Friday, September 29, 2017

9/29/2017 Diamond Creek Fire Update

Diamond Creek Fire: Friday September 29, 2017

Location:  11 miles NNW of Mazama, WA
Total Personnel:  22
Acres:  127,607 total acres
Cause:  Under Investigation
Containment: 80%
Start Date:  July 23, 2017
Note:  The containment reflects the percent of operational objectives completed.

North Cascades Smokejumpers unwrap Goat Peak Lookout

Current Activities: During yesterday’s operational period, the North Cascade Smokejumpers un-wrapped Goat Peak Lookout. Wrapping is a technique in which heat reflective material is used to protect structures potentially in the path of a fire.

Heavy equipment continued suppression repair of contingency line yesterday, and remain to work south of the fire with similar objectives today. As with previous operational periods, resource advisors will continue evaluation of the remaining suppression repair activities. Air and ground resources will continue to monitor fire activity.

Various heavy equipment and overhead personnel remain assigned to the fire.

Pat Creek and Monument Creek areas experienced increased fire activity yesterday due to warmer temperatures. This increased fire activity resulted in some smoke settling overnight in the Lost River area. A light haze is possible in the upper valley today. No significant growth is expected in the US. A National Park Service prescribed burn is also planned for the Stehekin area today.

Approximately 97,140 acres in the U.S. and 31,132 acres in Canada have burned. The slight change in acres burned is due to more accurate mapping, and some interior burning.

Weather: A big change in weather is expected to develop over the fire today as a strong cold front approaches the area from the west. The front will deliver a good chance of light rain to the fire in the afternoon, followed by breezy west to northwest winds during the night and into Saturday. There is a chance of light rain in the evening; then becoming partly cloudy. Winds will be west to northwest with 7-11 mph, with gusts up to 11 mph. 

Closures: AREA CLOSURE STILL IN EFFECT. Most roads on the south side of Diamond Creek Fire are now open, effective September 26, 2017. Maps have been posted to the Diamond Creek Fire InciWeb and Facebook pages. The Area Closure boundary has not changed.
 
The following roads remain closed:

5130-000 Road (Eightmile Creek Road) from approx. 2 miles above Honeymoon Campground to Billy Goat Trail Head
5227-100 Road (Yellow Jacket Road)
5225-650 Road

Evacuation Alert Level Removed: Due to Diamond Creek’s minimal fire behavior, cooler temperatures, higher humidity, fall-like weather conditions and completion of the primary fire line, the Level 1 Alert has been removed for Lost River, Mazama, and Rendezvous areas.
 
Persons should be aware that there still is a countywide burn ban in affect and should check with US Forest Service and DNR for additional fire restrictions.

Information: (509)996-4040  8 am -- 8 pm
Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5409/
Facebook: facebook.com/diamondcreekfire2017
Smoke Conditions: wasmoke.blogspot.com
#DiamondCreekFire #WaWildfire

9/29/2017 Eagle Creek Fire Update

9/29/2017 Chetco Bar Fire Update

Community Meetings The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest is hosting two public meetings today to provide a Chetco Bar Fire history and update:
• 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Agness RV Park Event Center, 4215 Agness Road, Agness, OR
• 6:00–7:00 p.m. at the Curry County Fairgrounds-Event Center on the Beach, 29392 Ellensburg Ave, Gold Beach, OR

Today Crews will continue to seek out and extinguish lingering pockets of heat, repair areas damaged during firefighting efforts, and monitor and patrol secured areas. Nearly 60 miles of dozerline and 50 miles of handline have been restored to a more stable, natural state by chipping, dragging brush, and installing waterbars. Helicopter water drops assisted crews in securing a key piece of remaining uncontained line east of Mount Emily yesterday. A flyover confirmed full containment in the Illinois River drainage area in the northeast portion of the fire. A slight two-acre increase in fire size is due to the burning of interior pockets of fuel and does not reflect an increased fire perimeter. No visible smoke or heat was identified on the Indigo fire yesterday and repair work on roads east and west of the fire has been completed.

Closures and Safety Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and Bureau of Land Management Coos Bay District road and area closures remain in effect for all public lands adjacent to the Chetco Bar Fire area due to residual fire activity, heavy equipment in transit, and hazards presented by fire-weakened trees. Managers are assessing progress by firefighters, conditions on the ground, and other factors in order to reduce the scope of closures. Patience is requested and appreciated. For public and firefighter safety, please adhere to closures, whether staffed with road guards or unstaffed. For further information, please call (541) 618-2200 or visit www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/rogue-siskiyou/alerts-notices.

Weather and Fire Behavior Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain, high temperatures of 60-65, and light inland winds. A cold front is expected to continue moving onshore throughout the day, bringing cool, breezy, and moist weather inland. Fire behavior is expected be minimal and limited to smoldering stump holes. Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) are in effect over the Chetco Bar Fire area. Before flying near the area, pilots are encouraged to check for the most current update at tfr.faa.gov.

