9/17/2014 36 Pit Fire Update

September 17, 2014 – 1:00 PM
FIRE INFORMATION WEBSITE: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4106/
INFO PHONE: 360-280-4352 or 503-630-1711
EMAIL: 36pitfire@gmail.com
Fire Information Office Hours: 8:00 am -8:00 pm

Excellent progress to contain the 36 Pit Fire occurred yesterday along the northern and western perimeters of the fire. Dozer and hand lines were constructed to contain portions of the fire’s northern perimeter. Natural features and Road 4610 are also being used to contain the fire on the northern flank. The highest priority is to continue to hold and contain the western and northern portions of the fire since these locations are closest to any structures, industrial forest land, and other resource values.

Yesterday, burn out operations went well in the vicinity of the Silver Fox RV Park creating a smoke plume that was visible to many residents of the Estacada area. Yesterday afternoon and through part of last night’s shift, fire crews burned out fuel located between Road 4610 and Highway 224 near the Silver Fox RV Park. However, last night, increased humidity caused burn out operations to be suspended. Today, as temperatures increase and relative humidities decrease, firefighters intend to complete the burn out near the Silver Fox RV Park. Burn out will continue to happen at the north and the northwest portions of the fire. Burn out of fuels is a fire suppression tactic used to reinforce fire lines and to consume fuels adjacent to structures. Residents of the Estacada area may see visible smoke as burn out operations proceed.

Along the southern perimeter of the fire, firefighters continue to identify roads and other locations where they can safely contain the fire. However, there may be opportunities to build containment directly adjacent to the fire dependent on favorable weather conditions. Firefighters are contending with very steep terrain and are evaluating locations where fire line can be safely constructed.
A Unified Command led by Incident Commander Russ Lane of the Oregon State Department of Forestry, Bruce Holloway of Washington Incident Management Team 2, and Scott Magers of the Oregon State Fire Marshal Blue Team are leading the fire suppression effort. The local Estacada fire District 69 has been heavily involved in the fire suppression efforts. Structure protection task forces and Blue Team management personnel mobilized under the Oregon State Conflagration Act continue to work on the north and west side of the fire, assisting with protection and mop up operations around those affected homes, including the Silver Fox RV Park. Structure protection resource needs will continue to be evaluated throughout today and will likely begin to demobilize over the next couple of days as the threat to those structures lessen.

The public is urged to be aware of increased fire related traffic on local roads, and to drive safely. For information related to evacuations instituted by the Clackamas County Sheriff, please go to their web site at:
http://www.clackamas.us or call 503-655-8224.
The public may also obtain information on smoke by going to: www.oregonsmokeblogspot.com