7/30/2014 NWCC Morning Brief (CORRECTION: Uncontained large fire total)

NWCC Morning Brief: Wednesday, July 30, 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 through Oregon Cascades and eastern Oregon with isolated precipitation. Moderate to heavy IA occurring from lightning from southwest to central Oregon. Five new large fires. Abundant lightning forecast in south and east Oregon in combination with existing dry fuels.

National Fire Activity
Initial attack activity: Light (155 new fires)
New large fires: 6
Large fires contained: 9
Uncontained large fires: *23
Area Command Teams committed: 0
NIMOs committed: 1
Type 1 IMTs committed: 7
Type 2 IMTs committed: 8
*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): 26 fires for 3,301 acres (969 acres growth on existing large fires*)
OR: 23 fires for 2,232 acres
WA: 3 fires for 1,069 acres

*[acreage reductions not included]

Northwest Large Fires
Uncontained Large Fires: 17 (OR:12,WA:5)

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

Incidents not Previously-Reported: 5

Reeves Creek OR-712 -014915. IMT3. 19 mi SW of Grants Pass, OR. Start 7/28. Full Suppression. Timber, grass understory. Cause unknown. 232 acres. 90% containment. Active fire behavior, torching.

Toroda Mountain. WA-NES-000789. IMT3. 27 mi NE of Omak, WA. Start 7/29. Full Suppression. Timber, grass. Cause unknown. 100 acres. 0% containment. Difficult terrain. No further information.

China Cap. OR-WWF-000672. ICT4. 25 mi E of La Grande, OR. Start 7/29. Full Suppression. Timber, litter, understory. Cause lightning. 300 acres. 0% containment. Moderate fire behavior, group torching, backing. Values at risk; Wilderness values, anadromous fisheries.

Incident 539. OR-PRD-000539. 3 mi SW of Condon, OR. Start 7/29. Grass. Cause unknown. 1,000 acres. Initial information.

Incident 580. OR-PRD-000580. 9 mi NW of Kimberly, OR. Start 7/29. Grass. Cause unknown. 500 acres. On private land. Initial information.

Incidents Previously-Reported: 15

Chiwaukum Complex WA-OWF-000356. IMT1. SA Red Team (Duiett). 9 mi NW of Leavenworth, WA. Start 7/15. Multiple Suppression Strategies (Confine/Point Zone Protection/Full Suppression). Timber. Cause lightning. 13,120 acres (+743 ac). 27% containment. Creeping, smoldering with isolated torching. Values at risk; cabins, homes, powerlines, logging equipment, T&E species and natural resources. Level 1 and 2 evacuations. Hwy 2 is closed. Washington state fire mob authorized. National Guard troops (100) are active and engaged in eastern edge. Includes; Chiwaukum Creek, Kelly Mountain and Duncan Ridge fires. This incident is being managed with Mills Canyon.

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. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 251,025 acres (+219 ac). 67% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Values at risk; private and public lands, campgrounds, powerlines, habitat. Level 1 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.

Logging Unit Fires OR-WSA-000070. IMT1. PNW Team 2 (Schulte). 25 mi NW of Warm Springs, OR. Start 7/16. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 6,644 acres (+7 ac). 80% containment. Creeping and smoldering. Includes; Skyline 116 acres (+0 ac), Haily Butte 107 acres (-1 ac), Camas Prairie 6,104 acres (+16 ac), Logging Unit 316 acres (+0 ac). Bear Butte II: Northern portion on WSA lands reported by Logging Unit Fires, southern portion on DEF lands reported by Bridge 99 Complex.

Bear Butte II OR-DEF-000318. 23 mi SW of Warm Springs, OR. Start 7/13. Timber. Lightning. 3,803ac (+0 ac). 80% cont. Creeping and smoldering.

Ochoco Complex OR-OCF-000390. IMT2. EB Team 6 (Dunford). 17 mi E of Post, OR. Start 7/18. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 10,004 acres (+0 ac). 94% containment. Minimal fire behavior, mop-up, rehab. Values at risk: natural resource values, sage grouse habitat. Oscar Canyon and Fox fires have merged and will now be reported as Fox. Complex includes; Lava 137 acres (100% cont), Fox/ Oscar Canyon 9,848 acres (94% cont.), Broadway 5 acres (100% cont), and Antelope Springs 14 acres (100% cont).

