8/24/2021 Green Ridge and Lick Creek Fires Update

 Current Situation: Green Ridge Fire: The Green Ridge Fire is 39,471 acres after 49 acres of growth on Monday. The fire is 35% contained. Despite sunny skies and drier conditions on Monday, fire activity was minimal again due to fuel moistures remaining high. Crews continued mopping up sections of uncontrolled line in divisions M and K. Containment did not increase on the Green Ridge Fire on Monday, but firefighters are becoming increasingly confident that additional portions of fire line in divisions M and K will soon be contained.

On Tuesday, crews will continue efforts mopping up the fire’s edge in divisions M and K. Winds are expected to increase through the day as the cold front moves over the area. A drying trend will continue today which will bring lower relative humidity and a return to warmer temperatures. The warmer, drier weather will continue through the week, which is expected to result in some increased fire behavior. Crews in divisions M and K on the north and west sides of the fire will continue mop up operations looking for areas of heat and engaging where it is safe to do so. Three fire suppression modules will be working in divisions P and S on the south side of the fire. These crews will be monitoring fire activity and engaging any new fires or spots that occur. 

Current Situation: Lick Creek Fire: The Lick Creek fire remains 80,421 acres and 97% contained. Interior fuels are expected to dry in the coming days and smoke may be visible in the coming days. Firefighters will continue patrolling and improving containment lines along the fire’s perimeter, assisting with firefighting efforts on Green Ridge fire when needed. The section of still uncontained line is burning in mixed conifer that is susceptible to spot fires. Until the heat diminishes in this area, it is unlikely that this section of line will be considered contained. 

Weather & Smoke Information: Temperatures are expected to be warmer on Tuesday with lower relative humidity. West-northwest winds will blow from 5-8 through the morning then give way to north-northeast winds in the afternoon. Temperatures will be in the mid-to-high 60s along the ridges and low 70s in the valleys. Smoke information is available on Washington Smoke Blog at: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/ 

Forest Closures: Closures are in place on the Umatilla National Forest. The forest closure for some areas on the Umatilla NF have been amended. The amended order reopened most Umatilla NF lands in Oregon. The order also closed all lands on the Walla Walla Ranger District in Washington; forest lands in Washington on the Pomeroy Ranger District remain closed to entry. The closure order is available at https://go.usa.gov/xFyhn.

Evacuations: Evacuations in Garfield and Columbia Counties have been amended. The Level 3 evacuation area north of the Green Ridge Fire has been changed to a Level 2. This area includes Clearwater Tower, Stentz Springs, and Rose Springs. With these changes, Garfield County and Columbia County currently have Level 1 and 2 evacuations in place. The Grouse Flats area is currently under a Level 1 evacuation in Garfield County, Asotin County, and Wallowa County, Oregon. An interactive fire map that shows evacuations and other important information is available at https://arcg.is/0mrCe1. 

Temporary Flight Restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the Green Ridge Fire and Lick Creek Fire. Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. Whenever a drone is spotted near the fire all aircraft are grounded until we can be sure the drone is clear of the area. For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org. 

Green Ridge Fire Information:
Information Office: (509) 542-7964
Email: 2021.GreenRidge@firenet.gov 
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7628/ 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GreenRidgeFire2021

Lick Creek Fire Information:
Information Office: (509) 780-6238
Email: 2021.LickCreek@firenet.gov
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7615/ 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LickCreekFire