8/30/2018 Crescent Mountain, McLeod, Holman Fires Update

CRESCENT MOUNTAIN FIRE Transition to Northern Rockies Incident Management Team August 30, 2018 Crescent Mountain Fire: 43,716 acres; 35 percent contained ●  Personnel: 617 ●  Point of Origin: Approximately 21 miles west of Twisp ●  Start Date: July 29, 2018 ●  Cause: Lightning McLeod Fire: 22,511 acres; 35 percent contained ●  Personnel: 422 ●  Point of Origin: Approximately eight miles north of Mazama ●  Start Date: August 11, 2018 ●  Cause: Lightning Holman Fire: 297 acres, no containment ●  Point of Origin: Holman Peak ●  Start Date: August 17, 2018 ●  Cause: Unknown Crescent Mountain Fire: Crews continued to hold and establish direct dozer line and hand line from Buttermilk Creek to Poplar Flat. Air support made water drops near Slate Lake to maintain control lines, while monitoring the perimeter on the southwest portion of the fire along the National Park boundary. Along the Twisp River corridor, mop-up and holding efforts continue with the use of aircraft, hand crews, and engine crews. The focus today will be holding the fire at current control lines, including the area between West Buttermilk Road and Scaffold Ridge. Incident Commander Doug Turman’s Northern Rockies Type 1 Incident Management Team has transitioned with the Southern Area Blue Team and is assuming management of all three fires today. McLeod Fire: Crews performed tactical firing operations west of Goat Creek, along the 5220 road and on the north end of 8 Mile Road to the Diamond Fire burn scar. The goal is to use tactical firing to strengthen control lines. The fire remains hung up at high elevations in the Whiteface fire scar and along Yellow Jacket Creek. Holman Fire: The fire is still actively burning in the Pasayten Wilderness. The trail has been closed at Harts pass. The Pacific Crest Trail remains closed from Harts Pass to the Canadian border. Evacuations: Crescent Mountain Fire: A Level 3 (GO now) evacuation is in effect for all persons living west of the Little Bridge Creek intersection in the Twisp River Valley. A Level 2 (get SET) evacuation is in effect for persons living west of Newby Creek Road to Little Bridge Creek Road in the Twisp River Valley. Alerts have been issued for Poorman and Libby Creek. The Red Cross has a shelter available at the Methow Valley Community Center in Twisp. No evacuations are in effect for the McLeod or Holman Fires.   Closures: The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and North Cascades National Park have issued trail and area closures orders in the vicinity of all three fires. Maps and information on the closures can be found on InciWeb.Temporary flight restriction information is available at the Federal Aviation Administration’s website.   Smoke/Weather: A dry cold front passed through yesterday bringing cool northwest wind flow resulting in cooler temperatures and higher relative humidity values. Winds will remain out of the northwest with gusts to 20 mph possible on the ridges in the afternoon with lighter winds in the valleys. The Washington Smoke Information’s webpage has information on smoke and public health. Smoke information in Spanish can be found on the WA Dept. of Health’s website. Area businesses are open. Please consider showing your support by shopping in the local community. Inciweb: Crescent Mountain: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6093/      McLeod: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6130/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrescentMTNFire/ Fire Information Center: (480) 744-9318                    Email: gilbertfireinfo2018@gmail.com