7/23/2014 7:00 am NWCC Morning Brief

NWCC Morning Brief: Wednesday, July 23, 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 wetting rains occurred in much of Oregon and Washington. Forecasted thunderstorm activity with abundant lightning across Central Oregon and Southern Washington.

National Fire Activity
Initial attack activity: Light (138 new fires)
New large fires: 4
Large fires contained: 0
Uncontained large fires: *27
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: 4

Northwest Fire Activity
New fires and acres (Last 24 hrs): 33 fires for 165 acres (10,204 acres growth on existing large fires)
OR: 25 fires for 160 acres                                                 (Acreage reductions not included.)
WA: 8 fires for 5 acres

Northwest Large Fires
Uncontained Large Fires: 18 (OR:12,WA:6)

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

Incidents not Previously-Reported: 0

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. 250,136 acres (+6,845 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. 12,255 acres (+472 ac). 10% containment. Minimum 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.

Ochoco Complex OR-OCF-000390. IMT2. EB Team 6 (Dunford). 17 mi E of Post, OR. Start 7/13. Timber. Moderate fire behavior. Light precip occurred over the fire. Cause lightning. 6,506 acres (+173 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 (70% cont), Fox/ Oscar Canyon 6,289 acres (24% 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. 10,350 acres (+48 ac). 5% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Precip occurred over the fire. Values at risk; residences, natural resources, T&E species, cultural and historic values, and logging equipment. Level 2 evacuations reduced to level 1. Includes; Skyline 116 acres (-9 ac), Haily Butte 108 acres (+0 ac), Camas Prairie 5,947 acres (+27ac), Logging Unit 314 acres (-43 ac), and a portion of Bear Butte II 3,864ac (+29 ac).

Sunflower OR-UMF-014166. IMT2. GB Team 5 (Wilde). 10 mi N of Monument, OR. Start 7/14. Timber. Cause lightning. 7,146 acres (+1,246 ac). 65% containment. Creeping and smoldering. 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.), 80% 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 (+0 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.      

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. 12,520 acres (+531 ac). 80% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Steep, inaccessible terrain. Values at risk; residences, structures, recreation infrastructure and natural resources. Hwy 26 reopened. Campground and forest closures. Level 1 evacuations. Complex includes Bailey Butte (70% cont.), Toney Butte (100% cont.),  Junction 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. 5,917 acres (+2 ac). 50% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Level 2 evacuations. Values at risk; residences and structures. Forest closures in effect. Includes Bridge 99  and a portion of Bear Butte II fires.

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). 90% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Light precip occurred over the fire. Steep, inaccessible terrain. Mop up ongoing. Includes Buzzard  282,801 ac, (+0 ac) 90% 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. IMT1 (Poncin) close-out 1400 today.

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. 40,575 acres (-1,925 ac). 75% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Steep terrain. Values at risk; residences and structures. Major burnout operations planned. Demobilization of some resources planned. Decrease in acreage due to better mapping.

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). 90% containment. Creeping and smoldering. Steep, inaccessible terrain. Values at risk; residences. All evacuations lifted.

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). 45% 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).

Watermelon Hill WA-SPD-000591. IMT2. WA Team 5 (Leitch). 7 mi SW of Cheney, WA. Start 7/19. Grass. Cause unknown. 11,071 acres (+553 ac). 90% containment. Creeping and smoldering. Values at risk; residences, railroad infrastructure, Turnbull wildlife refuge, recreation areas, campgrounds and cultural resources. Previously listed as WA-WFS-000508.

Pittsburg OR-WWF-000482. IMT2. WA Team 1 (Johnson). 18 mi NE of Imnaha, OR. Start 7/13. Grass and brush. Cause lightning. 8,082 acres (+82). 95% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Steep, inaccessible terrain. Values at risk; structures, rangeland and recreation infrastructure. Partial forest closure in effect.

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. Minimal fire behavior. Monitor/ confine/ full suppression strategy. Trail and campground closures. Values at risk; Hurricane Creek trail, campgrounds, and roadways.

Center OR-PRD-000297. ICT3 (Priest). 3 mi NE of Post, OR. Start 7/13. Timber and grass. Cause lightning. 2,515 acres (-285 ac) 41% containment. Smoldering. Mop up ongoing. Values at risk; nature conservancy land. Formerly listed at the 0297 PR fire. The fire is lined.

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 (+0 ac.). 0% containment. Minimal fire behavior.  North Cascades Park. Confine/ point zone protection strategy. Potential threat to national forest lands.

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. No update received.

Saddle Mountain WA-MISC-000358. ICT3 (Strange). 14 mi E of Ellensburg, WA. Start 7/18. Cause human. 21,000 acres (-4,000 ac). 100% containment. Final report unless conditions change.

Northwest Weather Highlights / Fire Potential: 

A deep upper level low pressure system and associated cold front will swing into the Pacific Northwest today spreading more rain/showers/thundershowers into the region. Heavy rain is expected in some areas of both western and eastern Washington with significant, but lesser, amounts in northern Oregon. Southeastern Oregon is expected to remain relatively dry. As the front moves onshore windy conditions will develop east of the Cascades in the usual wind prone areas. A warming and drying trend will begin later Thursday on through the weekend and into next week with next thunderstorm threat possible for early next week.