Kitten Complex OR-VAD-000098. NR IMT1 (Poncin). 40 mi W of Vale, OR. Start 7/23. Full Suppression. Brush. Cause lightning. 22,700 acres (+0 ac). 85% containment. Smoldering. Values at risk; reduced threat to communities and natural resource values. Includes Kitten Canyon 4,263 ac (+0), 80% cont, Juniper 1,147 ac (+0), 90% cont, Stemler 4,832 ac (+0), 80% cont, Brogan Hill 12,458 ac (+0), 90% cont.

Lone Mountain 1 WA-NCP-000018. IMT2. MT Team (Thompson). 3 mi N of Stehekin, WA. Start 7/14. Multiple Suppression Strategies (Confine/Point Zone Protection). Timber. Cause lightning. 1,705 acres (+0 ac). 15% containment. Stephen Mather Wilderness. Minimal fire behavior. Potential threat to national forest lands.

Mills Canyon WA-SES-000267. IMT1. SA Red Team (Duiett). 2 mi SW of Entiat, WA. Start 7/8. Full Suppression. Grass, brush and timber. Cause unknown. 22,571 acres (+0 ac). 95% containment. Minimal fire behavior, smoldering. Steep, inaccessible terrain. Values at risk; diminishing risk to residences. This incident is being managed with Chiwaukum Creek.

Launch OR-FWF-140326. IMT3. 29 mi NW of Klamath Falls, OR. Start 7/28. Full Suppression. Timber, grass understory. Cause unknown. 75 acres (-25ac). 0% containment. Active fire behavior, group torching, running, crowning, spotting. Values at risk; Sky Lake Wilderness. Currently does not meet large fire criteria. Not counted uncontained large fires summary.

Buzzard Complex OR-BUD-004111. IMT3. 45 mi NE of Burns, OR. Start 7/14. Full Suppression. Grass and brush. Cause lightning. 395,747 acres (+0 ac). 98% containment. Continue rehab. Steep, inaccessible terrain. Includes Buzzard 282,801 ac, (+0 ac) 98% 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 ac) 100% cont.

Bridge 99 Complex (2 fires) OR-DEF-000329. IMT3. 20 mi N of Sisters, OR. Start 7/13. Multiple Suppression Strategies (Confine/Full Suppression). Timber. Cause lightning. 5,699 acres (+0 ac). 95% containment. Smoldering. Level 1 evacuations. Forest and road closures. Bear Butte II: Northern portion on WSA lands reported by Logging Unit Fires, southern portion on DEF lands reported by Bridge 99 Complex.

Bridge 99 5,084 ac (+0 ac). No anticipated growth. Estimated containment 7/31.

Bear Butte II 615 ac (+0 ac). Long-term planning on Mt. Jefferson Wilderness portion. No anticipated containment date or final size reported.

Bingham Complex OR-WIF-140090. IMT3. 5 mi E of Marion Forks, OR. Start 7/13. Multiple Suppression Strategies (Confine/Full Suppression). Timber. Cause lightning. 452 acres (+0 ac). 50% containment. Creeping and smoldering. 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). No update received.

Black Rock OR-PRD-000358. IMT3. 10 mi E of Antelope, OR. Full Suppression. Start 7/14. Grass. 35,731 acres (-204 ac). 95% containment. Smoldering. Previously reported with Pine Creek.

Hurricane Creek OR-WWF-000477. ICT3. 5 mi SW of Joseph, OR. Start 7/14. Multiple Suppression Strategies (Monitor/Confine/Full Suppression). Timber. Cause lightning. 502 acres (+0 ac). 20% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Road, trail and campground closures. No update received.

Road C Fire WA-WFS-000509. IMT4. 4 mi SW of Mansfield, WA. Start 7/28. Full Suppression. Tall grass. Cause unknown. 1,000 acres. (+0 ac). 100% containment. Last report unless conditions change.

Northwest Weather Highlights / Fire Potential:

Strong high pressure ridge remains over the Pacific NW with surface thermal trough east of the Cascades. The warm and unstable airmass associated with this pattern will keep burning conditions elevated particularly east of the Cascades. Southerly flow aloft continues to bring thunderstorms northward and will result in a daily dose of moderate IA to the region right on through the weekend.

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