Northwest Interagency Coordination Center: 8/18/15 Baker County Oregon Joint Information Center Update: Corret-WindyRidge Fires, El Dorado Fire, Eagle Complex

Baker County, Oregon Joint Information Center

Cornet/Windy Ridge, Eagle Complex, and Eldorado Fires

Morning Update

August 18, 2015 10 AM

The Morgan Creek fire, a new fire start, was reported at 0750 today. It is located off the Snake River Road 10 miles from Huntington. As of 0920 it was reported at 75 acres with one structure threatened. A Level One Notice has been issued for the Morgan Creek Area. There are currently 8 engines, 3 helicopters and 2 dozers assigned.

Level 3 Evacuations for the Cornet-Windy Ridge (Beaver Creek, Black Mountain, Denny Creek, Alder Creek, Burnt River Canyon, Dry Creek, Dry Creek Cutoff, Ebell Creek, and Hill Creek Rd.) have been reduced to a Level 2 for RESIDENTS ONLY as of 0600 this morning.

Weather: Warmer temperatures and lower humidity values are expected with less wind through

Wednesday. Increase in winds on Thursday afternoon with windy conditions expected Friday.

Media Advisory: Media are requested to call the Joint Information Center number listed above.

Road Closures: Highway 245 remains closed 11 miles north of Hereford while the Oregon Department of

Transportation continues to fell trees on the road shoulders. Drivers are urged to check highway conditions on tripcheck.com.

Shelters: The American Red Cross shelter in Baker City remains on stand-by status. Red Cross shelter workers remain in place to reopen the shelter if requested by individuals affected by the area wildfires or as needed in response to changes in fire activity and/or evacuation notices. Red Cross nurses are available for evacuees that need medical attention. Red Cross personnel are working with other local organizations to assist affected Baker County citizens meet their short-term and long-term recovery

needs. For more information on Red Cross activities or to request Red Cross sheltering and/or recovery assistance, call 541-519-2360.

Oregon Health Authority – Smoke Information: Weather conditions and smoke levels can vary dramatically during wildfires, not only from one day to the next but on an hourly basis. Smoke may also impact one portion of a community but not another. This can make it difficult to provide any specific health advisories, especially as conditions change so quickly.

As of 7:00 a.m., August 18th, DEQ's Air Quality Index rates for Baker City are as follows:

Over the last hour the index rate has been listed as Moderate (85): Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people.

Over the last 24 hours the index rate has been listed as Unhealthy (151): Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.

For more information please see: http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/

Recreation Areas: Regulated closures are in effect on State and private lands protected by Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) in northeast and central Oregon. Please check with your local Oregon Department of Forestry office for public use restrictions on lands protected by ODF. Visit the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch webpage at: www.bmidc.org or contact a local Oregon Department of Forestry office for more complete information. Similar restrictions may be 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://fortress.wa.gov/dnr/firedanger/BurnRisk.aspx.

Eagle Complex

Current Situation: Today, crews will use air resources to drop retardant and water to cool active portions of the fire. The terrain in the most active area is steep and difficult to access. In order to reduce the risk of increased activity, crews may use Plastic Sphere Dispensers (PSD) to guide the fire out of difficult terrain as conditions allow. The PSD is a device installed in a helicopter which dispenses plastic spheres from the aircraft as it flies. The PSD injects the spheres with ethylene glycol just prior to their release, which causes a chemical reaction that ignites the sphere as it lands on the ground.

Firefighters will also continue to “prep” structures in the immediate vicinity of the Eagle Complex.

Preparations include placing water, pumps, and hose line around structures to suppress encroaching fire.

Area Fire Closures: There is an area closure in effect for the Eagle Complex near Main Eagle, East Eagle, Tamarack Campground and Two Color Campground. Please see the link to the Wallowa-Whitman

National Forest Website http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/wallowa-whitman/home.

Public Safety: No Level 1 or 3. Level 2 (Set): FS 77 Rd. Bennett Peak Area, main Eagle Area, Tamarack

Campground. Level 3 (Go): East Eagle to Blue Canyon

Additional Info: None at this time.

