Morning Brief

Date/Time Stamp: Saturday, August 29, 2015 - 0700 hrs.

Activity Summary
In the Northwest:

Lightning occurred and moderate precipitation is falling on the west side of the Cascades. No new large fires. Continued growth on existing large fires.

Preparedness Levels

Current:

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

Northwest PL Forecast:

5	4	3
3-day	10-day	30-day

Northwest Fire Activity

Large Fire Summary

New large fires: 0

Large fires contained: 0

Uncontained large fires: 23 (OR: 11, WA: 12)

New Fires and Acres: 10 fires for 22 acres
(45,033 acres growth on existing large fires)
OR: 6 fires for 19 acres
WA: 4 fires for 3 acres

Northwest IMT Activity

Area Command Teams committed: 1
NIMOs committed: 2
Type 1 IMTs committed: 5
Type 2 IMTs committed: 9 (1 Type 2 IMT en route)

OSFM: 1

Wildland Fire Management Team: 0

National Fire Activity

Initial attack activity: Light (79 new fires)
New large incidents: 9
Large fires contained: 4
Uncontained large fires: 79

National IMT Activity

Area Command Teams committed: 3
NIMOs committed: 0
Type 1 IMTs committed: 15
Type 2 IMTs committed: 30

Current Incident Details

*Area Command is managing the following fires in northeast Washington: North Star, Kettle Complex (Stickpin, Renner and Roy), Carpenter Road, Kaniksu Complex (Tower, Baldy, Onata Creek and 4 additional fires ), Colville Complex (Marble Valley, Gold Hill and Graves Mountain).

Type 1 CA Team 5 (Minton) assumes command of Okanogan Complex today and is scheduled to assume command of the Chelan Complex on Sunday 8/30.

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

Incidents not Previously-Reported: 0

Incidents Previously-Reported: 23

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. 91,502 acres. (+1,292). 50% containment. Extreme fire behavior with group torching, uphill runs and spotting. Residences and structures destroyed. Residences, commercial property, communication sites and structures threatened. Road and area closures in effect. Evacuations in effect. Fire mobilization authorized (8/17). 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); Cagle (WA-SES-000655);Antoine Creek (WA-OWF-000654); Black Canyon (WA-OWF-000663).

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. 6,800 acres. (+238). 33% containment. Active fire behavior. Residences and structures 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. 64,776 acres. (+2,609). 29% containment. Moderate fire behavior with backing, single tree torching and smoldering. Residences and structures destroyed. Communities, residences, structures, campgrounds and historic structures threatened. Road, trail and area closures in effect. Evacuations in effect. Type 1 IMT (Templin) managing Chelan Complex, First Creek, Wolverine, Blankenship.

Okanogan Complex (5 fires) WA-NES-001203. IMT1. CA Team 5 (Minton). 13 miles NW of Omak, WA. Start 8/14. Full Suppression (all fires in complex). Timber and brush. Cause: Lightning. 302,225 acres. (+9,713). 23% containment. Moderate fire behavior with torching. Residences and structures destroyed. Residences, communications sites, power lines, irrigation infrastructure, T&E species, watersheds, rangeland and commercial timber threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road and trail closures in effect. Fire mobilization authorized (8/17). FMAG approved (8/15).

Includes 5 fires. Tunk Block (WA-NES-001219) 158,892 acres. (+5,610). 10% containment; Beaver Lake merged with Lime Belt: Beaver Lake (WA-OWF-000671). 25,956 acres; Lime Belt (WA-OWF-000657). 100,826 acres. 15% containment; Twisp River (WA-NES-001351). 11,831 acres. (+0). 96% containment. Fire mobilization authorized (8/19); 9 Mile (WA-NES-001147). 4,720 acres. (+0). 95% 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. 87,145 acres. (+946). 44% containment. Active fire behavior with group torching, backing and flanking. Residences and structures destroyed. Residences, critical habitat, watershed and wilderness threatened. Road, trail and area closures in effect. Evacuations in effect. Conflagration Act invoked (8/15). FMAG approved (8/15). Jerrys Draw is in patrol status and management is returning to local unit.

Includes 3 fires. Berry Creek merged with Mason Spring: Berry Creek (OR-MAF-015271). 100 acres; Mason Spring (OR-MAF-0152270). 85,934 acres;Jerrys Draw (OR-952S-015306). 165 acres.

*Carpenter Rd. WA-SPA-000046. IMT2. RM Team Blue (Esperance). 35 miles NW of Spokane, WA. Start 8/14. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Unknown. 55,886 acres. (+9,195). 20% containment. Active fire behavior with uphill runs, torching and spotting. Residences, commercial property and structures destroyed and threatened. Road and area closures in effect. Evacuations in effect. Fire mobilization authorized (8/14).

