9/3/2017 Diamond Creek Fire Update

Information: (503)765-5724 from 8 am – 6 pm
Email: diamondcreekfire@gmail.com
Websites: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5409/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diamondcreekfire2017
Smoke Conditions: http://wasmoke.blogspot.com

Location: Methow Valley Ranger District on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest; 12 miles north of Mazama, WA.

Summary: The fire continued moving southeast into the Ashnola drainage as well as moving farther north and east into British Columbia. The fire continued to actively burn on the west side in Ptarmigan Creek. Helicopter water drops continued in the Ptarmigan Creek area to cool the fire and prevent it from moving farther up the drainage. Helicopter water drops also continued to hold the fire in Drake Creek and Pat Creek. A heavy helicopter was available, as well as 2 medium helicopters and a light helicopter for the drops.

Wilderness Rangers used pack animals to transport supplies to wrap the historic cabins at Pasayten Airstrip and Spanish Camp. This work was completed on Friday.

Today chippers will continue to treat slash created as part of the preparation work on the indirect fire line. Chippers will still be working on Goat Creek Road 5225 past the 200 road junction. 

Fire behavior on Sunday will remain active, continuing to burn interior islands and moving into the Ashnola River drainage to the southeast toward the Spanish Camp and Remmel Lake areas. Smoke will continue to affect air quality in the upper Methow Valley. In the Methow Valley for the Labor Day weekend the air is expected to be smoky in the morning, with clearing in the afternoon.

Closures:  TRAIL AND AREA CLOSURES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY ARE IN EFFECT. The following trails are closed:  Monument Trail #484, Tatoosh Buttes Trail #485, Eureka Creek Trail #474, Andrews Creek #504, Chewuch River #510 beyond the junction with Fire Creek #561, Topaz Mountain #360, Boundary Trail #533 between Teapot Dome and the junction with Middle Fork Pasayten Trail #478. Road & trail closures are posted on inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/5409/.

Eightmile Road #5130 is now open as far as Honeymoon Campground.

Weather:  Expect very dry humidity and above normal temperatures on Sunday along with poor overnight humidity recovery. There will be widespread haze and patchy smoke. It will be sunny with a high of 91° in the valley and 79° at 6,000 feet. Winds will be upslope/upvalley 3 to 6 mph. Ridgetops will have southwest winds 6 to 10 mph, with gusts to 15 mph.

A fire weather watch is in effect from Sunday afternoon through Sunday evening for hot and unstable conditions. There is no precipitation expected through the middle of next week. With the dry and unstable weather conditions an increase in fire activity may result in additional road and trail closures, so keep informed on conditions.

Fire Restrictions:  Fire restrictions remain in place. Maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire, and use of charcoal briquette barbecues, or other devices that use solid fuel is prohibited across most of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. An Industrial Fire Precaution Level III is in effect which does not allow any firewood cutting with a power saw for commercial or personal use.