07/08/2015 Horseshoe Fire AM Update

Fire Information Center:  360-271-2418   7 am to 9 pm

Firefighters at the 250-acre Horseshoe Fire burning in the Mt. Adams Wilderness west of Mt. Adams are laying hose lines to suppress the fire and begin mop-up today. Last night, one crew spent the night in a small spike camp at the fire.

The decision to use direct suppression techniques was made after a thorough evaluation of the fire and preparation of a strategic plan for aggressive suppression of the fire. The plan was approved by the Gifford Pinchot National Forest yesterday.

According to Brian Gales, incident commander for the Washington Interagency Incident Management Team #4, factors in the decision for direct suppression included: extreme drought in the Western United States, potential for a fire to leave the wilderness and impact tribal and private lands. 

The Gifford Pinchot National Forest decided to aggressively suppress the fire and reduce its potential for growth into unburned wilderness and forests beyond. “We will continue to use minimum impact suppression tactics (MIST) to minimize fire size and our impacts on the wilderness,” he said.

“The optimal time for direct fire suppression is now while weather is favorable and fire behavior is low,” Gales said.  “Controlling the fire at this smaller size will reduce long-term exposure to firefighters and avoid containment challenges and costs of fighting a much larger fire during the remainder of the 2015 fire season,” he said.

Today, three faller crews will be cutting snags along the west flank of the fire ahead of firefighters who will be mopping up hot spots. 

Falling dangerous snags is one of many deliberate risk management mitigations being taken to keep firefighters safe as they are working directly on the fire.  “Safety zones and escape routes have also been identified and flagged, and plans are in place for medical emergencies,” Gales said.  “All of the crews have been briefed on the importance of using wilderness-appropriate tactics, such as limited ground disturbance from building fire lines,” he said.

Washington Interagency Incident Management Team #4 assumed command of the fire Monday.  The fire has burned to the 2012 Cascade Creek Fire boundary and stopped along its south and east perimeters.  Several spot fires have been observed in the old burn and will also be suppressed with the main fire.

“The first priority for containment is the northern boundary of the fire where the fire is smoldering in jackpots of fuels amidst a moist microclimate of wetlands and ponds,” Gales said.  “Second priority is the reduction of hazard trees and mopping up the fire along the west flank.  And third priority is cleaning up the spots along the east flank inside and outside of the fire perimeter in the old Cascade Creek Fire,” he said.

Hoses and pumps, delivered by helicopter longline slings yesterday, are being used to extinguish hotspots along the fire perimeter, he added.Contingency plans for fire growth are still under way, as crews have cleared brush along a two mile strip along Forest Road 23 that will serve as a firebreak should the fire move to the west.  Initial attack resources are also positioned along the road for any immediate suppression actions. Flaggers and a pilot car are directing traffic along the road and travelers should expect traffic delays over the next several days near the fire.

A low-pressure front is moving over the region today from the northeast, bringing cooler temperatures and higher humidity.  Winds have changed from west to northeast, gusting to 15 miles per hour. Fire managers do not expect the change in wind direction or speed to significantly influence fire behavior.

Later today, there is a potential for cumulus cloud cover near the fire area and thunderstorms are predicted for Thursday through the weekend.  “Once the Horseshoe Fire is controlled and hazards are removed, wilderness camping and hiking may continue throughout the remainder of the 2015 fire season and the Pacific Crest Trail reopened for public use,” Gales said.  “Important biological and historic elements, such as large, old trees and cultural resources, will be protected and the burned area will more easily and quickly be restored to preserve and enhance wilderness values,” he said.