9/15/2021 Muckamuck Fire Update

 

Conconully, WA: The Muckamuck fire has been a long process and the team is preparing to turn it over to a smaller organizational structure. There has been lots of preparation in the background to make sure the right resources are left on the fire. Crews on the line have finished their mop up operations and are now focused on repair work and patrolling the fires perimeter. This is customary to make sure the fire has a great containment line and ready to turn back to local agencies. Additional repair work and repairing handlines will continue today.     

Weather today is expected to be mostly sunny with a max temperature 56 degrees at the peaks with 30% humidity. Northwest winds 6-10 with gusts to 20 mph on the ridgetops in the afternoon. Temperatures overnight are dropping into the 30s.   

Current road closures remain in effect and are being looked at on a regular basis.  For the most up to date information you can follow the link below. Please adhere to the closures. https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd951765.pdf

Closure Order Map:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd951766.pdf 

·       FS Road 37 is closed at the junction with FS Road 42 ·       FS Road 38 is closed at the forest boundary north of Conconully ·       Mineral Hill Road is closed just west of Conconully

There are no evacuation orders in place at this time.

The Muckamuck Fire started by lightning on Saturday August 4, 2021. The fire is located in and around the Town of Conconully, Washington. Mixed conifer with dead and downed materials are the primary fuel source along with ponderosa pine, sagebrush, and cured grass meadows. The fire is estimated at 13,297 and is now 98% contained. During the first phase of the fire there were 4 primary and 3 secondary structures lost. 

Did you know? Roles and responsibilities of the team continued.Planning Operations and Field Operations: I mention both of these because they go hand in hand. Or as Forest Gump would say “They go together like peas and carrots”. This is a very true statement when it comes to this team. The Planning Operations Chief has many responsibilities such as resource planning, strategy, tactics, strategy planning with field ops., and collaboration with the incident commander. Field Operations is orchestrating fire attack and all the movements in the field. On the initial attack of a fire its operations responsibility to work the fire on the ground and move crews to appropriate strategic locations. This person makes the decisions on what fire attack looks like and is right in the heat of it. A great operations team “which we have on this team” is poised, patient, aggressive, and has the best interest of their crews and citizens in mind. It has been said over the years that they are “The tip of the Spear”. This team has to have years of experience and understand all types of wildland fire behavior. They are critical to the success of the extinguishment of the fire and play a critical role on the Incident Management Team.

Fire information and the incident command post is located at Omak Stampede Grounds in Omak, WA. Fire information contact is Don Malone at (509) 822-8125 or you can also follow us on Facebook @NEWIMT3