7/22/2014 NWCC Morning Brief

NWCC Morning Brief: Tuesday, July 22, 2014        

National Preparedness Level: 3
For the National Incident Management Situation Report (IMSR), see: http://www.nifc.gov/nicc/sitreprt.pdf

Summary: In the Northwest (last 24 hrs), abundant lightning with localized wetting rains occurred in SE, NE and Southcentral Oregon. Red Flag warnings issued today for thunderstorm activity with abundant lightning across much of Oregon and SE Washington.

National Fire Activity
Initial attack activity: Light (182 new fires)
New large fires: 4
Large fires contained: 2
Uncontained large fires: *26
Area Command Teams committed: 0
NIMOs committed: 1
Type 1 IMTs committed: 6
Type 2 IMTs committed: 13
*Uncontained large fires include only fires being managed under a full suppression strategy

Northwest Preparedness Levels: Today: 5
3-Day: 5, 10-Day: 4, 30-Day: 3

Northwest Fire Activity
New fires and acres (Last 24 hrs): 17 fires for 1,991 acres (14,681 acres growth on existing large fires)
OR: 11 fires for 251 acres                                                 (Acreage reductions not included.)
WA: 6 fires for 1,740 acres

Northwest Large Fires
Uncontained Large Fires: 19 (OR:12,WA:7)

IMTs Committed in NW
NIMO Teams committed: 1
Type 1 IMTs committed: 4
Type 2 IMTs committed: 14

Incidents not Previously-Reported: 1

Bugg Road WA-NES-000428. ICT3 (Vugtezeen). 7 mi E of Tonasket, WA. Start 7/21. Timber and grass. Cause under investigation. 1,700 acres. Active fire behavior. 1 structure destroyed. Values at risk; structures. Crews planned to complete dozer line overnight.

Incidents Previously-Reported: 19

Carlton Complex WA-NES-000534. Portland NIMO (Hahnenberg), IMT2 WA Team 2 (Rabe), CA IMT1 (Oplinger), IMT2 WA Team 3 (Allbee). 7 mi S of Twisp, WA. Start 7/14. Timber. Cause Lightning. 243,291 acres (+5,401 ac). 16% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Extensive damage to major powerlines. ICP has lost power. Values at risk; communities of Brewster, Malott, Winthrop, Twisp, Chelan, and Okanogan. Level 1, 2, and 3 evacuations. Stokes Road, French Creek , and Golden Hike fires have merged. Includes Cougar Flats fire. The fire is broken into 3 zones being managed by 4 IMT's.

Chiwaukum Complex WA-OWF-000356. IMT1. PNW Team 3 (Lewis). 9 mi NW of Leavenworth, WA. Start 7/15. Timber. Cause lightning. 11,783 acres (+339 ac). 10% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Values at risk; cabins, homes, powerlines, logging equipment, T&E species and natural resources. Level 1, 2, and 3 evacuations. Hwy 2 is closed. Washington state fire mob authorized. Includes Chiwaukum Creek, Kelly Mountain and Duncan Ridge fires. This incident is being managed with Mills Canyon.

Sunflower OR-UMF-014166. IMT2. GB Team 5 (Wilde). 10 mi N of Monument, OR. Start 7/14. Timber. Cause lightning. 5,900 acres (+836 ac). 50% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Values at risk; private land, grazing land, T&E species, and structures.

Pine Creek OR-PRD. MT IMT2 (Fry). The IMT2 is managing 4 incidents in the vicinity of Fossil, OR. Minimal fire behavior. Values at risk; structures, natural resources, a youth camp, and a natural gas pipeline. Includes:                                                                                                                                                                              Pine Creek OR-PRD-000364. 11 mi S of Fossil, OR. Start 7/14. Timber. Lightning. 30,245 acres (+0 ac.), 65% cont. Donnybrook OR-PRD-000319. 10 mi SE of Antelope, OR. Start 7/13. Grass. 22,763 acres (+7 ac.), 70% cont.            Black Rock OR-PRD-000358. 10 mi E of Antelope, OR. Start 7/14. Grass. 35,731 acres (+1,554 ac.), 85% cont.        Jack Knife OR-PRD-000290. 8 mi SE of Grass Valley, OR. Start 7/13. Grass. 13,263 acres (+0 ac.), 100% cont.      

Ochoco Complex OR-OCF-000390. IMT2. EB Team 6 (Dunford). 17 mi E of Post, OR. Start 7/13. Timber. Moderate fire behavior. Cause lightning. 6,333 acres (+3,737 ac). 22% containment. Values at risk: structures, grazing land, scenic values and sage grouse habitat. Oscar Canyon and Fox fires have merged and will now be reported as Fox. Complex includes; Lava 191 acres (100% cont), Fox/ Oscar Canyon 6,116 acres (18% cont.), Broadway 5 acres (100% cont),  and Antelope Springs 21 acres (100% cont).

Logging Unit Fires OR-WSA-000070. IMT1 PNW Team 2 (Schulte). 25 mi NW of Warm Springs, OR. Start 7/16. Timber. Cause lightning. 10,302 acres (+802 ac). 5% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Values at risk; residences, natural resources, T&E species, cultural and historic values, and logging equipment. Includes; Skyline 125 acres (+4 ac), Haily Butte 108 acres (+0 ac), Camus Prairie 5,920 acres (+725ac), Logging Unit 357 acres (-44 ac), and a portion of Bear Butte II 3,835 ac (+116 ac).

