Northwest Interagency Coordination Center: 7/24/2018 NWCC Morning Brief

Morning Brief

Date/Time Stamp: Tuesday, Jul 24, 2018, 06:55

Northwest Activity Summary

The warming, drying and instability trend in Oregon will continue again today. This trend is continuing to move north into Washington. Smoke covered the Southwest Oregon fires through the morning and cleared out by early afternoon on several fires. As the smoke cleared large fires in Southwest Oregon exhibited more active growth through the afternoon and into the evening. Lightning entered the GACC from California and Nevada again yesterday afternoon. Lightning was in PSA 11 and 12. Precipitation with the thunderstorms was negligible and limited to a thunderstorm approaching the Steens Mountains in PSA 12 (SE OR). NW Team 7 (Knerr), NW Team 8 (Johnson), NW Team 10 (Lawson), and PNW Team 2 (Schulte) prepositioned within the geographic area. There were 24 new fires for 279 acres with 7,023 acres growth on existing fires.

Preparedness Levels
Northwest PL

Current	3-Day	10-Day	30-Day
4 (7/22)	4	4	3

National PL

4 (7/21)

Northwest Incident Activity
New Fires and Acres
24 fires for 279 acres
OR: 13 fires for 268 acres
WA: 11 fires for 11 acres

Large Fire Summary
New large incidents: 2
Reported incidents: 16 (OR: 14 WA: 2)
7,023 acres growth on existing incidents.

Northwest IMT Activity

NIMOs Committed: 1
Type 1 IMTs committed: 2
Type 2 IMTs committed: 4
National Fire Activity
Initial attack activity: Light (144) new fires
New large incidents: 12
Large fires contained: 11
Uncontained large fires: 56

National IMT Activity
Area Command Teams: 0

NIMOs committed: 0
Type 1 IMTs committed: 3
Type 2 IMTs committed: 11

*Nationally, there are 24 large fires being managed under a strategy other than Full Suppression

Northwest Current Incident Details

Incidents listed below meet large fire criteria and/or incidents with a Type 1 or 2 IMT assigned. Large incidents are defined as fires which are 100+ acres in timber or 300+ acres in grass/brush. For additional information on incidents no longer listed below please refer to the NW Large Incident Summary or Northwest Fires Utilizing Monitor, Confine, Point Zone Protection Suppression Strategies (YTD)

Incidents not Previously Reported: 2

116 Wilson Prairie. OR-952S-018116. ICT4. 15 mi NE of Spray, OR. Start 7/23. Full Suppression. Cause: unknown. 120 acres. Timber, brush, and grass. Limited information.

Domingo. OR-BUD-008053. ICT4. 8 mi SW of Fields, OR. Start 7/23. Full Suppression. Cause: lightning. 113 acres. Timber and brush. Limited information.

Incidents Previously Reported: 14

Garner Complex. OR-712S-016619. IMT1, ODF Team 2 (Cline) and OSFM Blue Team (Magers). 17 mi NE of Grants Pass, OR. Start 7/15. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 5,294 acres (+3,730). 15% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. Steep terrain. Residences, timber resources, T&E species habitat, utilities, and air quality threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road and area closures. Complex includes Taylor Creek, Grave Creek, Pleasant, Section 14, Swamp, Spencer Creek, and several other smaller incidents.

Natchez. OR-RSF-000348. IMT1, PNW Team 3 (Livingston). 15 mi SE of Cave Junction, OR. Start 7/15. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 1,911 acres (+367). 0% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. Road and area closures. Steep terrain. Infrastructure, timber, riparian habitat, and air quality threatened. IMT also managing Klondike.

South Umpqua Complex. OR-UPF-000264. IMT2, NW Team 6 (Sheldon). Snowshoe is in Unified Command with ODF (Thorton). Near Tiller, OR. Start 7/15. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 4,926 acres (+1,933). 12% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. Evacuation notices in place for the Miles fire. Road and trail closures. Includes Miles, Railroad Gap, Snowshoe, Columbus, and multiple smaller incidents.

Hendrix. OR-RSF-000278. IMT2, NW Team 12 (Harrod) and ODF (Buckman). 9 mi SW of Ashland, OR. Start 7/15. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 1,061 acres (+14). 35% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. Residences, private timber, and Pacific Crest Trail threatened. Evacuation in effect. Steep, rugged terrain. Ashland watershed concerns.

