9/04/2015 Okanogan & Chelan Complex Fire Update

Okanogan Complex                                        Chelan Complex

Size: 148,747 acres                                                                  Size: 93,877 acres

Containment: 60 percent                                                        Containment: 70 percent

Estimated Cost to Date: $30.9 million                                  Estimated Cost to Date: $14.9 million

Injuries: 6                                                                               Injuries: 9

Residences Burned: 123                                                        Residences Burned: 21

Total Personnel: 1,188                                                           Total Personnel: 613

Committed Resources: 19 crews, 73 engines,

11 dozers, 23 water tenders, 9 helicopters

CURRENT FIRE SITUATION

Committed Resources: 9 crews, 25 engines, 5 dozers,

14 water tenders

The fire was minimally active yesterday—due to mostly cloudy skies over the fire area—and firefighters were able to increase containment. To put their work in context, 5 percent containment equals 15 miles of constructed line. If the containment lines for the Okanogan Complex were stretched straight, they would be 313 miles long. The Lime Belt and Chelan Fires continue to be most active on their north and northwest ends.

OKANOGAN COMPLEX

Lime Belt Fire (132,805 acres, 55 percent contained): The fire-suppression priority today is the area north of Buck Mountain where the fire remains east of Forest Road 42. Crews will prepare a section of indirect dozer line for tomorrow’s planned defensive firing operations. The goal is to halt the fire’s spread northwest toward Granite Mountain. East of Peacock Meadow, the fire has not crossed the Loup Loup Canyon Road. The fire has backed downslope to the

road in many places and is secure. Where it has not reached the road, the fire is not expected to move further and is

secure where it is. On the fire’s northern tip, in the Sinlahekin Valley, crews will mop up yesterday’s firing operation on the canyon rim. The public may observe smoke and aircraft activity as firefighters continue to work on the fireline.

Twisp River Fire (11,222 acres, 98 percent contained) and Nine Mile Fire (4,720 acres, 98 percent contained): Heavy- equipment operators, under the guidance of resource advisors, continue to repair areas damaged by fire-suppression activities on the Twisp River Fire. The Nine Mile Fire will be monitored by air.

CHELAN COMPLEX

Crews continued to secure the fireline around Hungry Mountain and Rainy Creek yesterday on the northern tip of the

fire. Structure-protection crews are present in the McFarland Creek area around the clock. Firefighters are building some direct fireline, but the terrain is so steep and dangerous that it is unsafe for firefighters to access the fire directly along Saint Luise Creek. The fire’s northwest spread is being held in check by large-capacity helicopters and favorable weather conditions.

EVACUATIONS AND ROAD CLOSURES

Okanogan County Emergency Operations Center provides information on evacuations and road closures:

509-422-7348, Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/Okanogan.County.Emergency.Management

Washington State Department of Transportation provides additional information about road closures:

www.wsdot.com/traffic/trafficalerts.