Morning Brief

Date/Time Stamp: Sunday, August 23, 2015. Correction (0800 hrs) added one new large fire Alder Lake and updated Kaniksu Complex acres.

Activity Summary
In the Northwest:

No lightning occurred across the geographic area. Two new large fires. Continued growth on existing large fires. OR Team 4 (Goff) IMT2 transitioning to National Complex today. PNW Team 3 (Lewis) IMT1 transitioning to the Northeast Washington theater today.

Preparedness Levels

Current:

Northwest	5 (no change)
National	5 (no change)

Northwest PL Forecast:

5	5	3
3-day	10-day	30-day

Northwest Fire Activity

Large Fire Summary

New large fires: 2

Large fires contained: 0

Uncontained large fires: 25 (OR: 12, WA: 13)

New Fires and Acres: 5 fires for 199 acres
(124,423 acres growth on existing large fires)
OR: 3 fires for 179 acres
WA: 2 fires for 20 acres

Northwest IMT Activity

Area Command Teams committed: 1
NIMOs committed: 2
Type 1 IMTs committed: 7
Type 2 IMTs committed: 12

OSFM: 2

Wildland Fire Management Team: 0

National Fire Activity

Initial attack activity: Light (99 new fires)
New large incidents: 4
Large fires contained: 2
Uncontained large fires: 72

National IMT Activity

Area Command Teams committed: 2
NIMOs committed: 0
Type 1 IMTs committed: 18
Type 2 IMTs committed: 30

Current Incident Details

*Area Command is managing the following fires in northeast Washington: Kettle Complex (Stickpin, Graves Mountain, Renner, Roy), Kaniksu Complex (Tower, Baldy), Carpenter Road, North Star, Marble Valley, and Gold Hill.

PNW Team 3 (Lewis) IMT1 transitioning to provide support in the NE WA theater.

NW NIMO (Hahnenberg) and SA NIMO (Quesinberry) assigned to support Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.

Incidents not Previously-Reported: 2

Falls Creek OR-WWF-001012. ICT4. 5 miles SW Joseph, OR. Start 8/22. Full Suppression/Confine. Timber and grass. Cause: Unknown. 175 acres. 0% containment. Active fire behavior with crowning, running and backing. Residences threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road and trail closures in effect.

Alder Lake WA-GP-000627. ICT3. 7 miles S of Eatonville, WA. Start 7/26. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Lightning. 110 acres. 2% containment. Moderate fire behavior short range spotting. Residences and structures threatened.

Incidents Previously-Reported: 23

Okanogan Complex (5 fires) WA-NES-001203. IMT1. RM Team (Pachota). 13 miles NNW of Omak, WA. Start 8/14. Full Suppression (all fires in complex). Timber. Cause: Lightning. 227,206 acres. (+64,891). 10% containment. Active fire behavior with short crown runs and torching. Residences and structures destroyed. Residences threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road and trail closures in effect. Fire mobilization authorized (8/17). FMAG approved (8/15). Mop up and patrol on 9-mile.

Includes: 9 Mile (WA-NES-001147). 4,720 acres. (+0). 95% containment; Beaver Lake (WA-OWF-000671). 21,403 acres. (+6,647). 0% containment; Twisp River (WA-NES-001351). 8,732 acres. (-322). 0% containment. Fire mobilization authorized (8/19); Lime Belt (WA-OWF-000657) 73,247 acres. (+7,532). 20% containment; Tunk Block (WA-NES-001219) 119,104 acres. (+51,038). 15% containment.

*North Star WA-COA-000157. IMT2. SW Team 5 (Nieto). 25 miles E of Omak, WA. Start 8/13. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Human. 132,000 acres. (+24,000). 2% containment. Moderate fire behavior with backing, flanking, and group torching. Residences, commercial property and structures threatened. Road and area closures in effect. Evacuations in effect. Fire mobilization authorized (8/19).

Chelan Complex (5 fires) WA-SES-000701. IMT1. SW Team 1 (Templin). 1 mile S of Chelan, WA. Start 8/14. Full Suppression (all fires in complex). Timber and grass. Cause: Unknown. 87,412 acres. (+1,000). 35% containment. Active fire behavior with single tree and group torching and uphill runs. Residences destroyed. Residences threatened. Road closures in effect. Evacuations in effect. FMAG approved (8/15). Type 1 IMT (Templin) managing Chelan Complex, First Creek, Wolverine, Blankenship.

Includes 5 merged fires; Reach (WA-SPD-000651). Fire mobilization authorized (8/14); McFarland Creek (WA-OWF-000669). Fire mobilization authorized (8/17); Cagle (WA-SES-000655); Antoine Creek (WA-OWF-000654); Black Canyon (WA-OWF-000663). Fire mobilization authorized (8/17).

First Creek WA-OWF-000650. IMT1. SW Team 1 (Templin). 8 miles NW of Chelan, WA. Start 8/14. Full Suppression. Grass and timber. Cause: Lightning. 2,293 acres. (+0). 2% containment. Extreme fire behavior. Residences destroyed. Residences and structures threatened. Road closures in effect. Evacuations in effect. Type 1 IMT (Templin) managing Chelan Complex, First Creek, Wolverine, Blankenship.

