8/20/2015 National Creek Complex Fire Update

Our hearts are heavy today after hearing about the loss of three of our fellow firefighters and those who were injured in the fire at Twisp Washington.

Crater Lake National Park has closed the north entrance road between State Highway 138 at the park’s north boundary and the Crater Lake west rim drive at north junction.  This precautionary closure facilitates fire operations and provides for the safety of firefighters and park visitors.  A segment of the Pacific Crest Trial is also closed from the park north boundary to the junction with Lightning Springs Trail.

Yesterday’s Activities: Favorable weather conditions allowed firefighters to completed a burnout operation from the prepared dozer containment line between Highway 138 and Highway 230. The Crescent Fire became active in the afternoon on the south flank with some tree torching. Firefighters continued scouting for contingency line locations to the south of Crescent fire within the Crater Lake National Park. Fire crews continued to reinforce and add fire depth south of Highway 230. Along the Crater Lake North Entrance Road fallers cut dead trees around the junction of Highway 138 and removed vegetation along the road to the Pumice Desert.

The Crescent Fire increased 1,019 acres yesterday.

Today’s Activities: When weather conditions are right, firefighters will begin burnout operations along the North Entrance Road to Highway 138. When burnout begins State Highway 138 East, between mile posts 84-86 may be closed or pilot car escorted for safety reasons. Firefighters are poised to respond to spotting east of the entrance road. Fire crews are also monitoring and patrolling Highway 230 for spot fires across the road. The structure protection group completed their work around Diamond Lake and remains in place maintaining it. Crews are continuing contingency line improvements moving west on Forest Road 3703 on the Umpqua National Forest. Scouting to the south of the Crescent Fire continues and firefighters will begin constructing line toward Bert Creek Trailhead today. Line construction on the west flank is complete.

Weather: Cooler temperatures today, but will remain warm and dry. Today’s temperatures will be in the mid 70’s with relative humidity increasing to 30%. North west winds maybe 12 mph on the ridge tops. The potential for fire spotting remains high in the lodgepole pine areas and firefighters remain poised to respond.

Closures & Evacuations: Crater Lake National Park has closed the north park entrance and a larger section of the Pacific Crest Trail, north of the lake.  The remainder of the park is open.  Area closure orders have been issued for the Rogue River-Siskiyou and Umpqua National Forests near Diamond Lake.  There are trail closures in the National Park and on the Rogue River-Siskiyou and Umpqua National Forest. Maps and descriptions of the trail and area closures are online at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4463/.

State Highway 230 is closed (ODOT Tripcheck). Diamond Lake Area is under a Stage 1 Evacuation Notice; the “ready” stage in “ready, set, go”.