8/27/17 Chetco Bar Fire Morning Update

Chetco Bar Fire

August 27, 2017     9:00 a.m.

Community Fire Briefing Tonight, Sunday, August 27, 2017 at 6:00 p.m.
Fire managers will provide an update about operations on the Chetco Bar Fire. This community fire briefing will be held at the Brookings-Harbor High School, 625 Pioneer Road, Brookings, Oregon.

Crews are scouting for, and building direct and indirect fireline using existing roads, ridgetops that are sparsely vegetated and previously burned areas. As smoke and weather allow, helicopters and fixed wing aerial resources will be used for bucket and retardant drops. Structure protection efforts continue, focusing on reducing fuels around homes. The structure protection group is also installing hoselays and sprinkler systems.

Weather and Fire Behavior: A “Red Flag” warning has been issued for the Chetco Bar Fire area through Monday. The designation “Red Flag Warning” means “that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. Gusty winds, low humidity or dry, unstable conditions will create the potential,” according to the National Weather Service. For the Chetco Bar Fire area, the warning includes gusty, erratic winds, low relative humidity, particularly at higher elevations, and unstable atmospheric conditions which could lead to fire spreading through the tops of trees and the potential for plume dominated fire growth

Very heavy smoke impacts are expected today in regional communities surrounding the Chetco Bar Fire. For information about smoke and air quality in the Chetco Bar Fire area, visit: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/2017/ChetcoBar#Overview 

Yesterday: While there was little wind to influence fire growth, aerial support was hindered by poor visibility from the smoke staying in place over the fire area. Most active burning on the fire occurred on the northern portion, with the smoke column reaching 20,000 feet in the Johnson Butte area. There was also active fire in the Tin Cup area and around the East Fork of the Pistol River

Firefighters built and improved both direct and indirect fireline, scouted for opportunities for alternate firelines and improved roads to be used as firelines. They continued with structure protection efforts, including installing and maintaining hoselays, thinning and pulling flammable materials back from homes and structures

Today: Crews will continue to strengthen and mop-up containment lines on the southwestern corner of the fire. To the north and south, crews are scouting for, and building direct and indirect fireline using existing roads, ridgetops that are sparsely vegetated and previously burned areas. Structure protection efforts continue, focusing on reducing fuels around homes. The structure protection group is also installing hoselays and sprinkler systems. 


Evacuations/Closure Information: The Curry County Sherriff’s Office decreased the evacuation level yesterday for residences in a level 3 evacuation zone starting at Henderson Road and Carpenterville Road north to Cape Ferrelo Road and east and west off Carpenterville Road, homeowners will be allowed to return to their homes. More information, including the re-entry process, is available at: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/5385/39102. A map, showing Level I, II and III evacuation areas can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/ChetcoBarEvac. The Red Cross is operating a shelter at Riley Creek Elementary, 94350 6th St., Gold Beach, Oregon.