Timber Crater 6. OR-CLP-000248. IMT2, NW Team 9 (Goff). 20 mi SW of Chemult, OR. Start 7/15. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 2,010 acres (+20). 15% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. Area closures.

Sugar Pine. OR-RSF-000331. IMT2, NW Team 13 (Gales). 12 NW of Prospect, OR. Start 7/15. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 336 acres (+51). 0% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Timber. T&E species habitat, and watershed threatened. IMT managing 7 additional incidents including Goodview, Round Top and Union.

Klondike. OR-RSF-000354. IMT1, PNW Team 3 (Livingston). 9 mi NW of Selma, OR. Start 7/15. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 5,281 acres (+757). 0% completed. Timber. Active fire behavior. Burning in Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area. Structures threatened. Evacuation in effect. Road and area closures. IMT also managing Natchez.

Goodview. OR-RSF-000357. IMT2, NW Team 13 (Gales). 10 mi NW of Prospect, OR. Start 7/16. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. Timber. 265 acres (+126). 0% contained. Active fire behavior. Timber. T&E habitat, recreation, watershed, and cultural resources threatened. IMT also managing Sugar Pine, Round Top, and Union.

Round Top. OR-RSF-000308. IMT2, NW Team 13 (Gales). 8 mi NE of Prospect, OR. Start 7/15. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 148 acres (+24). 30% contained. Moderate fire behavior. Timber. T&E species habitat, watershed, and cultural resources threatened. IMT also managing Sugar Pine, Union, and Goodview.

Union. OR-RSF-000370. IMT2, NW Team 13 (Gales). 10 mi NE of Prospect, OR. Start 7/16. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 105 acres (+1). 35% contained. Moderate fire behavior. Timber. Recreation and cultural resources threatened. IMT also managing Sugar Pine, Round Top, and Goodview.

Wagner Complex. OR-711S-008919. ICT3. Jackson County. Start 7/15. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 250 acres (+0). 70% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Timber. Structures threatened.

John Belmont. WA-NES-001677. IMT3. 4 mi SE of Valleyford, WA. Start 7/21. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. Timber. 101 acres (+0). 75% contained. Minimal fire behavior. Evacuations notices. Road closures.

Substation. OR-WASN-000730. IMT3. 5 mi S of The Dalles, OR, and 2 mi W of Moro, OR. Start 7/17. Full Suppression. Cause: Human. 78,425 acres (+0). 92% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Grass and brush. Incident origin was on unprotected land in Wasco County. Last report on morning briefing unless significant activity occurs.

Locust Grove. WA-WFS-000908. ICT5. 5 mi SW of Kennewick, WA. Start 7/21. Full Suppression. Cause: Human. 2,275 acres (+0). 100% contained. Minimal fire behavior. Grass. Last report on morning briefing unless significant activity occurs.

Northwest Fire Weather Summary

Warm, dry and unstable conditions continue across the Pacific Northwest for the week. Southern Oregon retains a threat of isolated afternoon and evening thunderstorms today with lower chances tomorrow. Channeled northerly wind gusts could be a concern for the Okanogan Valley through the work week, but winds will likely peak in the mid- to late-morning hours preceding the lowest humidity for the day and lessening the impacts. Otherwise, general winds should be relatively low across the region. Check local NWS fire weather planning forecasts and advisories for details in your area. An upper level trough passing through brings a slight chance for isolated showers and thunderstorms to northern Washington Thursday and Friday. High pressure builds at the end of the week, ushering in more warming and drying.

Northwest Fire Potential Summary

Background fire danger at or near record values for late July, coupled with potential for dry-type lightning events keeps southern Oregon at high risk for the development of significant fires today with slightly reduced risk tomorrow. Aside from the Okanogan Valley, general winds do not appear to be much of a factor, but outflow from thunderstorms could elevate local risk. The trough passing through the region Thursday/Friday could raise the risk of thunderstorms in northern Washington, elevating potential for significant fires in that part of the region.

More info, see NW 7-Day Significant Fire Potential Forecast, and National 7-Day Significant Fire Potential Forecast

National Incident Management Situation Report (IMSR): https://www.nifc.gov/nicc/sitreprt.pdf

Other GACC Morning Reports: