8/5/2014 5 Mile Fire Update

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 5, 2014 AM

A Level 1 Evacuation Notice was issued by the Wallowa County Sheriff’s Office for the town of 

Imnaha and for residents along the Imnaha River Road 5 miles south of Imnaha near Freezeout 

Creek to 10 miles north of Imnaha near Fence Creek this morning.  This is an advisory warning that current or projected threats associated with the approaching fire are severed and this is the time

 for preparations and precautionary movement of persons with special needs and livestock.

5 Mile and Somers Fires– Joseph, Oregon

Contact Number: 541-670-0812

Location:  Two fires near Imnaha, Oregon.

Current situation: Oregon Interagency Incident Management Team 3, Incident Commander Doug Johnson, assumed command of the 5 Mile and Somers Fires this morning.  The incident command post is located at the Chief Joseph Rodeo Grounds in Joseph, Oregon.  Additional firefighting resources are on order to fill critical needs on the fires but limited resources are available due to high fire activity in Oregon Washington, Idaho, and California.  Resources will be prioritized to protect high value assets and the community of Imnaha.

5 Mile Fire – 3,700 acres, 5% contained. The operational priority is to secure the town of Imnaha and keep the fire from the Oregon Department of Forestry protected private lands of ranches and homes along the Imnaha River Road. Yesterday, retardant was heavily applied in a wide strip to check the movement of the fire toward Imnaha.  Night shift patrolled.  Today, firefighters will provide structure protection; remove fuels away from homes, and burn out around structures where necessary. Air resources usage will be limited this morning until the smoke inversion lifts. Aerial resources are on loan for use from the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.  Retardant planes are available for use.

Somers Fire – 400 acres, 0% contained. Ten rappellers have been deployed and are staffing this fire.

Closures:

The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest has closed Hat Point Road FR4240. Wallowa County has closed the Upper Imnaha Road, private landowners be allowed access.

Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR): Two TFRs are in place over the two fires. Please check the

NOTAM for current information.

For more information on the 5 Mile and Somers Fires visit:

Inciweb at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4048/  and http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4053/

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