8/29/2018 Miriam Fire Update

Miriam Fire Update Wednesday, August 29, 2018 -- 9 a.m. Acres: Miriam Fire 4,339 ac. | Clear Fork Fire 65 ac. Percent Containment: 58%    Start Date: July 30, 2018 On the Miriam and Clear Fork Fires today, firefighters continue to secure and mop up fire line, monitor areas by ground and air, and prepare for gusty winds associated with a dry cold front expected to pass through the area midday. Crews – including members of the Washington Army National Guard – will also continue building a contingency line to the east of the Miriam Fire by brushing and chipping along Forest Road 1204. For the protection and safety of the public and firefighters, all closures and evacuation levels remain in effect until further notice.   Personnel/Resources: 7 hand crews, 4 helicopters, 7 engines, 1 dozer, 4 water tenders (255 total personnel) Location: Two miles east of White Pass Ski Area, within the Goat Rocks Wilderness on the Naches Ranger District, 13 miles east of Packwood, WA Cause: Lightning Values at Risk: White Pass Ski Resort and area; homes and recreation camps at Clear and Rimrock Lakes; State Highway 12; Goat Rocks Wilderness; and northern spotted owl, bull trout, and other wildlife habitat Estimated Incident Containment or completion: September 30, 2018 Smoke Information: Smoke concentrations in the area have lifted with increased west winds. For further smoke information visit wasmoke.blogspot.com/p/state.html or www.airnow.gov Current Situation: Yesterday, fire behavior on the Miriam Fire picked up moderately in the areas of Hell Creek, Miriam Creek, and the south end of the fire as slightly hotter and drier conditions developed in the afternoon. With the addition of gusty winds today, those same areas could again become active and produce visible smoke. The spot fire located on the east side of the Tieton River has a hose lay and sprinklers around the fire perimeter and has shown no growth for several days. The north and east flank of the fire line is in patrol and mop-up status. The Clear Fork Fire, burning in the upper Cowlitz River basin, continued its slow, gradual growth with a low-intensity ground fire and will be monitored by air today. Weather and Fire Behavior: Temperatures will be slightly cooler and humidity slightly higher than yesterday. A dry cold front is predicted to pass through the area midday today, which could produce gusty southwest winds to 25 mph. A few light showers are possible tonight and Thursday. Evacuations: Evacuation levels are evaluated daily, but remain unchanged. Please see the Yakima County Office of Emergency Management at www.co.yakima.wa.us for details or to sign up for Emergency Notification System alerts. Closures: Area closures are in effect on the Okanogan-Wenatchee and Gifford Pinchot National Forests. Maps and a list of affected areas can be found at inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/6066/. Fire restrictions are also in effect and can be found at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/fire-restrictions. The Pacific Crest Trail is closed from Elk Pass to White Pass with a detour available; please see the Pacific Crest Trail Association at www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/closures for a current trail map. For the safety of firefighting aircraft, a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) remains in place over the two fire areas – please check tfr.faa.gov before you fly. Online Miriam Fire Updates: InciWeb at inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6066 Facebook at www.facebook.com/MiriamFire     End