9/20/2014 NWCC Morning Brief

NWCC Morning Brief: Saturday, September 20, 2014

National Preparedness Level: 2For the National Incident Management Situation Report (IMSR), see: http://www.nifc.gov/nicc/sitreprt.pdf

Summary: In the Northwest (last 24 hrs), no lightning occurred in the Geographic Area. Initial attack activity was minimal.  One new team deployment; IMT1. ODF Team 2 (Cline) is mobilizing to the Scoggins Creek fire.

National Fire Activity Initial attack activity: Light (51 new fires)

New large fires: *2

Large fires contained: 1

Uncontained large fires: *15

Area Command Teams committed: 0

NIMOs committed: 0

Type 1 IMTs committed: 4

Type 2 IMTs committed: 6
*Uncontained large fires include only fires being managed under a full suppression strategy.

Northwest Preparedness Levels: Today: 33-Day: 3, 10-Day: 2, 30-Day: 1

Northwest Fire Activity
New fires and acres (Last 24 hrs): 9 fires for 312 acres (3,359 acres growth on existing large fires*)
OR: 1 fire for 300 acres
WA: 8 fires for 12 acres
*[acreage reductions not included]

Northwest Large Fires
Uncontained Large Fires: *8 (OR:7, WA:1)
*[complexes tallied as 1 fire]
IMTs Committed in NWNIMO Teams committed: 0
Type 1 IMTs committed: 1
Type 2 IMTs committed: 5
Incidents not Previously-Reported: 1

Scoggins Creek OR-531S-000001. IMT1. ODF Team (Cline). 7 mi W of Forest Grove, OR. Start 9/19. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause under investigation. 300 acres. 0% containment. High use recreation area. IMT in-brief scheduled for 0900 today.

Incidents Previously-Reported: 7

36 Pit OR-MHF-000728. IMT2. WA Team 2 (Rabe/Holloway). 10 mi SE of Estacada, OR. Start 9/13. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause human. 4,194 acres (+194 ac.). 40% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Light precipitation received. Area and road closures. Steep slopes. Values at risk; commercial and residential properties. Level 1 and 2 evacuations. Road and area closures in effect.Oregon State Conflagration resources released.

Onion Mountain OR-RSF-001146. IMT2. OR Team 1 (Williams). 15 mi W of Grants Pass, OR. Start 9/13. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause unknown. 4,102 acres (+25 ac.). 30% containment. Some ground fire and isolated torching. Values at risk; residences, T&E species, lookout and communication sites. Area closure in effect.

Deception Complex OR-WIF-140274. IMT2. OR Team 4 (Watts). 2 mi W of Oakridge, OR. Start 8/13. Full Suppression.Timber. Cause lightning. 5,960 acres (+0 ac.). 85% containment. Interior creeping and smoldering. Steep, rocky terrain. Transfer to the local unit is scheduled for 9/22 at 0600 hours.

South Steens Complex OR-BUD-004283. IMT2. OR Team 3 (D. Johnson/Keith).

Bone Creek Basin OR-BUD-004276. 45 mi SW of Burns Junction, OR. Start 9/16. Full Suppression. Grass and Sage. Cause Lightning. 14,700 acres (+0 ac.). 60% containment. Some interior smoldering. Values at risk; structures and sage grouse habitat.

Blitzen Crossing OR-BUD-004282. 50 mi W of Burns Junction, OR. Start 9/16. Full Suppression. Grass and Sage. Cause Lightning. 5,638 acres (+2,438 ac.). 60% containment. Some interior smoldering. Campers evacuated. Erratic fire behavior. Values at risk; structures, commercial property and sage grouse habitat. Complex tallied as 1 fire in uncontained large fires count.

Freezeout Ridge OR-WWF-001151. IMT3 (Johnson). 29 mi E of Joseph, OR. Start 9/5. Timber. Cause unknown. Multiple Suppression Strategies (Monitor 75% / Confine 25%).  3,482 acres (+702 ac.). 0% containment. Creeping and smoldering. Fire managed in cooperation with the Nez Perce and Payette National Forests. Trail closures in effect. IMT2, EB Team 4 (Kidd) is scheduled to take over the fire on 9/21.

790 Fire OR-RSF-140790. IMT3 (Pingle). 30 mi NE of Medford, OR. Start 7/31. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 3,023 acres (+0 ac.). 90% containment. Holding and mop up continues. Internal creeping and smoldering. Values at risk; T&E species habitat, timberlands, recreation and wilderness values. Area closures in effect.

Fork Peak WA-PCS-000105. IMT3 (Schmidt). 26 mi SW of Centralia, WA. Start 9/11. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause unknown. 126 acres (+0 ac.). 85% containment. 227 personnel on scene. Internal smoldering and creeping. Mop-up ongoing.

NW Fires Utilizing Monitor, Confine, Point Zone Protection Suppression Strategies (YTD) (link)

Lists fires (of any size) that singly utilize Monitor, Confine, or Point Zone Protection suppression strategies, or use Multiple Suppression Strategies (which may also include a Full Suppression component).

Other Fires of Interest: 2

Middle Mountain WA-OWF-000311. ICT4 (Busse). 30 mi N of Winthrop, WA. Start 7/13. Monitor. Timber. Cause lightning. 275 acres. 0% containment. Minimal fire behavior. See “NW Fires Utilizing Monitor, Confine, Point Zone Protection Strategies (YTD)” link for future updates.

Founders Day OR-CLP-140625. ICT4. (Winkler). 7 mi NE of Crater Lake, OR. Start 8/25. Monitor. Timber. Cause Lightning. 245 acres. (+15 ac.). 0% containment. Creeping and smoldering with active perimeter growth. Fire is being managed for resource benefit. See “NW Fires Utilizing Monitor, Confine, Point Zone Protection Strategies (YTD)” link for future updates.

Northwest RX Burning: 0 acres accomplished, 0 acres planned.

Northwest Weather Highlights / Fire Potential:

A large upper ridge is building over the region today. This will bring warmer and drier weather to the region for the weekend, especially the west side. The pressure gradient will favor easterly winds across the Cascades early Saturday then decreasing on Sunday.  Winds will shift back to westerly beginning late Sunday for a cooling trending beginning Monday. Possible thunderstorms over Southeast Oregon on Sunday due to a disturbance over Nevada.  Fire danger indices are expected to generally trend downward despite the brief drying trend. Rain and more cooling look possible by midweek.

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