8/12/2021 Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires Update

Daily Update

August 12, 2021

Winthrop, WA —The Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires are burning on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and public and private lands within Okanogan County. These fires are being managed by Great Basin Incident Management Team 1.

Fire Information Line: Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires: 509-557-0740 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm daily)

Fire Weather: The heat continues today, with temperatures returning into the mid to upper 90s. Winds will start from the northeast, with a few gusts around 10 mph through 1200. Winds this afternoon will relax and shift more from the southeast, which will continue through the remainder of the afternoon. Very light winds continue Thursday night, with low temperatures in the middle 60s, and continued poor humidity recovery. Heat continues Friday. Look for cumulus buildups in the afternoon with a slight chance for thunderstorms.

Cedar Creek Fire: The fire is currently estimated at 52,889 acres and is 37% contained.

Command of the Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires will transfer from Great Basin Team 1 to California Team 2 Friday at 6 am. On behalf of Great Basin Incident Commander Evans Kuo and the rest of Great Basin Team 1, we want to thank the residents of the Methow Valley for allowing us to serve you.

The National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning for the Eastern Slopes of the Washington Cascades, including Okanogan County. Dangerously hot conditions with temperatures between 98 and 102 degrees are expected. Extreme heat significantly increases the potential for heat-related illnesses. Fighting fire is hard, hot work any day, but excessive heat adds another dimension to firefighters' risks. The Excessive Heat Warning will remain in effect until 8 pm Saturday.

Helicopters are dipping from Patterson Lake near the Stone Mountain Lodge. The lake is closed, but operations have been disrupted several times over the past two days by citizens attempting to use the lake for recreation or to get close enough to photograph the helicopters. Being under a working helicopter is extremely dangerous. If you enter the area, the aircraft will be pulled off for your safety, and work on the fire will be delayed. Please give firefighting aircraft room to work.

Residents grew concerned when a smoke plume formed over the fire yesterday afternoon. The smoke came from internal burning on the Left Fork of the Little Boulder Creek, southwest of Lucky Jim Bluff. It was well within the interior of the fire area and posed no threat to communities around the Cedar Creek fire.

Construction of the contingency line along the Twisp River is proceeding. Masticators and feller bunchers are removing ground fuels and thinning trees. Chipper crews are working behind to dispose of slash. When the work is complete, shaded fuel breaks will stretch along the north side of the Twisp River from Deer Creek south to Bridge Creek. Additional contingency lines run from Twisp River north along Canyon Creek and the 050 Road, and another following Bridge Creek to the 092 Road. These lines will form a “catcher’s mitt,” that will give firefighters a good defensive position, if fire were to come from the wilderness and moving south into the Twisp River Valley.

Delancy Fire:  The Delancy is 223 acres, is being actively monitored, but is unstaffed.

Resources: Total personnel – 628 firefighters and 203-line supervision and support personnel. Resources include 2 - type 1 hotshot crews, 9 - type 2 hand crews, 1 - type 2 initial attack hand crews, 1 - camp crews, 4 - type 1 (heavy) helicopters, 1 - type 2 helicopter, 2 - type 3 helicopter, 44 - engines, 4 - dozers, 5 – tactical water tenders, 17 - water tenders,1 - skidgen, 3 – skidders, 3 – excavators, and 2 – feller bunchers. 

Air Quality: Smoke accumulated throughout north central Washington overnight due in part to an increase in activity on local fires, plus winds from the north carrying smoke from fires in Canada south across the border. Smoky conditions likely to persist for a few days until more favorable winds and cooler temperatures return beginning Saturday.

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

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 drone sighting in a TFR will immediately impede aerial firefighting resources and delay suppression actions.

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.

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