8/6/2014 NWCC Morning Brief

NWCC Morning Brief: Wednesday, August 06, 2014          

National Preparedness Level: 4
For the National Incident Management Situation Report (IMSR), see: http://www.nifc.gov/nicc/sitreprt.pdf

Summary: In the Northwest (last 24 hrs), lightning occurred in South Central OR with minimal precipitation. Scattered lightning is forecast for Southeastern OR today. No additional team deployments.

National Fire Activity
Initial attack activity: Light (126 new fires)
New large fires: 3
Large fires contained: 0
Uncontained large fires: *35
Area Command Teams committed: 0
NIMOs committed: 1
Type 1 IMTs committed: 9
Type 2 IMTs committed: 14
*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): 48 fires for 163 acres (9,246 acres growth on existing large fires*)
OR: 25 fires for 102 acres
WA: 23 fires for 61 acres
*[acreage reductions not included]

Northwest Large Fires
Uncontained Large Fires: 16 (OR:10,WA:6)

IMTs Committed in NW
NIMO Teams committed: 1
Type 1 IMTs committed: 5
Type 2 IMTs committed: 7

Incidents not Previously-Reported: 1

Katy Mountain OR-WWF-000819. IMT3. 25 mi E of La Grande, OR. Start 8/05. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 100 acres. 0% containment. Active burning with uphill runs, group torching, and backing. Limited information.

Incidents Previously-Reported: 15

5 Mile OR-974S-000789. IMT2. OR Team 3 (Johnson, D.). 21 mi E of Joseph, OR. Start 8/03. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 4500 acres (+800 ac). 20% containment. Active fire behavior, running and crowning with short term spotting. Values at risk; Imnaha community, transmission, recreation sites. Somers OR-WWF-000793. ICT4. 15 mi E of Imnaha, OR. Start 8/03. Full Suppression. Grass. Cause lightning. 600 acres (+200). 0% containment.

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. 17,935 acres (+841 ac). 35% containment. Active fire behavior. Steep and rugged terrain. Values at risk; railway and two major utility corridors. Level 1 and 2 evacuations. Includes; Chiwaukum Creek, Kelly Mountain, Duncan Ridge, Hansel, and Shoofly fires. IMT1. NW Team 1 (Schulte) mobilizing. 

Snag Canyon WA-SES-000559. IMT2. WA Team 1 (Johnson, B.). 10 mi N of Ellensburg, WA. Start 8/02. Full Suppression. Grass, brush, timber. Cause lightning. 3,500 acres (+1,570 ac). 10% containment. Active fire behavior. Level 1 and 2 evacuations. Values at risk; structures, rangeland, recreation and high tension powerlines.

Little Bridge Creek WA-OWF-000538. IMT2. WA Team 5 (Leitch). 7 mi S of Winthrop, WA. Start 8/02. Multiple Suppression Strategies (Confine/Full Suppression). Grass, brush, timber. Cause lightning. 390 acres (+140 ac). 0% containment. Moderate fire behavior, group torching, short range spotting.

Beaver Complex OR-711S-016115. IMT1. ODF Team 2 (Cline). Unified command management structure with ODF, CalFire and Oregon State Fire Marshall's office. 20 mi NW of Medford, OR. Start 7/30. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 36,723 acres (+0 ac). 35% containment. Active fire behavior. Level 1 and 2 evacuations. Pacific Power and Light Plant and associated power lines have been shut down. Values at risk; structures, transmission lines, multiple state ownerships, community of Copco, wilderness areas, ranches, timberland, endangered species. Fall Creek Water Supply. Includes: Salt Creek fire. 15 mi E of Ashland, OR. 155 acres (0 ac). 95% containment. Oregon Gulch acres burned: Oregon: 27,104 acres (+0 ac), California: 9,464 acres (+0 ac). 35% containment.


