7/18/2014 NWCC Morning Brief

NWCC Morning Brief: Friday, July 18, 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), minimal lightning occurred in Southcentral Oregon. One additional team deployment, MT IMT1 (Poncin), mobilizing to the Buzzard Complex. The Northwest GACC is at a Preparedness Level 5 effective at 0600 today.

National Fire Activity
Initial attack activity: Light (114 new fires)
New large fires: 7
Large fires contained: 1
Uncontained large fires: *35
Area Command Teams committed: 0
NIMOs committed: 1
Type 1 IMTs committed: 5
Type 2 IMTs committed: 11
*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): 22 fires for 6,592 acres (200,906 acres growth on existing large fires)
OR: 13 fires for 6,146 acres
WA: 9 fires for 446 acres

Northwest Large Fires
Uncontained Large Fires: 20 (OR:15,WA:5)

IMTs Committed in NW
NIMO Teams committed: 1
Type 1 IMTs committed: 3
Type 2 IMTs committed: 11

Incidents not Previously-Reported: 3

Lone Mountain 1 WA-NCP-000018. ICT4 (Potvin). 3 mi N of Stehekin, WA. Start 7/14. Timber. Cause lightning. 300 acres. 0% containment. Active fire behavior. Values at risk; structures, natural resources and recreation.

Radio Tower OR-VAD-000077. ICT3 (Skaggs). 6 mi SE of Baker City, OR. Start 7/17. Grass. Cause unknown. 3,300 acres. 80% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Mop-up ongoing.

Oscar Canyon OR-PRD-000301. ICT4 (George/Noss). 11 mi NW of Paulina, OR. Start 7/13. Grass. Cause lightning. 315 acres. 79% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Mop-up and demob ongoing.

Incidents Previously-Reported: 18

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). 50% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Steep, inaccessible terrain. Values at risk; residences, infrastructure, T & E species and cultural sites. Level 1 and 2 evacuations in effect. Chiwaukum Creek is being managed as a branch of Mills Canyon.

Chiwaukum Creek WA-OWF-000356. IMT1. PNW Team 3 (Lewis). 9 mi NW of Leavenworth, WA. Start 7/15. Timber. Cause lightning. 4,580 acres (+4,131 ac). 0% containment. Active fire behavior. Values at risk; cabins, homes, powerlines, logging equipment, T&E species and natural resources. Level 1, 2, and 3 evacuations. Washington state fire mob authorized. This incident is being managed as a branch of Mills Canyon.

Carlton Complex WA-NES-000534. IMT2. WA Team 2 (Rabe) / Portland NIMO (Hahnenberg). 7 mi S of Twisp, WA. 47,362 acres (+42,896 ac). 0% containment. Extreme fire behavior. Values at risk; structures, communities, powerlines. Level 1, 2, and 3 evacuations. Stokes Road, French Creek , and Golden Hike fires have merged. Includes Cougar Flats fire. Washington State fire mobilization in effect. ICP has lost power.

Shaniko Butte OR-WSA-000056. IMT2. OR Team 1 (Williams). 15 mi N of Warm Springs, OR. Start 7/13. Grass and brush. Cause lightning. 25,000 acres (+5,000ac). 10% containment. Extreme fire behavior. Steep terrain. Portions of the Deschutes River and railroad closures. Values at risk; community of Dant, residences and structures.

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. 6,040 acres (+1,721 ac). 35% containment. Active fire behavior. Steep, inaccessible terrain. Values at risk; structures, recreation infrastructure and natural resources. Hwy 26 and campground closures. Level 1 evacuations. Complex includes Bailey Butte, Toney Butte and Junctions Springs incidents near Mitchell, OR. Incidents 299 and 308 have been added to the Complex.

Buzzard Complex OR-BUD-004111. IMT2. OR Team 4 (Watts). 45 mi NE of Burns, OR. Start 7/14. Grass and brush. Cause lightning. 272,352 acres (+122,352 ac). 20% containment. Exteme fire behavior. Steep, inaccessible terrain. Values at risk; ranches,  livestock, and sage grouse habitat. MT IMT1 (Poncin) is mobilizing to the incident. Includes Buzzard (159,406 ac) 20% cont, Bartlet(728 ac) 70% cont, Lamb Ranch, Beaver Creek (22,863 ac) 1% cont, Twin Reservior (10,355 ac) 1% cont, and Saddle Draw(79,000 ac) 0% cont.