9/29/2017 Horse Creek Complex Update

Firefighters and heavy equipment are still using these roads. Drivers need to use caution and expect slow moving vehicles.

Current Situation: Temperatures reached the low 80s Thursday under sunny skies. Areas of smoke were reported on several of the fires within the Three Sisters Wilderness. Increasing clouds today will bring cooler temperatures and rain. Snow is forecast for the higher elevations over the weekend. Rain and snow is expected to continue into next week.

Firefighters and heavy equipment worked a full day Thursday and continue to prioritize work that needs to be completed in the higher elevations. Hand lines and dozer lines are being covered with vegetation. Water bars have been constructed on slopes to prevent erosion. Forest roads are being repaired and graded. Hazardous trees are being removed and salvageable timber is being removed. This work is being accomplished aggressively, in a safe and practical manor.

Forest Roads Open: The following Forest Service Roads along Highway 126 are open to the public: FSR 2664, Robinson Lake Road; FSR 2657, Olallie Creek Road; FSR 2653, Boulder Creek Road; FSR 2649, Scott Creek Road; FSR 2647, Cupola Road; FSR 2643, Foley Ridge Road; and Highway 242, Old McKenzie Highway, from HWY 126 to the gate at Camp White Branch. The Willamette National Forest along these roads is open but the Three Sisters Wilderness remains closed. The Mount Washington Wilderness south of Benson Lake Trial is closed.

FSR 19, Aufderheide Road, is open, for a short distance, from HWY 126 to FSR 410, Cougar Dam Road. FSR 411 is open to allow access to the Castle Rock area. The forest and wilderness areas south of O’Leary Mountain Trail remain closed.

FSR 2639, King Road is open to FSR 2638, Horse Creek Road, but Horse Creek is closed east of this intersection.

9/29/2017 Jones & Kelsey Fire Update

Final Daily Update

Jones Fire / Kelsey Fire

9/29/2017 - 8 a.m.

Fire Information: (541) 937-5219

Starting Sunday, October 1 please call 541-222-9241 for fire information

jonesfire2017@gmail.com

Jones Fire - Size: 10,114 acres Containment: 80% Cause: Lightning

Kelsey Fire - Size: 441 acres Containment: 50% Cause: Lightning

General Western Oregon Deer season starts tomorrow. Hunters are reminded to “KNOW BEFORE YOU GO” and stay informed about area and road closures. Closure info: www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/willamette/alerts-notices

Northwest Incident Management Team 7 will transition command of the Jones & Kelsey Fire to a local type 3 incident management team on Saturday, September 30 at 8 p.m.

Yesterday’s Activity – On both fires, repairing suppression lines is an emphasis at this stage. Stabilization measures taken by crews help prevent soil erosion, aid vegetation recovery, minimize damage to prime fish habitat, and conserve water quality. On the Jones Fire crews continued moving logs from trees felled as part of the suppression effort and hazard trees. Other efforts included mopping-up hot spots, backhauling equipment and chipping. On the Kelsey Firecrews continued to secure the containment on Bunchgrass Ridge on the south and western edges of the fire. There are several hot spots being monitored at the bottom of the Kelsey Creek drainage.

Today’s Operations - Firefighters will continue to seek and mop-up isolated hot spots on both fires, where safe to do so. On the Jones Fire chipping operations, fire suppression repair, felling of fire-weakened hazard trees continues. At the Kelsey Fire the excavator is working to complete the repair of the dozer line. Crews will also complete the suppression repair on the handline on Bunchgrass Ridge and will patrol and monitor the perimeter.

Weather and Fire Behavior – Warming/drying comes to an end today with a change in the weather that brings cooler temperatures and precipitation by afternoon. More showers are expected over the weekend and fire behavior should then be limited to isolated smoldering and minimal creeping under timber canopy.

Closures: Forest visitors should familiarize themselves with the area closure orders before venturing into the vicinity. See below for detailed maps at:

· Jones Fire - https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/5494/

· Kelsey Fire - https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/5619/

· Forest Closure Information (Roads, Campgrounds, Trails): https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/willamette/alerts-notices

For information on all Willamette National Forest Fires: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/unit/3860/

9/29/2017 Norse Peak Fire Update

Friday, September 29, 2017 - Morning Update

Contact Fire Information: 253-666-8841 (7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.)

