Northwest Interagency Coordination Center: 7/26/2018 NWCC Morning Brief

Morning Brief

Date/Time Stamp: Thursday, Jul 26, 2018, 07:03

Northwest Activity Summary

The ongoing warming and drying trend in the geographic area will continue today. Smoke covered the Southeast Oregon fires through the operational period moderating fire behavior. Some incidents exhibited growth from operational activities and fuel and terrain influences while other incidents stayed in check with favorable wind conditions. A trace of lightning grazed the southwest corner of Oregon in the afternoon with isolated precipitation. NW Team 7 (Knerr) prepositioned within the Geographic Area. There were 20 new fires for 67 acres with 5,964 acres growth on existing fires.

Preparedness Levels
Northwest PL

Current	3-Day	10-Day	30-Day
4 (7/22)	4	5	3

National PL

4 (7/21)

Northwest Incident Activity
New Fires and Acres
20 fires for 67 acres
OR: 11 fires for 51 acres
WA: 9 fires for 16 acres

Large Fire Summary
New large incidents: 1
Reported incidents: 15 (OR: 13 WA: 2)
5,964 acres growth on existing incidents.

Northwest IMT Activity

NIMOs Committed: 0

Type 1 IMTs committed: 2
Type 2 IMTs committed: 5
National Fire Activity
Initial attack activity: Moderate (204) new fires
New large incidents: 21
Large fires contained: 7
Uncontained large fires: 68

National IMT Activity
Area Command Teams: 0

NIMOs committed: 0

Type 1 IMTs committed: 5
Type 2 IMTs committed: 11

*Nationally, there are 23 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: 1

Turtle Rock. WA-SES-000388. ICT3. 5 mi NE of Wenatchee, WA. Start 7/24. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 720 acres. 20% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Grass and brush.

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. 19,944 acres (+2,575). 19% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. Steep terrain. Residences, timber resources, T&E species habitat, utilities, and air quality threatened. Evacuations in progress. Road and area closures. Complex includes Taylor Creek, Grave Creek, Pleasant, Section 14, Swamp, Spencer Creek, and several other smaller incidents.

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. 6,069 acres (+0). 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. No new information received.

Natchez. OR-RSF-000348. IMT1, PNW Team 3 (Livingston). 15 mi SE of Cave Junction, OR. Start 7/15. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 2,414 acres (+322). 0% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. Road, trail, and area closures. Steep terrain. Infrastructure, timber, riparian habitat, and air quality threatened. Evacuation in effect. IMT also managing Klondike.

Sugar Pine. OR-RSF-000331. IMT2, NW Team 13 (Gales). 12 NW of Prospect, OR. Start 7/15. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 394 acres (+0). 0% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. T&E species habitat, and watershed threatened. IMT managing 7 additional incidents including Goodview, Round Top and Union.

Timber Crater 6. OR-CLP-000248. IMT2, NW Team 9 (Goff). 20 mi SW of Chemult, OR. Start 7/15. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 2,355 acres (+345). 55% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. Area closures.

Klondike. OR-RSF-000354. IMT1, PNW Team 3 (Livingston). 9 mi NW of Selma, OR. Start 7/15. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 6,693 acres (+596). 0% containment. Timber. Active fire behavior. Burning in Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area. Structures threatened. Evacuation in effect. Road and area closures. IMT also managing Natchez.

Hendrix. OR-RSF-000278. IMT2, NW Team 12 (Harrod). 9 mi SW of Ashland, OR. Start 7/15. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 1,067 acres (+0). 50% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber. Residences, private timber, and Pacific Crest Trail threatened. Road, trail, and area closure. Steep, rugged terrain. Ashland watershed concerns.

Goodview. OR-RSF-000357. IMT2, NW Team 13 (Gales). 10 mi NW of Prospect, OR. Start 7/16. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. Timber. 502 acres (+105). 0% containment. 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. 154 acres (+0). 35% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Timber. T&E species habitat, watershed, and cultural resources threatened. IMT also managing Sugar Pine, Union, and Goodview.

116 Wilson Prairie. OR-952S-018116. IMT2, NW Team 8 (Johnson). 15 mi NE of Spray, OR. Start 7/23. Full Suppression. Cause: Human. 350 acres (-400). Active fire behavior. Timber, brush, and grass. Evacuation in effect. Road and area closures. Transfer of command to IMT2 occurred today at 0600.

Union. OR-RSF-000370. IMT2, NW Team 13 (Gales). 10 mi NE of Prospect, OR. Start 7/16. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 105 acres (+0). 40% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Timber. Recreation and cultural resources threatened. IMT also managing Sugar Pine, Round Top, and Goodview.

Big Grassy. OR-VAD-000135. ICT4 19 mi SE of Rome State Airport, OR. Start 7/24. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 5,313 acres (+2,313). 70% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Brush and grass. Sage Grouse habitat threatened.

Wagner Complex. OR-711S-008919. ICT3. Jackson County. Start 7/15. Full Suppression. Cause: Lighting. Timber. 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. 101 acres (+0). 85% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Timber. Road closures.

Rail Canyon. OR-VAD-000136. ICT4. 20 miles E of Rome State Airport, OR. Start 7/24. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 408 acres (+108). 100% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Tall grass. Sage Grouse habitat threatened. Last report on morning briefing unless significant activity occurs.

Northwest Fire Weather Summary

Warm and dry weather will continue over the geographic area today and through the weekend. General winds are fairly light in most areas. The threat of lightning will decrease over southern Oregon but is expected to increase in sections of western Washington as a different weather disturbance approaches Thursday and Friday. See your NWS fire weather planning forecast for the details in your local area.

Northwest Fire Potential Summary

Fire danger remains at or near record values for late July in many PSAs and will continue to climb through the weekend. With fire danger as high as it is, lightning strikes are likely to result in enough ignitions to elevate the risk of large, costly fires in PSAs NW01 and possibly NW08 today and Friday. General winds do not appear to be a factor in initiation of new significant fires for now. However, a weather pattern shift on Monday looks as if it is poised to bring potential problems.

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: