8/26/2015 Kettle Complex Fire Update

Kettle Complex  UPDATE    

 Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Fire Information:  509-724-0040

http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4536/

email:  stickpinfireinfo@gmail.com

The Kettle Complex includes three fires in northern Ferry County, Washington. The Pacific Northwest Incident Management Team #2 (Type 1) will be assuming command at 6:00 a.m. on Thursday. Washington Incident Management Team #1 would like to thank the local communities and partners in Ferry County for all their support during our management of this incident.

A community meeting will be held this evening at 7:00pm at the Orient School.

Current Situation:  Fire behavior was subdued again Tuesday. The inversion held in the smoke, held down the temperatures, and made visibility poor. Significant progress on line construction has been made in the last couple of days because the fires have not moved as quickly.  Firefighters are concentrating on three primary tasks: 1) structure protection measures to prevent losses in areas closest to the fires; 2)

constructing indirect fireline, and direct fire line where possible and safe; and 3) scouting for defensible fireline locations in areas that are still unsecured.  No significant injuries have been reported to date.  No

homes have been lost.

Upcoming weather: The 1st Standard Firefighting Order is to “Keep informed on fire weather conditions and forecasts.”  Relatively light winds and moderate temperatures offer one more day of favorable conditions for work on the fires, despite continued dense smoke.  Increased wind speed with gusts to 25 mph, slightly higher temperatures and lower relative humidity point to elevated fire activity on Thursday. Friday and Saturday bring a good chance for precipitation, with cooler temperatures expected on Saturday.

Stickpin Fire is now estimated at 48,381 acres and is 20% contained.  Crews worked Tuesday to finalize fireline along the west side of the fire.  Firefighters targeted line construction in an area of active fire and difficult terrain to the west of Togo Mountain, at the northwest corner of the fire.  Canadian crews continued to scout locations for and build fireline on the northeast corner from Togo Mountain south to Boulder Creek Road.

Significant hazard reduction project will begin today on the Boulder Creek Road, which remains closed. Ferry County Public Works, Ferry County Sheriff’s office, Incident Management Team personnel, and the US Forest Service will be working together to identify and remove hazards, making the road safer for emergency response and fire personnel. The National Guard will provide traffic control for passing firefighters during the operation.

Renner Fire is approximately 11,126 acres and is 15% contained.  Fire personnel are working this fire 24

hours a day.  Direct fireline has been installed on the east side of the fire, with line construction beginning on the southwest edge. Structure protection remains the top priority. A satellite fire camp has been established off Highway 395 to bring firefighters in closer proximity.

Roy Road Fire – The 120-acre Roy Road Fire, # miles west of Republic, is 80% contained.  Hand-held infrared devices have been used as a tool to detect the few remaining pockets of interior heat. Only a few hot spots were detected yesterday.

Regional Information Office: DNR and the USFS have established a fire information call center for fires in

Ferry, Stevens and Pend Oreille Counties. Trained staff will answer public questions and/or forward callers

to the correct Incident Management Team or County Emergency Operations Center that they need to reach. The phone numbers are; 509-684-7260, 509-684-7261 and 509-684-7263. These phones will be staffed

daily from 7am to 9pm.

Evacuation Information: For the Kettle Complex, the following evacuation levels apply. This information is as of 9 AM. If conditions change, it will be updated on the Ferry County Sheriff’s Facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ferry-County-Sheriffs-Office-911/339957886082797.

LEVEL I- All of Ferry County is under a Level I notice, except for Level II and Level III areas as described below. Please remember that a LEVEL 1 evacuation notice is a notification that you may be asked to evacuate. Residents are encouraged to make plans if conditions change.

LEVEL II-  On the east side of Renner fire: Roosevelt Road, River Edge Road, Nancy Creek Road, and the Columbia Cedar Mill, and to the east of Highway 395 in the Barstow area from Mile Marker 247 to Mile Marker 253.

In the Curlew area: Hurl Burt, Boulder Creek, and the Danville Area.

The following roads are at level II only for the areas past their respective mile marker 1, as measured from

Highway 21:  Deer Creek, Long Alec, and Lone Ranch.

LEVEL III –The level 3 evacuation is from Mile Marker 247 to Mile Marker 253 to the west of Highway

395, which includes the Matsen Creek Community including Matsen Creek Road, Jackknife Road and

Deadman Creek Road, Anderson Road, Harter Rd, Pool Rd., Carson Rd, BJ’s Road, and Murphy Rd.

Closures: Deer Creek-Boulder Creek County Road 602 is closed because of significant hazards through the fire area.  Highway 20 is recommended as an alternate route.

The portion of the Colville National Forest from the Canadian Border to Highway 20, between Highway 21 and US Highway 395 is closed. All trails, roads, and access are temporarily closed due to extreme fire activity. No campfires, charcoal or chainsaw use are allowed. There are additional road closures in the area due to other incidents – visit  www.wsdot.wa.gov for details.

Fire Prevention: A document entitled “How to Prepare for a Wildfire” provides excellent advice for home owners. The 5 Ps of evacuation include people, prescriptions, papers, personal needs, and priceless items. To view this document, do a web search for “fema how to prepare for a wildfire”.

Cooperating Agencies: Department of Natural Resources Northeast Region, USDA Forest Service Colville National Forest, Ferry County Fire Districts 13 and 14, Joint Fire Protection District Ferry 3 and Stevens 8, Ferry County Sheriff, Ferry County, City of Republic, Washington State Patrol, Washington State Fire Marshal, US Border Patrol, Washington National Guard, British Columbia Wildfire Service.  Cooperators from 29 other states have worked on the complex fires.