OREGON AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FIRE UPDATE: The Happy Camp Complex is now just two fires. The very small Kemper Fire...and the GIANT Frying Pan Faulkstein Fire at over 57,000 acres....and still growing. The Frying Pan Fire and the Faulstein Fire have now merged at several places on their perimiters creating one fire now. I will be reporting on major fires in the region that pose a significant threat, or have not reached the point where they are of minimal stable fire activity. I will not be reporting on fires that are considered to be well under control, or not likely to be a threat to grow any longer of any size. OREGON - 790 FIRE: Klamath County, in the Sky Lake Wilderness Area north of Mt. McLoughlin. Burning on the Rogue Siskiyou National Forest and Fremont - Winema National Forest. An Oregon IMT II led by Applegate Rural Fire District Fire Chief Brett Fillis has command of the fire. 2260 acres, 5 percent containment at last report. Fire is burning in timber. Active behavior with spotting and short crown runs. The 790 Fire is the last remaining fire of the Camp Creek Complex that began on July 31st from lightning. The 790 Fire is located in the Sky Lakes Wilderness. The fire is located in an area difficult for crews to access safely. The terrain is rugged and rocky with much blow down debris and standing snags, which prevent firefighters from safely and actively engaging with the fire perimeter. For fire fighters reading this...M.I.S.T. protocols are being followed. Due to firefighter safety concerns, indirect methods have been utilized to fight the fire. Crews continue to hold in check the fire’s eastern flank. It is a high priority to limit the eastern spread of the fire. Additional firefighting resources are being added as full suppression remains the objective. A new base of operations (Incident Command Post) is being established at Buck Mountain Ranch located just east of Prospect, off of Prospect-Butte Falls Highway. Within the Sky Lakes Wilderness many of the trails are closed due to the 790 Fire. This closure is for both firefighter and public safety. The trail and area closure information is located at the following web address. fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3814603.pdf. The fire has a primary southern edge located one mile south of Big Ben Creek and east to Snow Lakes. The northern edge of the fire remains south of Finch Lake. Fire crews ask that trail users refrain from using these trails as it places themselves and firefighters safety at risk. The hand crews on this fire are being supported by a 10-mule pack string so that the helicopters can concentrate on fire suppression. Resource mix on the fire includes 215 wildland firefighters, 12 rappellers, and 24 smokejumpers, 6 helicopters. and 3 water dropping fixed wing aircraft. DECEPTION COMPLEX INCLUDES PREVIOUS REPORTED STALEY COMPLEX: Willamette National Forest. Lightning caused. A, Oregon Interagency IMT II has command. 2196 acres total, 55 percent contained. Fires are burning in timber. Fire behavior was active with torching and spotting being seen. Evacuation notices are in effect and road closures are in place. There are a total of 92 currently active or contained and controlled fires making up this complex that spans the Willamette National Forest in the Cascades east of the Eugene and Salem areas. The fires in the complex all resulted from lightning activity between July 31st and August 10th. The Deception Creek Fire was buffeted by winds of up to 19 miles per hour from westerly directions on Friday afternoon. The wind caused the fire to burn more actively near the ridge tops, but the lines held and the fire did not advance to the east. Overall growth of the Deception Creek Fire was 149 acres, mostly to the southwest. Firefighters were able to accomplish some mop-up along the hand lines at the northern end of the fire. There are three area, trail and road closures related to these fires on the Middle Fork Ranger District. Check the following web site for details: fs.usda.gov/willamette/. Resource mix assigned includes 19 hand crews, 40 engines, 12 water tenders, 4 bulldozers, and 11 helicopters. Total personnel - 922 NEW FIRE.......LOST HUBCAP FIRE: Grant County near, Monument. Unknown cause. Burning on lands protected by ODF. An Oregon IMT II is in command of the fire. 2500 acres, zero percent contained. Very active wind driven fire behavior with long surface runs and spotting. Fire is burning in grass, brush, and timber. The Lost Hubcap Fire, was reported around 1:30 p.m. yesterday on lands protected by ODF by evening. ODF had three heavy air tankers, four single-engine air tankers, and one helicopter fighting the fire, along with six fire engines, four bulldozers, and district hand crews. Additional resources from the South Fork Complex assisted, with the Monument and John Day Rural Fire departments protecting residences threatened by the wind-driven fire. Additional resources have been requested and will be arriving today. CALIFORNIA - HAPPY CAMP COMPLEX - FRYING PAN FIRE AND FAULKSTEIN FIRE HAVE GROWN TOGETHER INTO ONE FIRE NOW : Siskiyou County, near Happy Camp. Lightning caused. Burning on National Forest and private land. A California IMT I is in command of all fires in the complex except the Frying Pan Fire. The Frying Pan Fire is being managed independently by a California type II IMT. Joint attack between Cal Fire and US Forest Service. 