT3. 9 miles NE of Prospect, OR. Start 7/23. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 50 acres. 0% containment. Timber. Moderate fire behavior with backing and isolated torching. IMT2 (Gales) has been ordered.

Incidents Previously Reported: 5

Emerson OR-OCF-000638. IMT3. 4 miles NE of Madras, OR. Start 7/25. Full Suppression. Cause: Human. 10,619 acres (+5,619). 30% containment. Grass/brush. Moderate fire behavior with wind driven runs and flanking. Residences and structures threatened. Road and area closures in place.

Crane OR-982S-000299. IMT3. 4 miles SE of Lakeview, OR. Start 7/24. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 570 acres (+0). 15% containment. Timber. Minimal fire behavior.

Upper Mine OR-BUD-007058. IMT2 (Johnson). 8 mi S of Fields, OR. Start 7/24. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 4,100 acres (-700). 40% containment. Grass/brush. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering. Structures threatened.

Bissell WA-NES-001521. IMT3. 8 mi N of Hunters, WA. Start 7/23. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 377 acres (+0). 50% containment. Timber/brush/grass. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering and creeping. Structures threatened.

Wildcat OR-LAD-000308. 1 mile S of Green Mountain Lookout, OR. Start 7/24. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 657 acres. Increased containment. Grass/brush. Precipitation occurred over incident. Last report on morning briefing unless significant activity occurs.

Northwest Fires Utilizing Monitor, Confine, Point Zone Protection Suppression Strategies (YTD) (link)

Northwest Fire Potential Summary

The main fire potential story is that new fire starts over central and eastern Oregon will drop off dramatically on Thursday and Friday as the atmosphere dries and stabilizes. However, hot and dry weather will likely keep initial attack resources busy with holdover fires from several previous days of concentrated lightning. Main areas of concern for holdovers will be in NW04, NW07 and NW11.

Winds will increase through the Columbia River Gorge and east slopes of the Cascades on Thursday but large fire threat is elevated mainly in rangeland/grassland fuels. Not as much wind is expected in timbered areas with likely holdover fires. More lightning looks as if it will be possible over northeast Oregon at times through the weekend however the amount of new fire starts appears minimal.

See your local NWS fire weather planning forecast for the weather details and any Red Flag Warnings in your area.

More info, see NW 7-Day Significant Fire Potential Forecast, and National 7-Day Significant Fire Potential Forecast

National Incident Management Situation Report (IMSR): https://www.nifc.gov/nicc/sitreprt.pdf

Other GACC Morning Reports:

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7/26/2017 Central Oregon Fire Update

Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Update - July 26, 9:00 p.m.

Redmond, Oregon –Firefighters spent the afternoon chasing several new starts ignited by lightning storms that passed through Central Oregon on Wednesday. As of press time, firefighters had responded to—and contained—9 new fires, all under ½ acre. They also provided assistance on a fire that started at the Willamette Pass ski area on the Willamette National Forest and assisted Bend Fire with an incident.

Over 100 lightning strikes have blanketed Central Oregon since 1:00 p.m. and lightning was forecasted to continue well into the night. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for “abundant lightning and gusty winds” that remains in effect until 11:00 p.m. tonight.

Firefighters continued constructing and improving containment lines on the Emerson Fire, burning approximately 5 miles northeast of Madras on private land and the U.S. Forest Service managed Crooked River National Grassland. There was minimal growth on the Emerson Fire today that is now estimated to be 10,619 acres and 30% contained. Previous estimates of the fire placed containment at 40% but that number was revised after fire officials were able to see the fire from the air. A Type 3 incident management team comprised of Prineville Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service firefighters has command of the fire and will continue working with Jefferson County Rural Fire District to manage the blaze. This fire was determined to be human caused.

As we reach the peak of fire season, fire officials want to remind the public that hot and dry weather conditions have created extreme fire conditions throughout Central Oregon. Fire restrictions are now in place on public lands, limiting campfires to only designated campgrounds. The public is asked to avoid driving or parking over dry grass.

Fireworks and exploding targets are always illegal on public lands.

7/26/2017 South Central Oregon Fire Information

LAKEVIEW, Ore. – Abundant lightning yesterday afternoon and evening in south central Oregon sparked multiple new wildfires. South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership (SCOFMP) firefighters have responded to over 120 smoke reports due to the increased lightning activity.

Additional fire reinforcements including engines, crews, aircraft and heavy equipment have been ordered for numerous lightning fires to support ongoing fire suppression work and respond to any new wildfire starts.

More lightning has been predicted to continue, suggesting thunderstorms may persist in some areas as late as Friday. Longer term outlooks for the weekend and beyond suggest hot and dry weather will continue for the region. No major relief is seen in the overall pattern of high fire danger over Oregon.

The Crane Fire, located four miles south of Lakeview has been held at 570 acres and is 15% contained. An Oregon Department of Forestry type 3 team has assumed command of the fire with more than 200 wildland firefighters assigned. Helicopters supported ground personnel by dropping water to cool down areas of heat along the fire’s edge allowing crews to make progress building containment lines. Steep, rocky terrain continues to challenge fire suppression efforts along the north side of Crane Creek Canyon.

The Well Fire located on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lakeview District near Crack in the Ground has been contained at 75 acres. A lighting-caused fire on the Sheldon Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex was contained by multiple resources 165 acres. Additionally, smokejumpers from Redmond, Ore. were deployed to the .25 acre Elephant Back Fire located in the Crater Lake National Park which has been contained.

South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership is an interagency fire management program that provides comprehensive wildland fire service to south central Oregon and northwest Nevada. The partnership strives to achieve a more efficient, effective and integrated interagency fire management program for all participating agencies on the land administered and protected by each agency.

Participating agencies include: Fremont-Winema National Forest, Lakeview District BLM (Bureau of Land Management), Sheldon-Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Crater Lake National Park and Klamath-Lake District ODF (Oregon Department of Forestry).

Formore information, contactFire Information Officer, Sarah Saarloos with the South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership at 541-219-0515 or ssaarloos@fs.fed.us.Daily wildfire/prescribed fire information, maps and social media links can be found at SCOFMP Blog: http://bit.ly/2sK5YHY

For more prescribed/wildland fire information, maps, and updates:

• Facebook: http://bit.ly/2qsw4C7

• Twitter: http://bit.ly/2q40L0X

• Inciweb: http://bit.ly/2pzTCSv

• SCOFMP Blog: http://bit.ly/2sOBXai

• FLICKR: http://bit.ly/2sGyBJG

• LIFC SITE: http://bit.ly/2s4vprt

• YouTube: http://bit.ly/2t6R1nP