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5509/

NorsePeakFireINFO@gmail.com

www.facebook.com/NorsePeakFire/

Please note: This will be the last fire update prepared by the Norse Peak Type 3 Incident Management Team. For Norse Peak Fire and closure information after today, please contact:

West of the Pacific Crest Trail:

Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest - Snoqualmie Ranger District Enumclaw Office

450 Roosevelt Avenue E

360-825-6585

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/mbs/about-forest/offices/?cid=stelprdb5238242

East of the Pacific Crest Trail:

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest – Naches Ranger District Office

10237 Highway 12

Naches, WA 98937

509-653-1401 (Voice/TTY)

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/okawen/recarea/?recid=57121

Date Started: Aug. 11, 2017; Cause: Lightning; Acreage: 52,056 (Norse Peak) and 3,853 (American).

Percent Completed: 80% (Norse Peak) and 99% (American).

Total Personnel and Resources: 50 personnel, 2 Engines and 6 pieces of assorted equipment for chipping, loading and hauling.

Fire Summary: Minimal fire growth is expected. Isolated pockets of slow surface spread where the fire is sheltered by the tree canopy and continued burning in the larger dead or down trees is still possible.

The southeast side of the fire is under the command of the Naches Ranger District’s Type 4 organization. Command of the northwest side of the fire is expected to transition the Snoqualmie Ranger District’s Type 4 organization on Saturday September 30.

Norse Peak Fire: Cleanup and fire suppression restoration work continues along Forest Road 70. Fire personnel are monitoring fire movement within the containment lines.

American Fire: Any fire activity is expected to be minimal. 99% of the indirect lines are complete.

CLOSURES: Forest Roads 462, 1800 (Bumping River Road) and 1900 (Little Naches) are open to the public. Campgrounds (CG) on Bumping River Road are closed, with the exception of Lower Bumping Lake and Soda Springs CG, which have both re-opened. Campgrounds along the Little Naches (1900) will remain closed with the exception of Kaner Flats CG which has re-opened. Dispersed camping is permitted along 1900 Rd. Campfires are restricted to developed campgrounds only. Boulder Cave Recreation Area is closed for the season.

Highway 123 remains open.

State Route 410 is open. In the section of highway within the fire area (roughly from Morse Creek on the west to Hell’s Crossing on the east) the Forest and campgrounds remain closed and only through traffic is permitted.

On the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie NF, Forest Roads 70, 72 and Crystal Mountain Boulevard remain closed, and The Dalles Campground remains closed.

The Pacific Crest Trail is open from White Pass to Chinook Pass but remains closed from Chinook Pass north to Snoqualmie Pass.

EVACUATIONS: All Level 3 Evacuations have been removed for the Norse Peak or American Fires.

PIERCE COUNTY: LEVEL 1: FS 7160 eastbound on SR 410 to Crystal Mountain Blvd. All other evacuation levels in the Greenwater area, to include Gold Hills and Crystal Mountain Resort, have been lifted.

YAKIMA COUNTY: LEVEL 2: Goose Prairie along Bumping River Road.

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Fire closures can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/okawen/alerts-notices. Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest closures can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/mbs/alerts-notices.Mt. Rainier National Park updates can be found at: https://www.nps.gov/mora/learn/news/fire.htm

Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife hunting/fishing information and closures, please contact at 360-902-2200.

9/29/2017 NWCC Morning Brief

Morning Brief

Date/Time Stamp: Friday, Sep 29, 2017, 06:58

Northwest Activity Summary

The warmest temperatures of the week were observed in most areas of the geographic area yesterday. The exception was the Washington and Oregon coast where onshore flow moderated temperatures. Relative humidity reached the teens in some areas of central and southern Oregon and 20s and 30s elsewhere in the region. There were 8 new reported fires for a total of 4 acres. There was minimal growth on existing large fires. 12 prescribed fires were reported for over 1,100 acres and 7 units are planning prescribed fires.

Preparedness Levels

Current:

Northwest	3 (9/25)
National	3 (9/22)

Northwest PL Forecast

3	2	1
3-day	10-day	30-day

Northwest Fire Activity
New Fires and Acres 8 fires for 4 acres139 acres growth on existing large fires
OR: 5 fires for 3 acres
WA: 3 fire for 0 acres

Large Fire Summary
New large fires: 1
Large fires contained: 0
Uncontained large fires: 5 (OR: 5 WA: 0)

Northwest IMT Activity

NIMOs Committed: 0

Type 1 IMTs committed: 1
Type 2 IMTs committed: 4
National Fire Activity
Initial attack activity: Light (70) new fires

New large incidents: 2
Large fires contained: 0
Uncontained large fires: 12

National IMT Activity
Area Command Teams: 0

NIMOs committed: 0
Type 1 IMTs committed: 2
Type 2 IMTs committed: 9

Northwest Current Incident Details

Incidents not Previously Reported: 1

Rigdon Point OR-WIF-170287. ICT4. 20 miles SW of Oakridge, OR. Start 9/11. Full Suppression. Cause Lightning. 206 acres. 0% containment. Timber. Minimal fire behavior.