Eldorado

Current Situation: Today’s efforts will focus on securing containment lines on the west side of the fire and keeping it from crossing Forest Service Road 1684 that runs along King Creek. Crews, heavy equipment and engines will work with water dropping helicopters around the western edge of the fire to the more difficult terrain to the south. Operations Chief Matt Howard said some of the heavy lifting will occur over the next few days near Ironside Mountain. Significant winds are forecasted for Friday, so resources will have to work quickly, efficiently and safely to reduce any threat of future growth.

Area Fire Closures: No area fire closures are in place.

Public Safety: The following evacuation levels remain in effect: Level 1 (Ready): Shirts Creek; Job Creek and south of Job Creek Road; East of Bull Run Road; and south of Campbell Lane. Level 2 (Set): Dry Gulch area and Ripley Gulch area. Level 3 (Go): Beam Creek area; Eldorado Ditch area; Long Creek area (Baker County); Long Creek Reservoir; and Camp Creek south of Highway 26 and Ironside (Malheur County).

More information about evacuations available at: http://tinyurl.com/Evacuation-Level-Meaning

Additional Info: The National Guard is also assisting the suppression effort in the area with a host of Blackhawk helicopters. The fire is burning on BLM, US Forest Service, private timberland protected by ODF, and rangelands under the protection of the Ironside Rangeland Protection Association.

Cornet/Windy Ridge Complex

Current Situation: Last night on the Cornet Windy Ridge Fire, crews conducted burn out operations along Woods Gulch Road and Burnt Canyon Road to prevent fire from spreading to the east. The operation will continue today with aerial ignition, and smoke will be visible from I-84. Crews will also continue to build containment lines around the perimeter of the fire, and mop up around structures and the edge of the fire line.

Area Fire Closures: A forest closure order is in place for the area around the Cornet/Windy Ridge Fire. Please see the link to the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Website http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/wallowa-whitman/home. OR-245 remains closed. As of this morning, Highways- 7 and Interstate-84 are open.

Public Safety: the public should be cautious when driving; crews and equipment are working near and along the roads, and smoke may hinder visibility. Level 1 (Ready): Old Auburn Ln, Durkee. Level 2 (Get Set): Bridgeport, Sutton Creek, French Gulch, Greater Bowen Valley Rural Fire to French Gulch, Beaver Creek, Black Mountain, Denny Creek, Alder Creek, Burnt River Canyon, Dry Creek, Dry Creek Cutoff, Ebell Creek, and Hill Creek Rd. Level 3 (Go): none at this time

Additional Info: None at this time.

Public Meeting Info: Representatives from the USDA Farm Services Agency and the Natural

Resource Conservation Service were present at a public meeting on Monday evening with

information concerning land treatment, rehabilitation, livestock, livestock forage, and crop disaster assistance. A similar discussion will take place at The Cattlemen’s Association meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 20, at the Baker City Park.

Monday’s meeting was attended by approximately 35 ranchers. Representatives from the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Oregon Department of Forestry and Baker County were also present. They discussed working jointly to identify alternatives in support of land owners and permitees who suffered losses due to the fire.

Fire Statistics
Total Acres: Percent Contained: Cause: Start Date:
Eagle Complex Eldorado Cornet/Windy Ridge	2,518 0% Lightning August 10, 2015 20,500 30% Undetermined August 14, 2015 99,270 35% Lightning August 10, 2015
Structures Lost: Short Location:
Eagle Complex Eldorado Cornet/Windy Ridge	0 20 Miles northwest of Richland, Oregon 1 5 Miles southeast of Unity, Oregon 8 10 Miles East of Unity Oregon
# Personnel: Types of Resources:
Eagle Complex Eldorado Cornet/Windy Ridge	197 INFORMATION NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME 285 CREWS: 7, ENGINES: 14, DOZERS: 7, WATER TENDERS: 5, HELICOPTERS: 4, AIR TANKERS: 0 677 CREWS: 18, ENGINES: 31, DOZERS: 12, HELICOPTERS: 1, AIR TANKERS: 0