8/24/2017 High Cascades Complex

High Cascades Complex

8/24/2017 10:00 a.m.

                                               Fire Information: (541) 316-8352

Northwest Incident Management Team 7 began managing the High Cascades Complex this morning at 6:00 a.m. The High Cascades Complex consists of 15 fires located within Crater Lake National Park and the High Cascades Ranger District. Eleven of these fires have been contained. The remaining 4 are being managed with a full suppression strategy.

Blanket Creek Fire -             Start Date: July 26, 2017     Cause: Lightning     Size: 6,690 acres     Containment: 76%   

Location:  Approximately seven miles east of Prospect, Oregon

Status: The fire has reached and spotted across the Pacific Crest Trail in the Sky Lakes Wilderness, ½ mile south of Crater Lake National Park (CLNP). An emergency closure of the Pacific Crest Trail has been extended from the southern boundary of CLNP to its Junction with the Sevenmile Marsh Trail. Helicopters and Scooper aircraft will continue to drop water to hold the fire from spreading further east and to the bottom of Red Blanket Creek.

Spruce Lake Fire -                Start Date: July 29, 2017     Cause: Lightning     Size: 5,360 acres     Containment: 61%   
Location:  West side of Crater Lake National Park

Status: Interior burning of continues, but there is a low probability for growth today. The fire is being monitored.

Sherwood Fire (formerly Roseburg Fire) -   Cause: Under investigation     Size: 71 Acres     Containment: 80%        
Location: Approximately six miles west of Diamond Lake near Sherwood Butte. 

Status: Crews are strengthening containment lines around the fire and mopping up hot spots. Suppression operations on the Sherwood Fire is today’s top priority for this complex.

Broken Lookout Fire -   Cause:  Lightning     Size: 818 Acres     Containment: 0%   

Location: Approximately six miles west of the junction of Highways 62 and 230

Status: This fire continues to back down slope from the Rogue/Umpqua divide within the Abbott Creek drainage. Small fires from the neighboring Falcon Complex may merge with Broken Lookout Fire.

Weather/Fire Behavior:  Today, a cooler, more moist air mass will transition to gusty afternoon winds and the potential for more active fire behavior. A developing thermal trough will likely bring NE winds on Thursday night, especially over the ridges, leading to poor overnight recoveries. Hot, dry, and unstable weather is expected to return Friday through the weekend.

Smoke Outlook:  To see smoke visibility in the area, check out the webcams on the Crater Lake National Park website https://www.nps.gov/crla/learn/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm. A full smoke report is posted on the Inciweb website.

Crater Lake National Park Trail Closures:  Numerous trails are closed within the park. View closure information at: https://www.nps.gov/crla/planyourvisit/conditions.htm.

Rogue River-Siskiyou NF Area Closures:  There are area closures established around the Blanket Creek, Spruce Lake and Broken Lookout fires. View details of closures at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/rogue-siskiyou/