Waterman Complex OR-952S-014165. IMT2. OR Team 3 (Johnson, D). 10 mi NE of Mitchell, OR. Start 7/14. Timber, grass understory. Cause lightning. 11,989 acres (+655 ac). 75% containment. Active fire behavior. Steep, inaccessible terrain. Values at risk; residences, structures, recreation infrastructure and natural resources. Hwy 26 reopened. Campground and forest closures. Level 1 and 2 evacuations. Complex includes Bailey Butte, Toney Butte (100% cont.),  Junctions Springs (100% cont.), Inc 299 and Inc 308.

Bridge 99 Complex OR-DEF-000329. IMT2. OR Team 2 (Fillis). 20 mi N of Sisters, OR. Start 7/13. Timber. Cause lightning. 5,915 acres (+605 ac). 31% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Level 2 and 3 evacuations. Values at risk; residences and structures. Forest closures in effect. Includes Bridge 99  and a portion of Bear Butte II fires.

Shaniko Butte OR-WSA-000056. IMT2. OR Team 1 (Williams). 15 mi N of Warm Springs, OR. Start 7/12. Grass and brush. Cause lightning. 42,500 acres (+0 ac). 75% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Steep terrain. Values at risk; residences and structures. Major burnout operations planned. Demobilization of some resources planned.

Watermelon Hill WA-SPD-000591. IMT2. WA Team 5 (Leitch). 7 mi SW of Cheney, WA. Start 7/19. Grass. Cause unknown. 10,518 acres (-482 ac). 40% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Values at risk; residences, railroad infrastructure, Turnbull wildlife refuge, recreation areas, campgrounds and cultural resources. Previously listed as WA-WFS-000508.

Buzzard Complex OR-BUD-004111. MT IMT1 (Poncin) / OR Team 4 (Watts). 45 mi NE of Burns, OR. Start 7/14. Grass and brush. Cause lightning. 395,747 acres (+0 ac). 85% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Steep, inaccessible terrain. Mop up ongoing. Includes Buzzard  282,801 ac, (+0 ac) 85% cont, Bartlet 728 ac (+0 ac) 100% cont, Lamb Ranch, Beaver Creek 22,863 ac (+0 ac) 100% cont, Twin Reservior 10,355 ac (+0 ac) 100% cont, and Saddle Draw 79,000 ac (+0) 100% cont.

Pittsburg OR-WWF-000482. IMT2. WA Team 1 (Johnson). 18 mi NE of Imnaha, OR. Start 7/13. Grass and brush. Cause lightning. 8,000 acres (+0). 85% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Steep, inaccessible terrain. Values at risk; structures, rangeland and recreation infrastructure. Partial forest closure in effect.

Mills Canyon WA-SES-000267. IMT1. PNW Team 3 (Lewis). 2 mi SW of Entiat, WA. Start 7/8. Grass, brush and timber. Cause unknown. 22,571 acres (+0 ac). 85% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Steep, inaccessible terrain. Values at risk; residences. Level  2 evacuations in effect.

Bingham Complex OR-WIF-140090. IMT2. WA Team 4 (Nickey). 5 mi E of Marion Forks, OR. Start 7/13. Timber. Cause lightning. 452 acres (+0 ac). 30% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Values at risk; structures, commercial property, T&E species and natural resources. Includes Bingham Ridge 275 ac. (+0 ac), Lizard  175 ac. (+0 ac), Inc 152 (2 ac), Inc 162 (0.10 ac).

Lone Mountain 1 WA-NCP-000018.  IMT2 MT Team (Hutton). 3 mi N of Stehekin, WA. Start 7/14. Timber. Cause lightning. 1,700 acres (+500 ac.). 0% containment. Minimal fire behavior.  North Cascades Park. Confine/ point zone protection strategy. Potential threat to national forest lands.

Hurricane Creek OR-WWF-000477. ICT3 (Hale). 5 mi SW of Joseph, OR. Start 7/14. Timber. Cause lightning. 645 acres (+245 ac) . 20% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Monitor/ confine/ full suppression strategy. Trail and campground closures. Values at risk; Hurricane Creek trail, campgrounds, and roadways.

Saddle Mountain WA-MISC-000358. ICT3 (Strange). 14 mi E of Ellensburg, WA. Start 7/18. Cause human. 25,000 acres (+0 ac). 90% containment. Five primary residences destroyed. Values at risk; commercial properties and electrical infrastructure.Yakima Training Center ground. Fire mobilization ended 7/20. Unified command between the BLM and Department of Defense. No update received.

Center OR-PRD-000297. ICT3 (Priest). 3 mi NE of Post, OR. Start 7/13. Timber and grass. Cause lightning. 2,800 acres (+0 ac) 29% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Values at risk; nature conservancy land. Formerly listed at the 0297 PR fire. The fire is lined. No update received.

R Road WA-SPD-000383. ICT3 (Strange). 10 mi E of Mansfield, WA. Start 7/16. Grass. Cause Unknown. 4,300 acres (+0 ac). 100% containment. Final report unless conditions change.

Northwest RX Burning: None reported.

Northwest Weather Highlights / Fire Potential: 

                                                                                                                                               
Increasing southerly flow ahead of an approaching trough will bring scattered showers along with a lot of lightning to much of the region today and Wednesday. Wetting rains are expected across much of Washington. Showers expected, with lesser amounts as you head southward into Oregon.. Additionally, as the trough moves in on Wednesday it will become quite windy east of the Cascades. Cooler temperatures and higher humidity along with precipitation should help mitigate the effects of the wind.

NW 7-Day Significant Fire Potential Forecast
Nat'l 7-Day Significant Fire Potential Forecas