8/19/2014 Middle Fork Ranger District Fire Information Update

Middle Fork Ranger District Fire Information Update

Deception Creek Complex• Staley Complex• Middle Fork District Initial Attack

Willamette National Forest

August 19, 2014 11:30 AM
The primary concern on the firelines today is wind. With a dry cold front moving into the area there is a potential for gusts of 20-25 mph starting late morning and going into the evening.

There is isolated heat still holding within the interior of many of the contained fires. The heavy fuels (large dry pieces of wood) may re- ignite as the inversion lifts and the humidity drops. The firefighting efforts will address not only these flare-ups, but new fires that might occur

Much of the area is in difficult terrain and indirect firefighting efforts are being used to contain some of the fires.

Staley Complex

• Staley Fire at 50%, Davey Fire at 50%, Pool Creek at 60% (Containment)
• Direct lines on all 3 fires are holding.  There is a significant decrease in heat along perimeters.
• Crews on the Staley Fire will be completing indirect line along northeast perimeter in preparation for a burnout when conditions permit.
• Direct lines are completed on Davey Fire where feasible and safe to do so.
• Total Fire acreage determined on Staley Complex: 275 Acres
• Staley Complex is still responsible for a 250,000 acre initial attack (IA) area. No new IA fires were reported today so the total fires remain at 21.
  
  

Crews	Engines	Tenders	Dozers	Total personnel
10	24	6	3	488

Deception Complex

• Despite higher temperatures and lower humidity yesterday, minimal fire growth and activity was seen on the remaining lightning strike fires in the Deception Creek Complex.  Fires continue to slowly back down into drainages. 
• Fire personnel patrolling the #271 fire discovered small interior smokes which were quickly extinguished. 
• Crews will continue to patrol secured fires for any roll-out of hot material. 
• Progress continues on the three remaining fires within the Deception Creek Complex.  Fires 272, 274, and 278 continue to be the focus for fire personnel.
• An indirect strategy is in place to decrease the risk to fire personnel. 
• Heavy equipment is being utilized to open heavily overgrown roads to create suitable containment lines around the Deception drainage, where the three remaining fires are located.
• Forest roads 5850, 5847, and 549 are closed as fire crews and large equipment is causing heavy congestion. 

Crews	Engines	Masticators/	Fellers	Road brusher	Skidders	Total personnel
3	6	4	2	1	2	253

Middle Fork Ranger District Initial Attack

• Crews completed the burnout operation on the 22 acre fire burning near Spirit Lake and have begun mop up.

• The fire visible on the west side of Waldo Lake from the Waldo Lake area campgrounds is the 30 acre Green Lake fire. Firefighters are establishing a hose lay system to supply water.  Resource specialists are working with firefighters to identify lakes other than Waldo Lake to draft water from. All the Waldo Lake Campgrounds are open.
• There is a closure in effect, it is the Jim Weaver Loop trail (also known as the west Waldo Lake trail #3590), this closure includes a number of connecting trails on the west side of Waldo Lake. See map on The Willamette National Forest webpage http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/willamette/home/   
• There is total of 30 fires with 3 out, 14 contained and in patrol status, 5 staffed and 8 are unable to locate. Fires range in size from a single tree to just under 30 acres.
     

Crews	Engines	Tenders	Dozers	Total personnel
5	8	1	2	132

Helicopters

5 shared

For additional Fire Information, call 541-782-5359, or visit: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4041/

Email us at middleforkfires@gmail.com; for Closure Information visit the Willamette National Forest webpage at:  www.fs.usda.gov/willamette  Follow the Middle Fork fires on Twitter: www.twitter.com/WillametteNF