*North Star WA-COA-000157. IMT1. PNW Team 3 (Lewis). 25 miles E of Omak, WA. Start 8/13. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Human. 192,900 acres. (+13,066). 22% containment. Active fire behavior with torching, spotting and backing. Residences, commercial timber, rangelands, critical communication sites, commercial property and structures threatened. Road and area closures in effect. Evacuations in effect. Fire mobilization authorized (8/19).

*Kettle Complex (3 fires) WA-COF-001264. IMT1. PNW Team 2 (Schulte). 26 miles NW of Colville, WA. Start 8/11. Full Suppression (all fires in complex). Timber and brush. Cause: Lightning. 66,084 acres. (+3,792). 17% containment. Active fire behavior with uphill runs and torching. Residences and commercial property destroyed. Residences, commercial property and structures threatened. Road, trail and area closures in effect. Evacuations in effect.

Includes: Roy (WA-NES-001222). 120 acres. (+0). 80% containment; Stickpin (WA-COF-001111). 53,496 acres. (+3,073). 20% containment. Fire mobilization authorized (8/14); Renner (WA-COF-001202). 12,495 acres. (+719). 15% containment. Fire mobilization authorized (8/19).

Grizzly Bear Complex OR-UMF-000947. IMT2. WA Team 4 (Gales). 20 miles SE of Dayton, WA. Start 8/13. Monitor/Confine/Point Zone Protection/Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Lightning. 72,421 acres. (+0). 10% containment. Active fire behavior with uphill runs, group torching and short crown runs. Residences and structures destroyed. Residences, commercial property, structures, campgrounds, commercial hunting, T&E habitat, recreational facilities, historical buildings, watersheds and natural resources threatened. Road, trail and area closures in effect. Evacuations in effect. This complex contains 17 fires (varying sizes, some have merged). Conflagration Act invoked (8/20) and ended (8/25). FMAG approved (8/21).

*Kaniksu Complex (7 fires) WA-COF-001302. IMT2. AK Black Team (Kurth). 35 miles E of Colville, WA. Start 8/18. Monitor/Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Lightning. 19,863 acres. (+2,353). 10% containment. Active fire behavior with spotting, backing and isolated torching. Residences, commercial property, historical sites, commercial timber, recreation infrastructure, critical habitat for T&E species and structures threatened. Road, trail, and area closures in effect. Evacuations in effect.

Includes: Tower (WA-COF-001120). 16,335 acres. (+2,143). 9% containment; Onata Creek (WA-NES-001310) 502 acres. (+42). 10% containment; Baldy(WA-COF-001003). 515 acres. (+0). 80% containment; Grease Creek (WA-COF-001212). 196 acres. (+43). 0% containment; Hall Mountain (WA-COF-001164). 46 acres. (+10). 0% containment; Slate Creek (WA-COF-001221). 1 acres. (+0). 0% containment; South Fork Slate Trail – D5 (WA-COF-001218). 125 acres. (+115). 0% Containment.

*Colville Complex (3 fires) WA-NES-001196. IMT2. OR Team 2 (Fillis). 10 miles W of Colville, WA. Start 8/14. Full Suppression (all fires in complex). Timber and brush. Cause: Human. 11,305 acres. (+1,426). 45% containment. Active fire behavior with short crown runs, group torching and backing. Residences and structures destroyed. Residences, structures, commercial timber and power lines threatened. Road, trail and area closures in effect.

Graves Mountain (WA-COF-001196). 7,661 acres. (+1,426). 21% containment; Marble Valley (WA-NES-001224). 3,087 acres. (+0). 96% containment. Fire mobilization authorized (8/14); Gold Hill (WA-NES-001234). 557 acres. (+0). 95% containment.

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. 12,298 acres. (+390). 25% containment. Active fire behavior with single tree torching, backing and short-range spotting. Residences destroyed. Residences, structures, timber resources, habitat for T&E species and wild and scenic river threatened. Road, trail and area closures in effect. Evacuations in effect.

County Line 2 OR-WSA-000060. IMT2. OR Team 1 (Sheldon). 15 miles NW of Madras, OR. Start 8/12. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Unknown. 66,433 acres.(+633). 80% containment. Active fire behavior with group torching, short-range spotting and uphill runs. Residences and structures destroyed. Residences, timber resources and commercial property threatened. Evacuations in effect. Trail and area closures in effect.

