9/19/2015 Okanogan Complex Fire Update

Size: 133,142 acres	Estimated Cost to Date: $44.5 million
Containment: 95 percent	Injuries: 7
Total Personnel: 442	Residences Damaged or Destroyed: 120
Committed Resources: 8 crews, 23 engines, 1 helicopter, 7 dozers, 15 water tenders, 8 masticators

CURRENT FIRE SITUATION

Firefighters have completed all suppression work on this fire.  Smoke will continue to be visible near the fire

perimeter and in the interior, as fuels ignite and burn until significant rain or snow falls. Parts of the fire area remain in patrol and mop up status, and most suppression repair work is finished. Effective 6:00 AM today, this team (Washington Interagency Incident Management Team 5) assumed command of the Chelan Complex. All fire suppression is complete on the Chelan Complex. Effective 6:00 AM Monday, September 21, management of both the Okanogan Complex and the Chelan Complex will be assumed by the California Interagency Incident Management Team 1.

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR

Mostly cloudy sky throughout the day is predicted. Temperatures will be 70 to 77 degrees in the valleys, and 53 to 63 degrees above 4,000 feet over the fire. Minimum relative humidity is expected to be 28% to 38% in valleys, and 50% to 60% above 4,000 feet. Winds over the fire will be upslope at 1 to 4 mph this morning, switching to south/southwest 2 to 5 mph in the afternoon. Ridge top wind will be south to southwest at 8 to 12 mph in the afternoon, gusting to 15 mph.

SAFETY

Forest Service roads on the west side of the fire within the area closure (see below) are closed to the public. Law-enforcement personnel are enforcing road closures, which are identified with a sign or barricade. Although not every closed road is staffed, fire managers ask the public to respect the closures for firefighter and public safety.

EVACUATIONS AND ROAD CLOSURES

·   Call the Okanogan County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at 509-422-7348 to report primary residences that were damaged or destroyed in this year’s wildfires. The EOC also provides information on evacuations and road closures  https://www.facebook.com/Okanogan.County.Emergency.Management

·   The Okanogan/ Wenatchee National Forest area closure, effective September 4, 2015, for National Forest lands in the fire area has been rescinded and replaced by a new closure order effective September 17,

2015.  The new order is available at:  http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/4534/29987/ or http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/okawen/alerts-notices

This is the final update for this complex from the Washington Interagency Incident Management Team 5. For additional information about this fire, see:  http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4534/