10/04/2017 Chetco Bar Fire Update

*Note the new fire information number is 541-414-4489 The Chetco Bar Fire has not grown in almost a week and remains 191,090 acres with 98% containment and minimal fire behavior. Fire officials plan to transfer command of the fire to a local Type 3 organization on Thursdayevening. Work on the northeast perimeter was finished yesterday. Today, firefighters will continue to patrol the fire perimeter, mop-up any areas of heat, work on suppression repair, and backhaul equipment and supplies from the field. Fire personnel continue to demobilize as work assignments are completed. Weather and Fire Behavior:  A warming and drying trend started yesterday and is also expected to continue through Friday. Breezy east winds will persist into the morning. Relative humidity levels will remain low with poor overnight recoveries for most areas through Friday. As it gets warmer and drier interior pockets of unburned fuels and areas covered in leaf litter may experience an increase in fire behavior. Smoke could be visible at times.   Safety: Motorists may notice an increase in traffic on forest roads as deer hunting rifle season has begun. Please be mindful of crews in transit and slow-moving heavy equipment on the roads as well. Drive cautiously with headlights on at all times when firefighters and equipment are in the area. Closures:  The most recent Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest closure order narrative and map is available to view on Inciweb at:   inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/5385/. As closures evolve, they are posted here – for ease of viewing and comparison. “Know before you go” by calling (541) 618-2200 or visiting www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/rogue-siskiyou/alerts-notices. A BAER in the Woods: A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team continues to assess post-fire impacts. The team is comprised of US Forest Service, National Park Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employees. These specialists have been conducting field surveys, utilizing science-based models to rapidly assess watersheds, taking inventory of resources at risk and gauging the need for emergency measures and treatments on National Forest lands. Their goal is to find ways to minimize threats to life or property and to stabilize and prevent unacceptable degradation to natural and cultural resources resulting from fire effects. The Bureau of Land Management has conducted a BAER assessment for lands under their jurisdiction.