9/15/2018 Crescent Mountain & McLeod Fire Update

CRESCENT MOUNTAIN FIRE Crescent  closures reduced

September 15, 2018 Crescent Mountain Fire: 51,584 acres; 42 percent contained ●  Personnel: 413 ●  Point of Origin: Approximately 21 miles west of Twisp ●  Start Date: July 29, 2018 ●  Cause: Lightning McLeod Fire: 22,848 acres; 55 percent contained ●  Personnel: 270 ●  Point of Origin: Approximately eight miles north of Mazama ●  Start Date: August 11, 2018 ●  Cause: Lightning Holman Fire: 302 acres, no containment ●  Point of Origin: Holman Peak ●  Start Date: August 17, 2018 ●  Cause: Unknown

Closure Areas Reduced: The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest reduced Crescent and McLeod Fire Closure areas on September 13, 2018. Maps and information on the closures can be found on the Forest webpage or tinyurl.com/ClosureMaps. Remaining closures are still in place for firefighter and public safety and will be assessed as conditions change.

OPENED TRAILS 

Tr. No. 405 Pasayten Dr., Tr. No. 416 Crater Lake, Tr. No. 417 & 417.2 Foggy Dew, Tr. No. 418 Bryan Butte, Tr. No. 424 Navarren Way, Tr. No. 429 Martin Crk., Tr. No. 431 Eagle Lk., Tr. No. 434 Cooney Lk., Tr. No. 484 Lost River, Tr. No. 438 Foggy Dew Rdg., Tr. No 518 & 518.1 Falls Creek, Tr. No. 523 Eightmile Rdg. and Tr. No. 538 Burch Mtn.

OPENED ROADS:

Road No. 4335.215 Powderhouse, Road No.  4345.1 McClure Mtn., Road No. 4345.2 Lookout Mtn., and Road No. 5100.1 Doe Mtn.

Light smoke will be visible until this area receives a soaking rain or the first blanket of snow. There is low potential for large fire growth. The minimal growth observed is due to creeping and smoldering along unlined sections of the perimeter with little potential to advance.

Crescent Mountain Fire: Fire personnel flew yesterday and determined the north end of the fire has run into natural barriers with limited fuels available for consumption. Crews continue ongoing efforts to construct, hold, improve, mop up and repair suppression lines.

McLeod Fire: Mop up operations are expected to be complete by end of shift today. Firefighters will patrol and monitor the area though next week. Crews continue to repair constructed lines to resemble pre fire conditions. Log removal and repair work continues on Eightmile Road and exterior contingency lines today.

PCT Reroute: The Pacific Crest Trail is closed from Harts Pass north to Woody Pass. As of 8/31/18, there is a detour for hikers to reach the Canadian border from Slate Pass using Trail No. 575 to Trail No.478, then Trail No. 473 to Woody Pass.

Campfire Closures: Campfires are currently prohibited on all Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest lands. For more information please visit the forest campfire restriction page. Beginning Monday September 17, 2018, forest users will once again be able to have campfires in designated recreation sites, such as campgrounds, as well as most Wilderness areas. However, fire danger remains ‘High’ in Okanogan County.

Weather and Fire Behavior: Cool temperatures and rain showers are predicted thought out the day.