Cougar Creek WA-YAA-000157. IMT2. WA Team 5 (Leitch). IMT2. CA Team 3 (Wakoski) mobilizing to incident. 6 miles NW of Glenwood, WA. Start 8/10. Full Suppression. Timber and grass. Cause: Lightning. 52,700 acres. (+12,500). 25% containment. Active fire behavior with torching, spotting and flanking. Structures, natural resources and campgrounds threatened. Road, trail and area closures in effect.

National Creek Complex (2 fires) OR-RSF-000836. IMT2. OR Team 4 (Goff). 10 miles SW of Diamond Lake, OR. Start 8/1. Full Suppression (all fires in complex).Timber. Cause: Lightning. 14,502 acres. (+1,291). 50% containment. Active fire behavior with short crown runs, group torching and backing. Structures, residences, campgrounds, T&E species, hiking and OHV trails, natural and cultural resources threatened. Smoke impacts to Crater Lake National Park. Road, area and trail closures in effect.

Includes two merged fires: Crescent (OR-CLP-000405). 14,382 acres. (+1,291); National (OR-RSF-000787). 120 acres. (+0).

Upper Skagit Complex (8 fires) WA-NCP-000052. IMT2. GB Team 4 (Wilcox). 1 mile NW of Newhalem, WA. Start 8/10. Monitor/Confine/Full Suppression.Timber. Cause: Lightning. 8,505 acres. (+527). 61% containment. Moderate fire behavior with creeping, smoldering and isolated torching. Structures destroyed. Commercial property, environmental learning center, Hydro-electric generation facility and transmission lines for the city of Seattle, WA. are threatened. Evacuations in effect.

Includes: Goodell (WA-NCP-000039). 7,111 acres. (+395). 0% containment; Thursday Creek (WA-NCP-000040). 566 acres. (+0). 0% containment; Rocky Beaver (WA-NCP-000046). 141 acres. (+0). 0% containment; No Name 15 (WA-NCP-000045). 344 acres. (+0). 0% containment. Snowfield (WA-NCP-000051). 184 acres. 0% containment. This complex includes additional fires totaling less than 200 acres.

Collier Butte OR-RSF-000808. IMT3. 17 miles E of Gold Beach, OR. Start 8/2. Full Suppression. Timber and brush. Cause: Lightning. 11,400 acres. (+0). 55% containment. Moderate fire behavior with single tree torching, short-range spotting and short uphill crown runs. Commercial property and Snow Camp Lookout threatened. Limited access and steep slopes.

Alder Lake WA-GPF-000627. IMT3. 7 miles S of Eatonville, WA. Start 8/11. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Lightning. 253 acres. (+28). 10% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Residences, structures and T&E species threatened. No information received.

Falls Creek OR-WWF-001012. IMT3. 5 miles SW of Joseph, OR. Start 8/22. Full Suppression/Confine. Timber. Cause: Unknown. 396 acres. (+143). 0% containment. Active fire behavior with single tree torching, creeping and backing. Residences threatened. Road and trail closures in effect.

Stouts Creek OR-732S-000090. IMT3. 16 miles E of Canyonville, OR. Start 7/30. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Human. 26,452 acres. (+0). 86% containment. Moderate fire behavior with smoldering. Residences, commercial property, natural resources and T&E habitat threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road and area closures in effect. Conflagration Act invoked (7/31) and ended (8/8). FMAG approved (7/31). No information received.

Willamina Creek OR-SAD-000207. ICT4. 45 miles SW of Portland, OR. Start 8/19. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Unknown. 230 acres. (+0). 97% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Road and area closures in effect.

Cornet-Windy Ridge OR-VAD-000163. ICT4. 17 miles SE of Baker City, OR. Start 8/11. Full Suppression. Timber and grass. Cause: Unknown. 102,089 acres.(+0). 85% containment. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering. Residences and structures destroyed. Conflagration Act invoked (8/14) and ended (8/18).

Eldorado OR-972S-000942. ICT4. 40 miles E of John Day, OR. Start 8/14. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause: Unknown. 20,635 acres. (+0). 90% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Residences and structures destroyed.

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:

A Pacific frontal system will move across the region today. Rain and strong winds are expected west of the Cascades and strong winds expected east of the Cascades, particularly in the Columbia Basin. Not much rain is forecast east of the Cascades so the winds are expected to be the dominant factor during the day. Gusts up to 50 mph are possible. The potential for rapid fire runs and extreme fire behavior is high at ongoing incidents exposed to the gusty winds. Firefighters are urged to be cautious due to the many hazards associated with the winds.

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