Wolverine WA-OWF-000287. IMT1. SW Team 1 (Templin). 3 miles NW of Lucerne, WA. Start 6/29. Point Zone Protection/Full Suppression. Grass, brush, and timber. Cause: Lightning. 49,570 acres (+3,641). 30% containment. Extreme fire behavior with short-range spotting and group torching. Residences and structures destroyed. Communities, residences and structures threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road, area and trail closures in effect. Evacuations resulted in suspension of the $300M Holden Mine reclamation project. Type 1 IMT (Templin) managing Chelan Complex, First Creek, Wolverine, Blankenship.

*Kettle Complex (4 fires) WA-COF-001264. IMT2. WA Team 1 (Ciraulo). 26 miles NW of Colville, WA. Start 8/11. Full Suppression (all fires in complex). Timber and brush. Cause: Multiple. 59,321 acres. (+5,961). 15% containment. Active fire behavior with group torching, spotting and creeping. Residences destroyed. Residences, commercial property and structures threatened. Road, trail and area closures in effect.

Includes: *Roy (WA-NES-001222). 120 acres (+0). 45% containment; *Stickpin (WA-COF-001111). 43,348 acres. (+4,196). 10% containment. Fire mobilization authorized (8/14); *Graves Mountain (WA-COF-001196). 4,651 acres (-694). 10% containment; Renner (WA-COF-001202). 7,006 acres (+2,459). 0% containment. Fire mobilization authorized (8/19).

*Carpenter Road WA-NES-001235. IMT2. RM Team Blue (Esperance). 35 miles NW of Spokane, WA. Start 8/14. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Unknown. 32,940 acres. (+3,389). 15% containment. Extreme fire behavior. Residences, commercial property and structures destroyed. Residences, commercial property and structures threatened. Road and area closures in effect. Evacuations in effect. Fire mobilization authorized (8/14).

Grizzly Bear Complex OR-UMF-000947. IMT2. WA Team 4 (Gales)/OSFM Green Team (Kunze). 20 miles SE of Dayton, WA. Start 8/13. Confine/Point Zone Protection. Timber and grass. Cause: Lightning. 61,150 acres. (+6,000). 0% Containment. Active fire behavior with torching. Residences and structures destroyed. Residences, structures, campgrounds, and natural resources threatened. Road, trail and area closures in effect. This complex contains 17 fires (varying sizes, some have merged). FMAG approved (8/21).

*Kaniksu Complex (7 fires) WA-COF-001302. IMT2. AK Black Team (Kurth). 35 miles E of Colville, WA. Monitor/Full Suppression (all fires in complex). Timber. Cause: Lightning. 11,159 acres. (+1,253). 2% containment. Active fire behavior with flanking, single tree torching and uphill runs. Residences, commercial property, and structures threatened. Road, trail, and area closures in effect.

Includes: Baldy (WA-COF-001003). 515 acres. (+0). 80% containment; Grease Creek (WA-COF-001212). 75 acres. (+0). 0% containment; Tower (WA-COF-001120). 8,685 acres. (+1,553). 5% containment; Onata Creek (WA-NES-001310) 300 (-300) acres. 0 % containment; Hall Mountain (WA-COF-001164). 20 acres. (+0). 0% containment; Slate Creek (WA-COF-001221). 1 acres. (+0). 0% containment; South Fork Slate Trail – D5 (WA-COF-001218). 10 acres. 0% Containment.

Canyon Creek Complex (3 fires) OR-MAF-015192. IMT1. GB Team 1 (Lund)/OSFM Red Team (Walker). 7 miles N of Seneca, OR. Start 8/12. Full Suppression(all fires in complex). Timber and grass. Cause: Lightning. 61,792 acres. (+6,753). 23% containment. Moderate fire behavior with running, backing, and creeping. Residences destroyed. Residences threatened. Road, trail and area closures in effect. Highway 395 opened to pilot car traffic. FMAG approved (8/15).

Includes 3 fires. Berry Creek merged with Mason Springs: Berry Creek (OR-MAF-015271). 100 acres; Mason Spring (OR-MAF-0152270) 68,545 acres;Jerrys Draw (OR-952S-015306). 240 acres.

Eagle OR-WWF-000872. IMT2. RM Team Black (Greer). 25 miles S of Union, OR. Start 8/11. Confine/Point Zone Protection/Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Lightning. 6,540 acres. (+2,691). 5% containment. Active fire behavior with crowning, running, and long-range spotting. Residences destroyed. Residences and structures threatened. Road, trail and area closures in effect. Evacuations in effect.

Stouts Creek OR-732S-000090. IMT1. ODF Team 2 (Cline). 16 miles E of Canyonville, OR. Start 7/30. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Human. 26,188 acres. (+20). 84% containment. Moderate fire behavior with backing, creeping and single tree torching. Residences and commercial property threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road and area closures in effect. Conflagration Act invoked (7/31). FMAG approved (7/31).

