8/29/2015 Colville Complex Update

Yesterday’s Operations: Fire behavior moderated on the Graves Mountain Fire yesterday as all established control lines held and the uncontrolled fire edge on the north flank continued to back down into the Deadman Creek drainage. Fire line was completed on the east and west flanks to the ridgeline running east and west of Graves Mt. and mop-up operations to secure those lines continued. Mop-up on the control line on the south flank protecting  Hwy 20 and the powerline corridor was completed. Due to the potential threat to structures and private property, the firefighters assigned to the north flank of the fire worked in conjunction with crews from the Kettle Complex to remove fuels around those structures and construct contingency lines to the north and south of Deadman Creek. The Graves Mountain Fire grew approximately 226 acres and is now estimated to be 21% contained.

Firefighters continued to mop-up the perimeter and around structures on the

Marble Valley and Gold Hill Fires yesterday. Assisted by handheld infrared sensors, they are still discovering heat sources below the ground that need to be extinguished to minimized the chance these fires could rekindle in the future. Both fires are now estimated to be 96% contained.

Weather and Fire Behavior: A Red Flag Warning has been issued for strong winds as a frontal system passes through the area. Sustained wind speeds of 20-30 mph with gusts to 40 are predicted. These winds, in combination with critically dry conditions, will potentially result in extreme fire behavior exhibiting rapid rates of spread and profuse spotting.

Today’s Operations: Firefighters on the Graves Mountain Fire will be holding and mopping-up established control lines on the east and west flanks and patrolling the southern containment line. Crews will continue their work removing fuel near the structures in the Deadman and Anderson Creek areas and on the contingency lines to the west of these private properties.

Firefighters on the Marble Valley and Gold Hill Fires will continue mopping-up 100 feet from the fire’s perimeter and 200 feet around structures. Handheld infrared sensors will again be used on both fires to ensure there is no remaining heat near the fire line and around structures.

A Fire Information Call Center is staffed from 7 am to 9 pm daily to direct calls to the appropriate Incident Management Team, County Emergency Operations Center or disaster relief organization for all fires in Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Oreille Counties.  The call center can be reached at: (509) 684-7260, -7261 or -7263.