9/09/2015 Kettle Complex Fire Update

Incident Summary: The Kettle Complex includes three fires – the Stickpin, Renner, and Graves Mountain fires – all burning in an area south of the Canadian border, west of Highway 395, north of State Route 20, and east of Highway 21. The fires have remained at approximately 76,400 acres since receiving precipitation over the weekend.

Current Situation: Cooler and wetter weather has allowed crews to make progress securing fire perimeter. However, active and unsecured fire edge remains on the east flank of the Stickpin Fire, the northwest flank of the Renner Fire, and the north flank of the Graves Mountain Fire.

Planned Actions Today: Firefighters are working to secure fireline on the east side of the Stickpin Fire; mop-up, patrol, and suppression repair are being done on the north, west, and south flanks. Crews continue to prep an area of the northwest flank of the Renner Fire for a possible burnout operation while mop-up, patrol, and suppression repair continues on the rest of the fire. On the Graves Mountain Fire, fireline is being constructed on the north flank near Deadman Creek Road while crews continue to strengthen existing fireline along the south end of the fire.

Closures/Restrictions: Deer Creek-Boulder Creek Road was opened to the public on Monday, but all connecting US Forest Service roads remain closed to non-fire traffic. Restrictions to both industrial logging operations and public firewood cutting are being reevaluated. For firewood cutting, please call Washington Department of Natural Resources at 509-684-7474 or the Colville National Forest at 509-684-7000 to see if cutting is allowed in your area or for permitting. Industrial operators should check with the Washington DNR Industrial Fire Precaution Levels hotline at 1-800-527-3305. Regardless of whether cutting is allowed, burned areas in the Colville National Forest will remain closed to non-fire traffic until further notice.

Weather Outlook: Mostly sunny skies with temperatures into the upper 60s and mid 70s and generally light winds for today. Much warmer temperatures are expected for Thursday and Friday as a warming and drying trend sets up into the weekend.

Evacuation Information: All of Ferry County affected by the Kettle Complex remains at Evacuation Level 1.

Cooperating Agencies: USDA Forest Service Colville National Forest, Washington Department of Natural Resources Northeast Region, USDI Bureau of Land Management, Ferry County Fire District 3 and 13, Stevens County County Fire District 8, Curlew Fire Department, Ferry County Sheriff.