57,722 acres, 15 percent contained. Numerous structures threatened including the city of Happy Camp. Fires are burning in timber. Fire behavior continues to be plume dominated with long range spotting and crown runs. Level III Go Now evacuations and road closures in effect. There will be a community meeting tonight at 6 p.m. at the Seiad fire station. Team members and Klamath National Forest representatives will present information and answer questions about the Happy Camp Complex fires. There will also be a community meeting tonight at 7 p.m. in Happy Camp at the Karuk Tribe Senior Nutrition Center. Team members and Klamath National Forest representatives will present information and answer questions about the Happy Camp Complex fires. Falling snags continue to be a significant threat to firefighters. Vehicle traffic along Highway 96 also remains a significant risk to the firefighters and community members. Please slow down, limit distractions, and help keep everyone safe when you are driving through the area. The fire is threatening approximately 200-250 structures within evacuation areas. Completed and ongoing protective actions include limbing trees, clearing brush, removing yard debris and brushing roads. A total of 131 engines are supporting fire suppression and structure protection activities within both zones of the fire. Fire activity in the south end of the fire has slowed as it moves into the 2008 Panther Fire perimeter. Tactical ignitions took place along a dozer line in this section to strengthen and extend containment lines.The fire is established in Tyler Meadows and moving east toward Middle Creek Meadow’s. The fire has reached the Klamath River just east of Grider Creek. Firefighters contained a spot fire that ignited across Highway 96 between Hamburg and Seiad. The north edge of the fire is holding west of Grider Creek, though east of Grider Creek the fire is moving to the east and northeast. Containment lines near Happy Camp and on the west side of the fire continue to hold. Air operations took advantage of the clear skies, using helicopters and air tankers to drop water and retardant on the north and south ends of the complex.Last evening fire activity was significant as the fire spread to the north and east along Highway 96. A cold front passed through the area, and shifting winds with unstable air caused a smoke plume to develop leading to an abundance of embers spreading out from the main body of the fire. Communities that are threatened by the fire are Happy Camp, Elk Creek, Seiad, Hamburg, Kelsey Creek and Scott Bar. Structure protection groups composed of hand crews and engines are engaged and are placed in strategic locations to assist in protecting homes and property should the fire move into these areas.Structure defense groups utilized hose and sprinkler systems to assist in fighting fire. Additional duties include locating water sources and clearing of combustibles around structures. Resources from the Complex will assist the local units on new fire starts. A full mix of resources including 48 hand crews, 131 engines, 27 water tenders, 18 bulldozers, 11 helicopters, and 10 air tankers. Total personnel - 1972 JULY COMPLEX...INCLUDES THE ACTIVE WHITES, AND MAN FIRES: Siskiyou and Trinity Counties, nearest Sawyers Bar and Etna. Lightning caused. A national type I IMT has command. 39,578 acres, 87 percent containment on the complex all on the Whites Fire. Evacuations have been dropped and roads are being reopened. For a complete rundown of evacuations and road closures, please click on this link....inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4035/. Fires are burning in timber. The complex in total is mostly in very rough terrain. Gaining control of fires in this area is never easy and this will be no different. Whites Fire - Last night fire activity remained quiet over the fire area, there will no longer be a night shift. Today, firefighters will continue to work the more difficult areas to access east of Yellow Dog Peak, west of Taylor Lake and north of Lower Russian Lake. Crews will continue with removal of hazard trees, rocks and rollout debris from areas adjacent to Sawyers Bar Road. Firefighters are working with Klamath National Forest resource advisors to identify and repair areas affected by firefighting activities. This includes chipping material produced during fire line construction as well as identifying needs to construct erosion control measures along fire lines throughout the fire area. The Man Fire is at 2741 acres in size with zero containment. This fire is going to be long duration as it is in rugged terrain and burning through abundant dried out fuels. The Man Fire is burning in the Marble Mountain Wilderness near Man Eaten Lake, about 14 miles northwest of Etna. This fire was caused by lightning on August 12. The fire continues to back and flank on the west, south and eastern sides, with active burning in the Wooley Creek and Big Elk drainages. On the northern edge fire activity increased as the lines were tested by the upslope winds. Today, crews will re-engage where safe and utilize air support when available to pick up any spots across the containment lines. Full suppression efforts include use of Minimum Impact Suppression Tactics—utilizing geographic features and natural barriers to reduce impacts on wilderness values. Resources from the Complex will assist the local units on new fire starts. A full resource mix of 22 hand crews, 32 engines, 30 water tenders, 7 bulldozers, and 12 helicopters. Total personnel - 997 Fire information brought to you by Southern Oregon Subaru, Volvo, Mitsubishi. Click here to see their complete inventory.....sosubaru/index.htm
Posted on: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 18:21:47 +0000
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