South Fork Complex OR-PRD-000649. IMT2. OR Team 4 (Watts). 20 mi S of John Day, OR. Start 7/31. Full Suppression. Cause lightning. 28,800 acres (+4,715 ac). 15% containment. Active fire behavior. Values at risk; Ranches. Includes; Murderers South Creek 27,407 acres and Buck Fork 1393 acres.

Carlton Complex WA-NES-000534. IMT1. NR Team (Blume). 7 mi S of Twisp, WA. Start 7/14. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 256,108 acres (+944 ac). 90% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Values at risk; private and public lands, campgrounds, powerlines, habitat. Level 1 and 2 evacuations. Includes; Stokes Road, French Creek, Golden Hike, Cougar Flats and Rising Eagle Road.

Camp Creek Complex OR-RSF-000678. IMT1. PNW Team 3 (Lewis). 30 mi NE of Medford, OR. Start 8/2. Full Suppression. Cause lightning. 460 acres (+0 ac). 0% containment. Creeping and smoldering, occasional isolated torching.  


Logging Unit Fires OR-WSA-000070. IMT2. OR Team 1 (Williams). 25 mi NW of Warm Springs, OR. Start 7/16. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 6,644 acres (+0 ac). 90% containment. Steep inaccessible terrain. Creeping and smoldering. Mop up ongoing. Includes; Skyline 106 acres (-10 ac), Haily Butte 107 acres (+0 ac), Camas Prairie 6,103 acres (-1 ac), Logging Unit 316 acres (+0 ac).

Bear Butte II OR-DEF-000318. 23 mi SW of Warm Springs, OR. Start 7/13. Timber. Lightning. 3,803ac (+0 ac). 80% containment. Creeping and smoldering. Long-term planning on Mt. Jefferson Wilderness portion.

Castle OR-DEF-000667. IMT3. 20 mi W of Madras, OR. Start 8/01. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 16 acres. (+0 ac). 60% containment. Smoldering. Values at risk; communities. Currently does not meet large fire criteria. Not counted in uncontained large fires summary. Also managing Bridge 99 Complex. Transition to IMT3 at 0600 this morning.

Lone Mountain 1 WA-NCP-000018. ICT3. (Thompson). 3 mi N of Stehekin, WA. Start 7/14. Multiple Suppression Strategies (Confine/Point Zone Protection). Timber. Cause lightning. 2,200 acres (+0 ac). 30% containment. Steep inaccessible terrain. Stephen Mather Wilderness. Moderate fire behavior, torching with short crown runs.


 Devil's Elbow Complex WA-COA-000161. IMT2.  WA Team 4 (Nickey). 15 mi NE of Nespelem, WA. Start 8/03. Full Suppression. Grass and timber. 801 acres (+201). 0% containment. Values at risk; cultural resources, commercial timber. Includes; Central Peak, Deadhorse, Cub Creek, Timm Brothers. Previously listed as Central Peak. 

Bald Sisters OR-MAF-014295. IMT3. 12 mi E of Prairie City, OR. Start 8/02. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 250 acres. (+20 ac). 0% containment. Active fire behavior, running, torching. Steep inaccessible ground. Values at risk; natural resources.

Nene Creek OR-WSA-000114. ICT3. 22 mi N of Warm Springs, OR. Start 8/02. Full Suppression. Grass. Cause lightning. 335 acres. (+35 ac). 60% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Values at risk; structures, Simnasho community.

Staley OR-WIF-140210. IMT3. 28 mi S of Oakridge, OR. Start 7/30. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 116 acres. 0% containment. Creeping and smoldering. Values at risk; timber and T & E species.

NW Fires with Strategies Other-than Full Suppression:

(link) NW Fires Strategies Other-than Full Suppression 2014 (Year-to-Date)

Northwest Weather Highlights / Fire Potential:

Dry westerly flow creeping into the Northwest will pretty much end the current bout of lightning for a few days. Stronger low level onshore flow will result in breezy conditions in Central WA and north central Oregon as well as the Columbia Basin for the next few days. Next lightning event could take form next weekend or early next week.

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