*Marble Valley WA-NES-001224. IMT2. OR Team 2 (Fillis). 50 miles NW of Spokane, WA. Start 8/14. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Unknown. 3,087 acres. (+0). 85% containment. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering. Residences and structures destroyed. Residences, powerlines and structures threatened. Road closures in effect. Fire mobilization authorized (8/14).

*Gold Hill WA-NES-001234. IMT2. OR Team 2 (Fillis). 10 miles W of Colville, WA. Start 8/14. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Unknown. 557 acres. (+0). 70% containment. Minimal fire behavior with creeping and smoldering. Structures destroyed. Residences and structures threatened. Road closures in effect.

Countyline 2 OR-WSA-000060. IMT2. OR Team 1 (Sheldon). 15 miles NW of Madras, OR. Start 8/12. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Unknown. 65,155 acres.(+205). 58% containment. Active fire behavior with uphill runs, group torching and flanking. Structures and residence destroyed. Residences, structures and commercial property threatened. Evacuations in effect. Trail and area closures in effect.

National Creek Complex (2 fires) OR-RSF-000836. IMT1. PNW Team 3 (Lewis). IMT2. OR Team 4 (Goff) transitioning 8/23. 10 miles SW of Diamond Lake, OR. Start 8/1. Full Suppression (all fires in complex). Timber. Cause: Lightning. 9,294 acres. (+414). 10% containment. Active fire behavior with short crown runs, group torching and short-range spotting. Structures, residences, campgrounds, T&E species, hiking and OHV trails threatened. Smoke impacts to Crater Lake National Park. Road, area and multiple trail closures in effect. Highway 230 closed.

Includes: National (OR-RSF-000787). 120 acres (+0). 60% containment; Crescent (OR-CLP-000405). 9,174 acres (+1,254). 0% containment.

Cougar Creek WA-YAA-000157. IMT2. WA Team 5 (Leitch). 6 miles NW of Glenwood, WA. Start 8/10. Full Suppression. Timber and grass. Cause: Lightning. 29,000 acres. (+4,000). 15% containment. Active fire behavior with crowning, short-range spotting and flanking. Residences, structures, natural resources and campgrounds threatened. Road, trail and area closures in effect. Evacuations in effect.

Collier Butte OR-RSF-000808. IMT2. OR Team 3 (Johnson). 17 miles E of Gold Beach, OR. Start 8/2. Full Suppression. Timber and brush. Cause: Lightning. 9,400 acres. (+200). 35% containment. Moderate fire behavior with backing, flanking and single tree torching. Commercial property, and Snow Camp Lookout threatened. Limited access and steep slopes. Road, area and trail closures in effect.

Eldorado OR-972S-000942. IMT1. ODF Team 3 (Smith). 40 miles E of John Day, OR. Start 8/14. Full Suppression. Timber, brush and grass. Cause: Unknown. 20,611 acres. (+0). 65% containment. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering. Residences and structures destroyed.

Cornet-Windy Ridge OR-VAD-000163. IMT1. NM Team 2 (Ruggiero). 17 miles SE of Baker City, OR. Start 8/11. Full Suppression. Timber and grass. Cause: Unknown. 103,887 acres. (+0). 80% containment. Moderate fire behavior with creeping, backing and single tree torching. Residences and structures destroyed. Residences and structures threatened. Conflagration Act invoked (8/14).

Upper Skagit Complex WA-NCP-000052. IMT2 GB Team 4 (Wilcox). 1 mile NW of Newhalem, WA. Start 8/10. Multiple Suppression Strategies. Timber. Cause: Lightning. 3,675 acres. 0% Containment. Active fire behavior with short crown and uphill runs. Commercial property threatened. Evacuations in effect.

Includes: Thursday Creek (WA-NCP-000040). Confine. 273 acres. 0% containment; Rocky Beaver (WA-NCP-000046). Monitor. 134 acres. 0% containment; Goodell (WA-NCP-000039). Full Suppression. 3,218 acres. 0% containment. Also includes four additional fires totaling less than 100 acres.

Bendire Complex (3 fires) OR-VAD-000162. IMT3. 40 miles W of Vale, OR. Start 8/11. Full Suppression (all fires in complex). Brush. Cause: Lightning. 44,397 acres. (+0). 95% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Sage-Grouse habitat threatened. Includes 2 merged fires: Pole Gulch and Bully Creek. No information received.

Willamina Creek OR-SAD-000207. ICT3. 45 miles SW of Portland, OR. Start 8/19. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Unknown. 216 acres. (+4). 20% containment. Moderate fire behavior with creeping. Residences threatened. Road and area closures in effect.

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).

Northwest Fire Potential Summary:

Fire potential remains low to moderate across the region. A weak thermal trough will migrate to the Cascades or east side today which could boost instability over ongoing incidents on the east side in both Oregon and Washington. General winds are expected to remain fairly light today. Fire danger indices remain high.

More info, see NW 7-Day Significant Fire Potential Forecast, and National 7-Day Significant Fire Potential Forecast