8/17/2015 Grizzly Bear Complex Update

Pendleton, Ore.:  Sunday’s direct suppression efforts were successful in slowing the spread of a six-acre fire burning near the wilderness boundary on West Butte Ridge within the Grizzly Bear Complex. Air support, along with ground support provided by rappelers, was a critical factor in the success of yesterday’s operations.

The Grizzly Bear Complex consists of numerous lightning fires burning 20 miles SE of Dayton, Washington within the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness.  A National Incident Management Organization (NIMO) Team has been ordered to complete a long-term assessment on the risks and probabilities of having a large fire on the landscape for an extended period.  The NIMO Team will work with the local Type 3 Incident Management Team led by Steve Carlson to develop a progressive, effective fire management long-term strategy for the Grizzly Bear Complex. 

Today's operations will focus on the suppression strategy to confine and contain the fire within the Wilderness boundary.  Crews will also continue prepping fuel breaks along Forest Road 4608 and 4600-300 for potential burnout and control lines.

A warming trend is in the short-term forecast with no chance of precipitation and potential winds through Thursday.   Smoke continues to be an issue in the Pacific Northwest. To monitor the air quality index, the public can access the Department of Environmental Quality’s website for Washington at www.fortress.wa.gov/ecy/enviwa/   and Oregon at www.deq.state.or.us/aqi.

Fire officials want to remind everyone that the current fire danger rating remains atEXTREME and Public Use Restrictions involving campfires and chainsaw use are in effect on the Umatilla National Forest.   Similar restrictions are in effect on State and private lands protected by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (WA-DNR). 

More information can be found on the WA-DNR website at: http://www.dnr.wa.gov/.

For more information about the Umatilla National Forest’s Public Use Restrictions, please contact any forest office, call our Forest Information hotline at 1-877-958-9663, or visit our website at www.fs.usda.gov/umatilla/.

Area Closure Description: Starting at the junction of 46 road and 64 road, following the 46 road north-northeast, to the 4600-152 spur road and following that east to unnamed drainage to the meadow creek trailhead, from meadow creek trailhead north along the 4713 road to where the Wenaha-Tucannon wilderness boundary meets Panjab creek, following the wilderness boundary to Panjab trailhead, then following wilderness boundary east to where wilderness boundary heads south, then following wilderness south and east to the Bear Creek trail, following Bear Creek trail south to the Misery trail, following Misery trail west to Melton Fork trail, following Melton Fork trail south to Crooked Creek, following Crooked Creek south to the Oregon/Washington border, following Oregon/Washington border west to Round Butte trail, following Round Butte trail northwest to the wilderness boundary, following wilderness boundary north to the junction of 46 road and 64 road (36 CFR 261.53(e))

And:

·         Forest Road 46 is closed from its junction with Forest Road 64 to Midway campground.

·         Forest Trail 3123 is closed from Meadow Creek Trailhead south and southwest to Spangler Creek.