8/3/2014 AM Haystack Complex Update

Haystack Complex Update for Sunday, August 3, 2014 @ 8 AM

Incident Management Team 1 John Buckman, Incident Commander Haystack Complex Morning Update August 3, 2014, 8:00 a.m. Late in the evening of Saturday, August 2nd the Stahl Canyon fire was detected about 14 miles east of Fossil. This is the fourth new fire where resources from the Haystack Complex were asked to assist the local Oregon Department of Forestry firefighters. The fire is burning in standing and down timber and fortunately gusty winds associated with thunderstorms did not develop over the area as predicted. Aggressive initial attack with the pre-designated initial attack task from the Complex stopped the fire at 14 acres. Today the fire will be staffed by 24 firefighters to secure the fire line.
The other new fires now being managed by the Complex are: • Hog Ridge, 55 acres, nine miles northwest of Dayville, staffed with 12 firefighters
• School House, 73 acres, six miles east of Monument, staffed with 26 firefighters
• Beard Canyon,12 acres, nine miles south of Fossil, staffed with 40 firefighters

Mop up continues on the Haystack and Steet fires and infrared cameras continue to pinpoint hot spots within the fire perimeter. Meeting mop up standards on these fires may be delayed due to initial attack actions taken to assist local firefighting resources. A “Red Flag” was in effect for thunderstorms with abundant lightning over the fire area though 11:00 p.m. Saturday. Given the past 3 days with four new fires the goal today will be, according to John Buckman, Incident Commander “take care of the ones (fires) we know of and be ready to respond to new ones.”
Cooperators on the fires are: Wheeler County Sheriff’s Office, Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Spray Volunteer Fire Department, Fossil Volunteer Fire Department, Wheeler County Fire and Rescue, Oregon Department of Corrections, Oregon Department of Transportation, United States Forest Service, United States Bureau of Land Management.
Fire at a Glance Size: 1,835 acres (7 fires) 
Location: Spray, Oregon  
Containment: 95%  
Cause: Lightning  
Fuels: Juniper, brush, grass  
Personnel: 344  
Crews: 11 Engines: 17 Dozers: 3 Water Tenders: 3 Helicopters: 2  
Estimated Cost: $1,400,835  
Evacuations: None 
 Structures: 0  
 For More Information: 503-758-8253