Date Started:
August 14,
2015, 10:25 PM
|
Size: 302,225
|
Containment: 23 percent
|
Cause:
lightning
|
Estimated Cost to Date: $18.47 million
|
Injuries: 5
|
Total Personnel: 1,918
|
Residences Burned: assessment in progress
|
Committed Resources: 34 crews, 184 engines, 37 dozers, 41 water tenders, 8 helicopters
|
CURRENT FIRE SITUATION
A red flag warning is in effect for high winds.
An unusually strong front with
southerly winds
will
move through the region, with sustained winds
of
35 miles per hour
and gusts up to 60 miles per hour
possible. The Pacific Northwest
Wildfire Coordinating Group took the unusual step of issuing a safety alert
warning firefighters
and the public for potential risks: rapid fire spread
and abrupt changes in the direction
of the fire’s movement. Fire behavior analysts
expect significant fire growth
today on the Tunk Block and Lime Belt Fires. They also expect the Tunk Block Fire to merge
with the North Star
Fire to the east over the next few days.
Tunk Block Fire (158,892 acres, 10 percent contained): Efforts today are focused on building and securing containment lines on the
northern and southern
ends of the fire.
Hotshot crews
completed a burnout operation on the northern end of
the fire last night to connect existing fuel
breaks
and
dozer lines. On the southern
end, the fire spotted over Highway
155 yesterday and again last night.
Lime Belt/Blue Lake/Beaver Lake Fire (126,782 acres, 15 percent contained):
Firefighters are focused
on
the northwestern
corner of the fire, where they are working to secure fireline in the Sinlahekin Valley.
This effort is
the top priority of fire managers, who want to keep
the fire from spreading to Loomis on the north end of the valley. In addition to building containment line, crews have been working to protect structures north of
the fire. On the southwestern corner, crews
are attempting to steer the fire toward the
Tripod Fire scar.
Twisp River (11,831 acres, 96 percent contained): The fire is largely contained and is in mop-up and monitor status. The
high winds may cause some torching and flare ups of unburned
fuel within the perimeter of the fire.
Nine Mile Fire (4,720 acres, 95 percent contained): The fire is largely contained
and in patrol and monitor
status.
EVACUATIONS
Information on evacuations is available from the Okanogan County Emergency Operations
Center at
ROAD CLOSURES
Highway 155 is closed
from mile marker 42 to 70. Information on road closures is available
from the
Okanogan County Emergency Operations Center at 509-472-7348 and on its Facebook page (link above). Additional information about closures
is available from the Washington State Department of Transportation at
www.wsdot.com/traffic/trafficalerts
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