Incidents Previously Reported: 10

Eagle Creek OR-CGF-000493. IMT2, NW Team 12 (Harrod/Glazier). 2 miles S of Cascade Locks, OR. Start 9/2. Full Suppression. Cause: Human. 48,831 acres (+258). 46% containment. Timber. Minimal fire behavior. Watershed, timberlands, powerline infrastructure and major transportation corridor threatened. Road, trail, and area closures in place.

Chetco Bar OR-RSF-000326. IMT1, PNW Team 2 (Schulte). 16 miles W of Selma, OR. Start 7/12. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 191,090 acres (+2). 97% containment. Timber. Minimal fire behavior. Road, trail, and area closures in place. Also managing Indigo.

High Cascades Complex OR-RSF-000636. IMT2, NW Team 8 (Johnson)/IMT2, GB Team 4 (Roide). High Cascades RD and Crater Lake National Park, OR. Start 7/25. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 80,152 acres (+0). 32% containment. Timber. Minimal fire behavior. Structures and telecommunications site threatened. Road, trail, and area closures in place. Includes: Spruce Lake (15,826 acres), Blanket Creek (33,322 acres), Broken Lookout (19,142 acres), Pup (8,273 acres) and North Pelican (3,589 acres).

Jones OR-WIF-170191. IMT2, NW Team 7 (Knerr). 10 miles NE of Lowell, OR. Start 8/10. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 10,114 acres (-106). 80% containment. Timber. Minimal fire behavior. Area closures in place. Also managing Kelsey Creek.

Kelsey Creek OR-WIF-170273. IMT2, NW Team 7 (Knerr). 10 miles E of Oakridge, OR. Start 9/9. Confine/Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 441 acres (+0). 50% completed. Timber. Minimal fire behavior. Area closures in place. This incident not included in the large fire count above. Also managing Jones.

Umpqua North Complex OR-UPF-000406. IMT3. 50 miles E of Roseburg, OR. Start 8/11. Monitor/Confine/Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 43,158 acres (+18). 79% completed. Timber. Minimal fire behavior. Critical habitat and cultural resources at risk. Road, trail, and area closures in place. Includes: Happy Dog (31,141 acres), Brokentooth (3,941 acres), Rattlesnake (1,373 acres), Devil (874 acres), Copeland (699 acres) and 3 smaller fires. This incident not included in the large fire count above.

Horse Creek Complex OR-WIF-107234. IMT3. 7 miles S of Belknap Springs, OR. Start 8/21. Confine/Monitor. Cause: Unknown. 33,815 acres (-35). 64% completed. Timber. Minimal fire behavior. Road, trail, and area closures in place. Includes: Avenue (3,857 acres), Olallie Lookout (1,586 acres), Roney (3,575 acres), Nash (6,747 acres), Separation (18,086 acres), and Potato Hill (199 acres). This incident not included in the large fire count above.

Whitewater OR-WIF-170123. IMT3. 15 miles E of Detroit, OR. Start 7/23. Monitor/Confine/Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 14,451 acres (+0). 53% completed. Timber. Minimal fire behavior. Evacuation notices in place. Structures and powerline infrastructure threatened. Road, trail, and area closures in place. Includes: Whitewater (11,493 acres), Little Devil (2,162 acres) Scorpion (695 acres). This incident not included in the large fire count above.

Diamond Creek WA-OWF-000267. ICT3. 11 miles N of Mazama, WA. Start 7/23. Monitor/Confine/Point Zone Protection/Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 128,272 acres (+0). 80% completed. Timber. Minimal fire behavior. Road, trail, and area closures in place. This incident not included in the large fire count above.

Indigo OR-RSF-000784. IMT1, PNW Team 2 (Schulte). 8 miles E of Agness, OR. Start 9/11. Confine. Cause: Lightning. 615 acres (+0). 81% completed. Timber and brush. Minimal fire behavior. Road, trail, and area closures in place. This incident not included in the large fire count above. Also managing Chetco Bar.

Northwest Fires Utilizing Monitor, Confine, Point Zone Protection Suppression Strategies (YTD) (link)

Lists fires (of any size) that singly utilize Monitor, Confine or Point Zone Protection suppression strategies, or use Multiple Suppression Strategies (which may also include a Full Suppression component).

Northwest Fire Potential Summary

A cold front moves into the region today which will reverse the warming and drying trend and significantly boost winds east of the Cascades. This will begin a cooler and wetter period which will go into the first week of October.

Fire danger indices will begin dropping today and continue trending lower into next week with some areas seeing the lowest levels of the summer. Threat of new large fires or problem fire behavior on ongoing fires will remain minimal.

More info, see NW 7-Day Significant Fire Potential Forecast, and National 7-Day Significant Fire Potential Forecast

National Incident Management Situation Report (IMSR): https://www.nifc.gov/nicc/sitreprt.pdf

Other GACC Morning Reports: