This page is designed to provide for timely and official fire information about wildland fires across the Pacific Northwest. The information is posted by the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center in partnership with Public Information Officers that work for federal, state and local fire agencies and is drawn from official sources within the wildland fire community.
Saturday, July 31, 2021
7/31/2021 Bootleg Fire Update
Klamath Falls, OR – “At this point in the fire, we have to think about two things,” says Fire Behavior Analyst Chris Moore, “the fire we know about and the fire we don’t know.” The fire we know is the actively and recently burned portions of the Bootleg Fire. Much of the recent fire activity has been torching and burning pockets of fuel within the burn area. While the fire is not yet contained, a fire line has been constructed around the entire perimeter. Now crews are working to ensure that perimeter holds (is secured) to contain the fire. In some places, fire line is 100 to 150 feet wide from the unburned into the burned area. But some places may require as much as 300 feet to confidently expect the fire to remain contained.
Along the south, west, and east perimeters, crews are patrolling and extinguishing residual fire and heat (mopping up) where the fire is less active. The goal is to extend the line wide enough into the burned area to make fire escape unlikely based on the potential fire behavior, fuels, and terrain.
In the more active northwest and northeast corners of the fire, crews are working to strengthen and expand the fire line. Contingency lines, or fire breaks, further out from the perimeter, are also being constructed. The “fire we don’t know” is the potential for ember-sparked spot fires from these active areas or new fires sparked by lightning strikes that could occur.
Critical fire weather is forecast in the Bootleg Fire area over the weekend. Current drought conditions combined with low relative humidity, strong surface wind, and unstable air may cause more active fire behavior. In these places where the fire line is not secured, there is a potential for wind to carry embers and spark spot fires. The terrain in the northwest could encourage rapid spread of the fire and make it more difficult to control. Likewise, in the northeast corner, spot fires could continue to press up against Winter Rim and ultimately threaten structures along Summer Lake and Highway 31. Although Lake County evacuation designations have lifted, residents in this area should remain vigilant to changing fire behavior and should “Be Set” to evacuate if necessary.
A Red Flag Warning for lightning over dry fuels is in effect for Saturday afternoon and evening. Winds are expected to be light, but strong gusts and erratic winds could be associated with thunderstorms. More information is available at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/7609/62198/
Evacuations: Evacuations are dynamic. Klamath County has dropped all evacuation notices; however, the Fremont-Winema National Forest remains closed north of Oregon Route 140. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management removed all residences in Lake County outside of the fire’s perimeter from a Level 3 evacuation. County leadership and fire teams ask that Lake County residents remain vigilant to potential wildfire hazards. In particular, areas along Highway 31 north of Monument Rock and south of the community of Summer Lake should “Be Set” to evacuate if necessary. The best way to view the evacuation designation boundaries and details is on the interactive map available at tinyurl.com/bootlegevac
Red Cross Evacuation Shelters: For information or assistance: 1-800-Red-Cross (www.redcrossblog.org/disaster)
Insurance Assistance: For additional information on submitting insurance claims after losing your home or property to a wildfire, please visit https://dfr.oregon.gov/insure/home/storm/Pages/wildfires.aspx or call the state’s team of consumer advocates at 888-877-4894 (toll-free).
Closures: The Fremont-Winema National Forest is now open south of Oregon State Route 140. Closures remain in effect north of the highway to provide for public safety and the safety of firefighters. The full closure order and map are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/fremont-winema/alerts-notices
Smoke: Overall, today will be a generally good to moderate air quality day. Wind flow could bring in smoke from some of the neighboring fires (Jack, Dixie, and others). Models show that smoke from the Jack Fire could affect parts of Crater Late later today into tonight. Smoke from the Bootleg Fire could affect some of the eastern locations in this region, including Paisley and Silver Lake. These effects are likely to continue into tomorrow morning. See: fires.airfire.org/outlooks/southcentraloregon
7/31/2021 Spruce Canyon Fire Update
Colville, WA: Yesterday: Alpha Division (north of Highway 20) continued their mop up operations which includes gridding the fire to look for hot spots and making sure everything is out and cooled off. Palm infrared tools are being used to point out any additional hot spots firefighters can’t see with the naked eye. Firefighters on Division Zulu (south side of Highway 20) continued strengthening containment lines, working to clear brush and trees, mopping up hot spots and spot fires. The work on the south side of Zulu is challenging due to thick brush. This work is a slow tedious task and will take some time to complete and is critical for containment. Today marked the second day without the need for air support since the incident began. Containment was achieved for 55% of the 130 acres fire. At 8 p.m. the evacuation notices were lifted for both the areas in Level 1&2.
Today: Firefighters will continue the mop up on Division Alpha and sign off the repair work on that side of the fire. Repair work is part of our turn back standards (turning the fire back to local resources). This includes repairing any fences, roads or anything else that was destroyed during the firefighting efforts for access or containment during initial attack. Division Zulu will continue the tedious and time-consuming work with hand crews as they secure the containment line on the south end. They will also start repair work and a chipping operation. Road repair on Olson Road will continue with the tender and grader. There are 268 firefighters on the ground with heavy equipment assisting with access and contingency lines.
Resources will begin the demobilization process to return home or to be allocated to another fire today as containment continues to progress.
DOT will not be running a pilot car again today, but signs will be out to inform drivers about firefighting vehicles coming on and off the highway. Citizens are asked to stay clear of the fire area and adhere to road signs. Driving with care will keep both drivers and firefighters safe.
While we appreciate the outpouring of generosity, there are no current needs for donations for the firefighting efforts. Individuals who want to donate items should contact their local food pantries or local charities.
The Spruce Canyon Fire started Friday, July 23. 2021 at 2:02 p.m. near Spruce Canyon Rd. and Black Lake. The fire was turned over to the Northeast Washington Interagency IMT Type 3, Team 2 on Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. Resources from Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Stevens County Fire district 5 & 9, Stevens County Sheriff, Washington State DOT, Pend Oreille, District 4, and many other resources from in and out of the state are working together on the fire.
Fire information and the incident command post is located at Colville Middle School in Colville, WA. Fire information contact is Starr Farrell @ (509) 680-7002 or you can also follow us on Facebook @NEWIMT3
Friday, July 30, 2021
7/30/2021 Spruce Canyon Fire Update
Colville, WA -
Yesterday: Alpha Division (north of Highway 20) continued their mop up operations which includes gridding the fire to look for hot spots and working a minimum of 200 feet in from the perimeter making sure everything is out and cooled off. Infrared tools are being used to point out any additional hot spots firefighters can’t see. Firefighters on Division Zulu (south side of Highway 20) continue to have a bit more of a challenge. They continued strengthening containment lines, working to clear brush and trees, mopping up hot spots and spot fires. The work on the south side of Zulu is challenging due to thick brush. This work is a slow tedious task and will take some time to complete and is critical for containment.
Today: Firefighters will continue the mop up on Division Alpha and finish repair work on that side of the fire. Repair work is part of our turn back standards (turning the fire back to local resources). This includes repairing any fences, roads or anything else that was destroyed during the firefighting efforts for access or containment during initial attack. Division Zulu will continue their work on mopping up spot fires. The priority continues to be the south side of Division Zulu. The work is tedious and time consuming with crews having limited access to the interior of the fire. There are 270 firefighters on the ground with heavy equipment assisting with access and contingency lines.
DOT will not be running a pilot car today, but signs will be out to inform drivers about firefighting vehicles coming on and off the highway. Citizens are asked to stay clear of the fire area and adhere to road signs. Driving with care will keep both drivers and firefighters safe.
While we appreciate the outpouring of generosity, there are no current needs for donations for the firefighting efforts. Individuals who want to donate items should contact their local food pantries or local charities.
Level 1 &2 evacuation orders are still in place. For current evacuation orders please see Stevens County Department of Emergency Management (DEM) Facebook page.
The Spruce Canyon Fire started Friday, July 23. 2021 at 2:02 p.m. near Spruce Canyon Rd. and Black Lake. The fire was turned over to the Northeast Washington Interagency IMT Type 3, Team 2 on Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. Resources from Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Stevens County Fire district 5 & 9, Stevens County Sheriff, Washington State DOT, Pend Oreille, District 4, and many other resources from in and out of the state are working together on the fire.
Fire information and the incident command post is located at Colville Middle School in Colville, WA.
The Fire information contact is Starr Farrell @ (509) 680-7002 or you can also follow us on Facebook @NEWIMT3
7/30/2021 Cub Creek Fire Update
Overnight, the fire continued to move in the lower drainages in Pebble Creek on the eastern flank. Crews began prepping the eastern flank from First Butte up to North Twentymile Peak by ensuring heavy equipment and crews can continue to increase containment line up to northern edge of the fire. Today’s priority is along the eastern flank, where crews have added dozers and other heavy equipment to bolster existing FS road systems and reinforce the hand lines that have been constructed over this past week. Crews and dozers will work aggressively today from First Butte up to North Twentymile Peak. The western fire edge remains manageable, as crews have initiated mop up, but continue to diminish hot spots in the lower drainages. On the southern edge, crews remain in patrol status to ensure the fire stays within containment lines. The fire remains within control lines on the northern region of the fire. With an Excessive Heat Advisory in effect, crews will be on the watch out for flair-ups and increased fire behavior.
Management of the fire will transition today at 6:00pm to a Type 1 Incident Management Team, Southwest Area IMT 2.
Local resource advisors will continue to provide input to protect natural and historical values at risk.
Residents will continue to see smoke and smoldering or creeping fire behavior near homes, but personnel are actively monitoring those areas. Please only call 911 if flare-ups occur near structures.
Evacuation Information: The Okanogan County Emergency Management (OCEM) evacuations for the Chewuch River drainage remain in effect. Please consult OCEM information resources at okanogancounty.org for current evacuations. Residents leaving Evacuation Level 3 areas should be extremely cautious, drive slowly, and watch for firefighters and firefighting equipment on the roadway.
Resources for additional information:
StoryMap Link: https://arcg.is/1euzWj
Inciweb Page: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7675/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CubCreek2Fire2021
Smoke Blog: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/ Email: 2021.cubcreek2@firenet.gov
Highway Information: https://www.wsdot.com/traffic/trafficalerts/default.aspx
Evacuations: https://www.okanogancounty.org/government/emergency_management/index.php
Methow Conservancy (Wildfire Preparedness): https://methowconservancy.org/discover/fire-prep-recovery%20
Wildfire Ready Neighbors (House Assessments):https://wildfireready.dnr.wa.gov/
Resources: Total personnel–687; 3-type 1 IHC, 9-type 2, 4 type 2 initial attack hand crews, 6- heavy helicopters, 2- medium helicopter, 3-light lift helicopter, 28- engines, 11-dozer, 11-water tenders, and 179 overhead.
Closures: A Forest Area Emergency Closure has been issued by the Okanogan- Wenatchee National Forest which closes the use of multiple roads, campgrounds, and trails. Please see the enclosed links to the Forest Closure Page. https://bit.ly/3zsRtuw and map: https://bit.ly/3wZ2y50 The documents are also available on Inciweb and Facebook.
A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the fire area. Please consult the “Notice to Airmen” (NOTAM) for specifics. Wildfires are a “No Drone Zone” and any drones sighting in a TFR will immediately ground aerial firefighting resources and delay suppression actions.
Weather: Overnight, the region experienced terrible recoveries, as relative humidity’s this morning are in the twenties and temperatures in the low 70’s. Today, the Heat Advisory has been upgraded to an Excessive Heat Advisory. Temperatures will range from the high 90’s and into the low 100 degree range, while humidity’s will be in the teens. Winds will be light out of the south, pushing smoke from the Cedar Creek Fire over the Cub Creek 2 Fire. Tomorrow, temperatures will be well over 100 degrees in the lower elevations, while upper elevations could reach into the upper 90’s.
Air Quality: Please monitor the air quality on the incident FB page above and the WA Smoke Blog https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/ and take appropriate actions. All vehicle traffic is advised to travel with lights on for safety.
Fire Restrictions: Campfire restrictions are in effect. Campfires are prohibited throughout the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, including developed campgrounds and congressionally designated Wilderness — call local ranger district offices for more information. https://tinyurl.com/yby4oysq
7/30/2021 Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires Update
Winthrop, WA — The Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires are burning on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in steep and rocky terrain with heavy dead and down fuel loading. These fires are being managed by Great Basin Incident Management Team 1.
Fire Weather: Today will be warm and dry. We will see heavy smoke in the valleys in the early hours with moderate clearing in the afternoon. Skies will be mostly sunny, and temperatures will range from 90 to 97 degrees at the lower elevations and 79 to 85 at the ridgetops. Relative humidity will be 15 to 20 percent in the valleys and 17 to 25 at higher elevations. Winds will be mild, northwest at 5 to 10 miles per hour in the morning, transitioning to southerly winds of 4 to 8 miles per hour with gusts of 14 in the afternoon.
Cedar Creek Fire: The Twisp River Spike Camp has been established and is now home to a large contingent of firefighters and firefighting equipment. By positioning resources at Twisp River, travel time to the Little Bridge Creek and Thompson Ridge area is reduced and crews can spend more time on the fire and less time in transit. This also places more firefighters in the Twisp area where they will be available to support the community if they are needed. Crews working along Highway 20 and Early Winter Creek made substantial progress yesterday and hope to have most of the containment features in place by end of shift today. This will allow fire managers to reallocate valuable resources to other parts of the fire. Suppression operations in the Free Stone area will continue today with crews keeping pace with the fire. As the fire backs down toward the road, firefighters burn the vegetation between the road and the fires edge, denying the fire fuel and stopping its forward momentum. Work in the Little Wolf Creek, Little Bridge Creek, and Thompson Ridge area will continue today as firefighters strengthen control features in anticipation of a burn operation. Once completed, these fire lines will tie into the old Little Bridge Fire burn scar. If successful, this will create a barrier between the active fire and the Twisp River. Structure protection continues to be a top priority with multiple strike teams of state and local engines (state mob) patrolling homes along the fire perimeter. As the strike teams time out, new teams are being brought in to take their places.
Delancy Fire: No increase in fire activity has been observed. Fire activity remains minimal. Fire crews and aircraft continue to monitor the fire and will take appropriate action if any change in fire behavior occurs. The estimated size of the Delancy Fire is approximately 223 acres.
Resources for additional information:
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MazamaFires2021
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7655/
Smoke Blog: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/
Highway Information: https://www.wsdot.com/traffic/trafficalerts/default.aspx
Evacuations: https://www.okanogancounty.org/government/emergency_management/index.php
Methow Conservancy (Wildfire Preparedness): https://methowconservancy.org/discover/fire-prep-recovery%20
Wildfire Ready Neighbors (House Assessments): https://wildfireready.dnr.wa.gov/
Closures: For the safety of the firefighters and aircraft fighting these fires, a temporary flight restriction (TFR) has been placed over the area. Please consult the “Notice to Airmen” (NOTAM) for specifics. Wildfires are a “No Drone Zone” and any drones sighting in a TFR will immediately impede aerial firefighting resources and delay suppression actions. State Route 20 (North Cascades Highway) remains closed at milepost 185 (7 miles west of Winthrop) to milepost 165 to all traffic due to fire activity. The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has implemented a Fire Emergency Area Closure as of July 22nd, 2021. The Closure includes facilities, roads, and trails. The Closure may be viewed in its entirety at the “Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires 2021” Facebook page. The Forest Service Fire Emergency Area Closure is separate from the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) closure of portions of State Route 20 and may change or be lifted at different times depending on operational needs. WSDOT is working closely with the Forest Service and Okanogan County to identify where fire activity and firefighting operations warrant closure.
Evacuation Information: The Okanogan County Emergency Management (OCEM) continues to reevaluate evacuation levels. For the most up to date evacuation levels see the OCEM’s website above. Residents entering Evacuation Level 3 areas need to slow down and watch for firefighters and equipment in roadways.
Air Quality: Stagnant air will continue to hamper smoke dispersion today. Light downslope/downvalley winds will shift to upslope/upvalley winds in the Okanogan Valley with slightly stronger winds in the Methow Valley. Smoke will pool near the fires impacting Mazama, Winthrop, and Twisp with unhealthy to hazardous air quality throughout the day. The Okanogan Valley will have haze with periods of Unhealthy air.
Fire Restrictions: Campfire restrictions are in effect. Campfires are prohibited throughout the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, including developed campgrounds and congressionally designated Wilderness — call local ranger district offices for more information. https://tinyurl.com/yby4oysq
7/30/2021 Central Oregon Lightning Fires Update
Central Ore. – Thunderstorms with lightning caused 19 wildfire incidents across Central Oregon yesterday with federal, state, local fire departments, and rural fire protection associations helping during initial attack.
The Deep Creek fire began close to 6 p.m. yesterday and is the largest fires at 2,000 acres. It is located west of Shaniko, Ore. and directly north of the junction of Highway 97 and Highway 197 near Deep Creek. The Bakeoven-Shaniko Rural Fire Protection Association will continue to be aided today by federal resources from the Prineville BLM District to contain the fire.
The second largest fire (3684) was 840 acres and is currently contained. Along with federal resources from the Prineville BLM District the fire was fought by the Ashwood Rural Fire Protection District. Other small starts are being addressed in the area as patrols look for new starts, which they will continue to do throughout the day.
Near Bend, an incident near Skyliner’s road, northwest of Bend, was held to 1.6 acres. Fortunately, an airtanker was passing over the area when the fire began, spotted smoke from the fire, and started initial attack while the fire was still small. The fire had significant potential to cause damage to homes and infrastructure near Bend, but with the air tanker being able to drop retardant on the fire it helped ground resources get to it and contain it. Firefighters from the Forest Service and Bend Fire were able to put out the fire with the assistance of the airtanker and helicopters.
All other fire starts, were contained at 0.1 of an acre or less with the exception of one 2-acre fire that was quickly contained.
Initial attack resources will continue to monitor areas across Central Oregon today as new starts from lightning are anticipated. In addition, more lightning is expected today, which will cause new starts. If people see fire starts, please call 911 and that information can be relayed to dispatchers.
For current wildland fire information, the public can visit centraloregonfire.org or follow fire information on Twitter @CentralORfire.
Thursday, July 29, 2021
7/29/2021 Cedar Creek and Delancy Fire Updates
Fire Weather: Temperatures are forecast to be warmer throughout the day and into the evening. Morning smoke may be slower to lift out of the valleys but is expected to rise and drift northeast after 2 pm this afternoon. Temperatures should reach the 90s and humidity is expected to be low. Winds will be mostly slope and valley driven. We can expect poor overnight humidity recovery with stronger thermal belts. Going into the weekend, we may experience more unsettled weather with possible isolated thunderstorms.
Cedar Creek Fire: The fire is currently estimated at 36,922 acres and is 10% contained. Last night the fire was active in the Silver Star Creek area. A significant glow was observed through the night. Today, firefighters will use aircraft to check the fires advance and will work to establish control lines. The fire continues to back down the slope along the Highway 20 corridor. As the fire makes its way to the control feature, firefighters will burn the remaining fuels back up to the fires edge. By allowing the fire to slowly burn downhill at a low intensity, firefighters can avoid unnecessary soil damage. This will pay dividends post-fire when rains and melting snow might create debris flows coming out of the burn area. The large pocket of unburned fuels off Highway 20 near Lucky Jim Bluff continued to burn overnight. Removal of these fuels will clean up the fire perimeter and this section will no longer pose as great a threat to structures in the area. Today, fire crews are working in the Little Wolf Creek area and will evaluate the dozer line that was being constructed to tie into Thompson Ridge. Observations from aircraft indicate that the line may still be viable as a control feature. Firefighters are also surveying existing roads and old dozer lines that were constructed during the 2014 Little Bridge Creek fire to provide additional control options. The objective is to build a control line that will run below Gobblers Knob, along dozer line to Thompson Ridge, and ultimately tying into the Little Bridge burn scar. This control feature would be designed to prevent fire from moving south toward the community of Twisp. Structure protection continues to be a top priority with multiple strike teams of state and local engines (state mob) patrolling homes along the fire perimeter. Crews continue to construct and improve lines to keep the fire above the Methow River Valley and away from values at risk.
Delancy Fire: Fire activity remains minimal. The fire is being monitored from the ground by fire crews and from the air by firefighting aircraft. The estimated size of the Delancy Fire is approximately 223 acres.
7/28/2021 Cub Creek 2 PM Update
he Cub Creek 2 Fire is estimated at 52,832 acres with 18% containment.
Today, crews worked diligently to tie in multiple hand lines, dozer lines, and existing road systems on the western and eastern flank of the fire boundary. The smoke has reduced the potential for significant fire growth, but the hot and dry temperatures remain a recipe for burning in the lower drainages. Along Deer Creek and up into Sweet Grass Butte, where crews completed a strategical burning operation, mop -up and reduction of any burning fuel has been diminished. With a significant warming trend beginning tomorrow, the top priority for crews is to reduce any heat and fuels on the south eastern flank of the fire, especially near Ramsey Creek and up into Tripod Creek. Crews will work overnight to construct line to prevent the fire from pushing east, which will tie off a significant portion of the eastern flank, specifically along FS Road 37 and continuing up north.
There was a community meeting at the City Park in Twisp at 6:00pm.
Local resource advisors will continue to provide input to protect natural and historical values at risk.
Residents will continue to see smoke and smoldering or creeping fire behavior near homes, but personnel are actively monitoring those areas. Please only call 911 if flare-ups occur near structures.
Evacuation Information: The Okanogan County Emergency Management (OCEM)
evacuations for the Chewuch River drainage remain in effect. Please consult OCEM information resources at okanogancounty.org for current evacuations. Residents leaving Evacuation Level 3 areas should be extremely cautious, drive slowly, and watch for firefighters and firefighting equipment on the roadway.
Resources for additional information:
StoryMap Link: https://arcg.is/1euzWj
Inciweb Page: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7675/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CubCreek2Fire2021
Smoke Blog: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/ Email: 2021.cubcreek2@firenet.gov
Highway Information: https://www.wsdot.com/traffic/trafficalerts/default.aspx
Evacuations: https://www.okanogancounty.org/government/emergency_management/index.php
Methow Conservancy (Wildfire Preparedness): https://methowconservancy.org/discover/fire-prep-recovery%20
Wildfire Ready Neighbors (House Assessments):https://wildfireready.dnr.wa.gov/
Resources: Total personnel–659; 3-type 1 IHC, 8-type 2, 4 type 2 initial attack hand crews, 5- heavy helicopters, 1- medium helicopter, 2-light lift helicopter, 28- engines, 11-dozer, 12-water tenders, and 173 overhead.
Closures: A Forest Area Emergency Closure has been issued by the Okanogan- Wenatchee National Forest which closes the use of multiple roads, campgrounds, and trails. Please see the enclosed links to the Forest Closure Page. https://bit.ly/3zsRtuw and map: https://bit.ly/3wZ2y50 The documents are also available on Inciweb and Facebook.
A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the fire area. Please consult the “Notice to Airmen” (NOTAM) for specifics. Wildfires are a “No Drone Zone” and any drones sighting in a TFR will immediately ground aerial firefighting resources and delay suppression actions.
Weather: Today, temperatures continued to be warm and dry across the region, with upper elevation ranging into the low 80’s and the lower elevations ranging in the mid 90’s. Wind were light and variable, which kept the smoke over a significant portion of the fire. By tomorrow, will be hot, with temperatures in the upper 90’s in the lower elevations. By Saturday, temperatures will be well over 100 degrees in the lower elevations, while upper elevations could reach into the upper 90’s.
Air Quality: Please monitor the air quality on the incident FB page above and the WA Smoke Blog https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/ and take appropriate actions. All vehicle traffic is advised to travel with lights on for safety.
Fire Restrictions: Campfire restrictions are in effect. Campfires are prohibited throughout the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, including developed campgrounds and congressionally designated Wilderness — call local ranger district offices for more information. https://tinyurl.com/yby4oysq
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
Tuesday, July 27, 2021
Monday, July 26, 2021
7/26/2021 Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires Update
Great Basin Team 1, Incident Commander Evans Kuo, will be assuming management of the Cedar Creek Fire tomorrow morning.
Winthrop, WA — Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires are burning on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in very steep and rocky terrain in heavy down fuels.
Cedar Creek Fire: The fire is currently estimated at 24,647 acres and 11% contained. No infra-red flight occurred last night due to a mechanical issue with the plane so the reported acres of the fire remain the same.
Firefighters connected line in the Wolf Creek drainage and then conducted a planned burn out operation on each side of the creek. Firefighters directly engaged spot fires occurring during the burn out. Hose lay is in place on the north side of Wolf Creek and Dozers continue to clean and strengthen line. Fire managers are also preparing contingency lines farther south of the fire along the 4410 and 4415 Roads. Hand crews are building containment line farther south towards the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness and along its boundary preparing for fire as it moves southwest and south.
The fire is burning actively between Little Falls Creek and Wolf Creek reaching containment lines along the 5005 Road where firefighters are holding the line. Firefighters secured the eastern portion of the line between Looney Creek and Badger Creek and continued to mop-up and patrol. Between Little Boulder Creek and Little Falls Creek, the fire continued to back downslope where resources are conducting holding operations along containment lines.
On the western perimeter, fire continues to slowly back down avalanche chutes along the Silver Star drainage. Fire along State Route 20 between Silver Star Creek and Early Winters Campground has backed down to the road where firefighters continue to patrol the fire’s edge. Fire between Cedar Creek and Looney Creek is slowly progressing downslope where firefighters are securing the line as fire reaches the base of Sandy Butte ridgeline. Aerial resources will continue supporting on-the-ground operations with water and retardant.
The current strategy is to construct containment lines in areas with a high probability of success. The objective is to keep the fire in the higher elevations above the valley and away from values at risk.
Active burning in the fire area may create a column that could drop ash several miles from the fire and will continue as fuel is consumed. Only call 911 if you are seeing burning.
Delancy Fire: Fire activity remains minimal withdecreased smoke and movement over the past couple days. The fire is expected to continue to creep and smolder in steep, rocky, sparsely vegetated terrain. Fire managers are evaluating values and risks. Containment opportunities are being actively scouted on the east side up Lost River Road. The fire is being monitored by aircraft. The estimated size of this fire is approximately 223 acres.
Resources for additional information:
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MazamaFires2021
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7655/
Smoke Blog: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/
Email: 2021.cedarcreek@firenet.gov
Highway Information: https://www.wsdot.com/traffic/trafficalerts/default.aspx
Evacuations: https://www.okanogancounty.org/government/emergency_management/index.php
Methow Conservancy (Wildfire Preparedness): https://methowconservancy.org/discover/fire-prep-recovery%20
Wildfire Ready Neighbors (House Assessments): https://wildfireready.dnr.wa.gov/
Resources: Total personnel - 479: 3 - type 1 hotshot crews, 5 - type 2 hand crews, 2 - camp crews, 4 - type 1 (heavy) helicopters, 1 - type 2 helicopter, 2 - type 3 helicopter, 51 - engines, 5 - dozers, 18 - water tenders,1 - masticator, 2 - skidgens, 5 – skidders, and 163 overhead.
Closures:
For the safety of the firefighters and aircraft fighting these fires, a temporary flight restriction (TFR) has been placed over the area. Please consult the “Notice to Airmen” (NOTAM) for specifics. Wildfires are a “No Drone Zone” and any drones sighting in a TFR will immediately ground aerial firefighting resources and delay suppression actions.
State Route 20 (North Cascades Highway) remains closed at milepost 185 (7 miles west of Winthrop) to milepost 165 to all traffic due to fire activity.
The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has implemented a Fire Emergency Area Closure as of July 22nd, 2021. The Closure includes facilities, roads, and trails. The Closure may be viewed in its entirety at the “Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires 2021” Facebook page.
The Forest Service Fire Emergency Area Closure is separate from the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) closure of portions of State Route 20 and may change or be lifted at different times depending on operational needs. WSDOT is working closely with the Forest Service and Okanogan County to identify where fire activity and firefighting operations warrant closure.
Evacuation Information: The Okanogan County Emergency Management (OCEM) continues to reevaluate evacuation levels. For the most up to date evacuation levels see the OCEM’s website above. Residents entering Evacuation Level 3 areas need to slow down and watch for firefighters and equipment in roadways.
Weather: Valley temperatures are predicted to be in the mid-90’s and in the 80’s on the ridges. Lingering smoke will persist often thick at times and periodically clearing. Westerly winds are expected to increase later Monday with gusts potentially 20 mph. Warm temperatures will continue tomorrow. Relative humidity will remain low at 16-22% in the valley and 18-26% on the ridges.
Air Quality: Air quality will be poor and may improve this afternoon.
Fire Restrictions: Campfire restrictions are in effect. Campfires are prohibited throughout the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, including developed campgrounds and congressionally designated Wilderness — call local ranger district offices for more information. https://tinyurl.com/yby4oysq
This incident is being managed by Northwest Incident Management Team 8.
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