Pittsburgh 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 (+500). 5% containment. Active fire behavior. Steep, inaccessible terrain. Values at risk; structures, rangeland and recreation infrastructure.

Bridge 99 Complex OR-DEF-000329. IMT2. OR Team 2 (Fillis). 20 mi N of Sisters, OR. Start 7/13. Timber. Cause lightning. 3,900 acres (+2,740 ac). Active fire behavior. Level 2 and 3 evacuations. Values at risk; residences and structures. Includes Bridge 99  and Bear Butte II fires.

Bingham Complex OR-WIF-140090. IMT2. WA Team 4 (Nickey). 5 mi E of Marion Forks, OR. Start 7/13. Timber. Cause lightning. 538 acres (+62 ac). 10% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Values at risk; structures, commercial property, T&E species and natural resources. Includes Bingham Ridge (300 ac), Lizard (235 ac), Inc 152 (2 ac), Inc 111 (0.25 ac), and Inc 90 (0.25 ac).

Sunflower OR-UMF-014166. IMT2. NV Team 5 (Wilde). 10 mi N of Monument, OR. Start 7/14. Timber. Cause lightning. 2,000 acres (+800 ac). 5% containment. Active fire behavior. Values at risk; private land, grazing land, T&E species, and structures.

Pine Creek OR-PRD-000364. MT IMT2 (Fry). 11 mi S of Fossil, OR. Start 7/14. Timber. Cause lightning. 15,184 acres (+13,984 ac). 0% containment. Active fire behavior. Values at risk; structures and natural resources. Jack Knife is being managed as part of the Pine Creek organization.

Jack Knife OR-PRD-000290. IMT3 (Akerburg). 8 mi SE of Grass Valley, OR. Start 7/13. Grass. Cause unknown. 12,850 acres (+6,720 ac). 30% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Values at risk; structures and the John Day river corridor. Being managed as a part of the Pine Creek organization.

Moccasin Hill OR-781S-140260. IMT2. ODF Team 2 (Cline). 25 mi NE of Klamath Falls, OR. Start 7/14. Timber. Cause unknown. 2,535 acres (+0 ac). 75% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Mop up ongoing. Multiple structures destroyed. Values at risk; residences, natural resources.

White River OR-754S-000009. IMT2 ODF Team 1 (Buckman). 15 mi W of Maupin, OR. Start 7/12. Timber. Cause unknown. 652 acres (+0 ac). 100% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Mop-up ongoing. Values at risk; natural resources. Tentative transition to the local unit 7/18. Final report unless conditions change.

Logging Unit OR-WSA-000070. IMT1 PNW Team 2 (Schulte). 26 mi NW of Warm Springs, OR. Start 7/16. Timber. Cause lightning. 600 acres. 0% containment. Extreme fire behavior. Values at risk; natural resources and logging equipment. 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). 50% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Mop-up ongoing.

Hurricane Creek OR-WWF-000477. ICT3 (Galyard). 5 mi SW of Joseph, OR. Start 7/14. Timber. Cause lightning. 120 acres (+0 ac). 10% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Values at risk; Hurricane Creek trail, T&E species, campgrounds, and residences. Critical needs; Type 1 crews.

Gumboot OR-BUD-004115. ICT3 (Thissell/McConnall). 35 mi W of Burns, OR. Start 7/14. Timber. Cause lightning. 4,420 acres (+0 ac). 90% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Mop-up ongoing.

Northwest RX Burning:

Completed (Last 24 hrs): 0 fires for 0 acres
Planned (Next 24 hrs): 0 fires for 0 acres

Northwest Weather Highlights / Fire Potential:

High pressure is gradually weakening over the region over the next few days This will result in a slow cooling trend from the west but also gusty winds across the east slopes of the Cascades. The weather change will eventually bring some light rain to western Washington and the northern Oregon coast by Saturday. Inland areas will remain dry and breezy but with decreasing temperatures and increasing humidity. Because of the cooling trend, fire danger indices will begin a downward slide in most areas except for the PSAs along the Idaho border.

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