9/20/2017 Umpqua North Complex Update

September 20, 2017 – 9:00 a.m.

                                                                       

Fire Information: 541-378-6944 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm) 

Start Date: August 11, 2017   

Cause: Lightning         

Fuels: Timber, forest litter, tall grass, shrubs

Acres:  43,139                        

Percent Contained: 38%  

The fire area received 1.6 to 2.6 inches of precipitation over the last 48 hours which reduced fire behavior to minimal surface creeping and backing fire activity. The second, stronger cold front moved in last night bringing with it increased rain showers, high winds and a chance for one to two inches of snow at elevations as low as 4,500 feet. A flash flood watch remains in effect through this afternoon along portions of Highway 138 impacted by the fire. Rain showers are expected to dissipate Thursday, and by Friday the area will begin to dry out and experience warmer temperatures. 

Yesterday firefighters continued to repair areas impacted by fire suppression tactics. Repair operations were significantly slowed due to rainfall. Despite inclement weather, crews retrieved equipment no longer needed off the fire’s edge, cleaned and rolled hose, eliminated hazard trees and repaired containment lines. Resource Advisors further assessed rehabilitation needs within the burned area. 

The safety of fire personnel and the public remains the top priority for the Umpqua National Forest and Great Basin Incident Management Team 3. Fire managers estimate the remaining workload to accomplish repair goals will require a couple more weeks. As a result, the team does not plan to significantly scale down the number of resources committed the incident at this time.

Today the operational plan is to continue with repair work when weather permits. The heavy rains and strong winds increase the chance of rolling rocks and debris. Incident mangers will evaluate road and landscape conditions before sending crews out into the field. The safety of fire personnel working on the fire line will be reassessed throughout the day in order to minimize the exposure of crews to overly hazardous working environments.

The Umpqua National Forest dropped into an Industrial Fire Precaution Level I (IFPL I), and a fire danger rating of “moderate”. Forest officials also announced an end to public use restrictions for the following items: campfires outside of campgrounds, smoking outside of a vehicle, operating internal combustion engines, and welding or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame. Although these restrictions have been lifted, fire season is still underway and forest visitors must be careful with fires, completely extinguish any campfire and never leave a campfire unattended. The weather will warm back up to seasonal temperatures this upcoming weekend.