7/25/2014 9:00 am Bingham Complex Fire Update

Firefighters continue to build contingency line

Bingham Complex will transition to local management on Sunday

Detroit, OR – The forests of Oregon dry out quickly and a warming trend has returned to the Bingham Complex after two days of clouds and rain.  Although the morning was frosty and damp in fire camp, a local inversion kept the fire area warm and dry with overnight temperatures in the 50's and relative humidity a parched 14%.  In areas that the recent rain did not penetrate, duff and logs continue to smolder.  Aerial lichens in the forest canopy can become available to carry fire again with just a few hours of drying.  Falling burned-out trees are a hazard.

Work continues today to extend the chipping and mastication effort along the 10.9-mile contingency fire line that is located between the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness Area and values at risk such as a fish hatchery and the community of Marion Forks.  To make an effective fire break, depending on the terrain, existing roads or new dozer lines are being extended with 50 feet of brushing and slash treatments.   A 0.85-mile segment of hand line will be built today.

The Bingham Ridge Fire (275 acres) has a full containment line around its perimeter.  Currently, one hand crew is patrolling Bingham Ridge and adding mop up effort if needed.  Today the nearby fires 89 and 161 will be checked to determine whether they are completely out or require continued monitoring.  Fire 152 is in patrol status.

The Lizard Fire (175 acres) is the second largest fire in the Bingham Complex.  A remote camera will be installed today that will extend monitoring beyond areas that are directly visible to the Coffin Mountain Lookout.  A modified suppression strategy is being implemented with identified management action points (trigger points) that prompt further suppression as needed to protect the values at risk, and keep the fire contained within the wilderness.   

Management of the Bingham Complex will transition to a Type 4 organization working from the Detroit Ranger Station on Sunday, July 27, 2014.

Currently, there are Area Closures in effect for portions of the Mount Jefferson Wilderness that restrict entry to firefighters, agency personnel and law enforcement.  On the Willamette National Forest, Forest Road 2253 (Minto Rd.) is closed and the following trails are closed: Pamelia (3439), Hunts Creek (3451), Hunts Cove (3430), Grizzly Peak (3428), Bingham (3421), portions of Lake of the Woods (3493), Minto Mountain (3448), portions of the Swallow Lake Trail (3488), and Newport Drive (3438). The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) (2000) is closed between the Swallow Lake Trail (3493) junction and Milk Creek (mile 2035.3). Because of reduced fire behavior and firefighting activity, those closures will likely be changing in the next few days.

Announcements about closure changes and the current status of the Bingham Fire Complex can be viewed at Inciweb http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/3949/ .

Fire Facts – Friday, July 25 – 0900 HOURS
Fire Size:  Approximately 452 acres total for the five fires in Bingham Complex.    

Percent Contained:  Bingham Complex:  50%  Bingham Ridge Fire: 100%.

Evacuations: No homes or structures threatened.

Closures Summary: A detailed list of closures on the Willamette National Forest is available at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/3949/.

Fuels:  Patchy high elevation subalpine fir and lodgepole pine forest with dead and fallen trees and accumulations of ground fuels.

Air Resources:  two Type III helicopters.

Crews:  Eight Type II crews and one 10-person fire module

Engines: 1      Masticators: 2                        Water Tenders: 2      Chippers: 2

Total Personnel:  Approximately 317