InciWeb Articles & Incidents for Washington and Oregon

Inchelium, Wa. – Yesterday was an active day on the Summit Trail Fire. Clearing skies on Tuesday allowed air tankers and helicopters to drop water on the west flank and retardant along the southeast flank to slow fire spread. Firefighters also conducted firing operations to remove unburned fuel between the active fire front and indirect fire line to create containment line and minimize growth.   Last night’s storms resulted in at least four new fire starts outside of the Summit Trail perimeter, with several more across the Colville Reservation.  The largest of these new fires, estimated to be between 1,000- 2,000 acres, is the Whitmore Fire east of Goose Lake. Also in the vicinity of Columbia River Rd. is the Hamilton Fire, which is about 200 acres. Multiple engines and crews are supporting Mt. Tolman Fire Center as they respond to these emerging fires.   Overnight rain varied between 0.1” and 0.2”; however, there was not enough rain in many areas to penetrate beyond tree...

 GLIDE, Ore. – Newer fires on the North Umpqua Ranger District are requiring more of firefighters’ attention this week than the month-old Jack Fire, officials said Tuesday.The Chilcoot II Fire, which was identified Monday after storms moved through the area Sunday evening, has been staffed around the clock since to protect a vital communications tower. Heavy equipment has cut line on both flanks while crews build and reinforce handlines on. “We want to fight fire aggressively, but we also want to be patient and deliberate,” said Incident Commander Brian Gales, of Northwest Team 13, which is overseeing the Jack Fire, Rough Patch Complex and initial attack for new starts in the area. “It’s important to think strategically, picking the priority fires and focusing on them.” Today, fire managers are reassessing contingency lines along the southern boundary of the Jack Fire and looking for ways to box in new starts outside the existing fire boundaries.  “We’re...

Crews hold small fires, actively engaging larger fires CANYONVILLE, Ore.— Crews on the Skyline Ridge Complex made steady progress on numerous small fires within the complex and are actively engaging the complex’s larger fires. The complex now contains 24 fires including four large fires—Poole Creek., O’Shea Creek., Ike Butte, and Sweat Creek. Overnight, firefighters on night shift held many of the small fires in the complex within their footprints. These fires will need additional work to strengthen control lines and mop up remaining hot spots. Fire managers are developing plans suppress the largest fire in the complex, Poole Creek, with heavy equipment, crews and additional overhead. The Poole Creek Fire—estimated at several hundred acres and burning in steep, heavy timber—has emerged as high priority for the fire team. Today’s weather forecast calls for hot, dry conditions with unstable air. The National Weather Service has declared a Red Flag Warning for this...

Lick Creek and Green Ridge Fire Update – August 4, 2021@ 8:00 a.m.  There will be community meeting tonight at the Dayton Best Western Conf. Room @ 7:30 p.m. Lick Creek Fire: The Burn Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team assessment will be utilized for forecasting the preparation needs of the areas at greatest risk for runoff and flooding. Smoke will continue to be visible as unburned pockets of vegetation inside the fire perimeter are consumed. Crews will continue to mop-up any interior pockets of heat and patrol until full containment is achieved. This fire remains at 90% contained. Green Ridge Fire: The fire continued backing slowly toward the Tucannon River in the Ladybug Campground area holding within primary containment lines. The night shift focused on patrol and monitoring of the fire edge going direct on spot fires to accomplish containment. Firefighters were successful in firing along the 46 Road connecting the Edmiston Springs and Spangler Creek sections. Outflow winds...

Lick Creek and Green Ridge Fire Update – August 4, 2021@ 8:00 a.m.   There will be community meeting tonight at the Dayton Best Western Conf. Room @ 7:30 p.m. Lick Creek Fire: The Burn Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team assessment will be utilized for forecasting the preparation needs of the areas at greatest risk for runoff and flooding. Smoke will continue to be visible as unburned pockets of vegetation inside the fire perimeter are consumed. Crews will continue to mop-up any interior pockets of heat and patrol until full containment is achieved. This fire remains at 90% contained. Green Ridge Fire: The fire continued backing slowly toward the Tucannon River in the Ladybug Campground area holding within primary containment lines. The night shift focused on patrol and monitoring of the fire edge going direct on spot fires to accomplish containment. Firefighters were successful in firing along the 46 Road connecting the Edmiston Springs and Spangler Creek sections. Outflow...

Actualizacion del Incendio de Bootleg Augosto 04, 2021  Localización: 28 millas (45 Kilómetros) noreste de Klamath Falls, ORTotal Linea de Defensa: 325 millas (523 Kilómetros)Tamaño: 413,765 acres (167,445 Hectáreas), 647 millas cuadrada (1,676 Kilómetros cuadrados)51 millas (82 Kilómetros) de borde de fuego activo, 274 millas (440 Kilómetros) de línea contenidaContención:  84%                                              Personal: 1,493                                                                                      (Klamath Falls, OR) – Una Alerta Roja y Alerta meteorológica de incendios estará en efecto esta tarde y noche por el segundo día consecutivo. Estas condiciones promueven la rápida propagación y el comportamiento extremo de los incendios forestales, pero hasta ahora la línea de...

Smoke Strong winds late in the day yesterday scoured smoke out of the area and Wednesday morning we are experiencing some of the best air quality we've seen around here in days. Light winds and hot temperatures today will lead to smoke accumulations in valleys near the fires. Health You can build a simple DIY air quality filter by attaching a furnace filter to a box fan. Find instructions here: https://youtu.be/4qr1Aj6Di7w And here:

  8/4 Smoke Outlook Fire Hot temperatures are expected again today and the heat advisory remains in effect. The fires are expected to burn actively again today although perimeter growth is not expected. Lightning yesterday afternoon and evening has started some new fires. Initial attack efforts are underway as new fires are identified. Cedar Creek remains at 50,406 acres and 23% contained. Cub Creek 2 is 58,793 and 24% contained.   Smoke Strong winds late in the day yesterday scoured smoke out of the area and Wednesday morning we are experiencing some of the best air quality we've seen around here in days. Light winds and hot temperatures today will lead to smoke accumulations in valleys near the fires.   Health You can build a simple DIY air quality filter by attaching a furnace filter to a box fan. Find instructions here: https://youtu.be/4qr1Aj6Di7w And here:

Fire Information Public Phone Line: (406) 426-9595, Email: 2021.cubcreek2@firenet.gov InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7675/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CubCreek2Fire2021 Acres: 58,697, Percent Containment: 24% Date/Time Detected: July 16th. 1:27 PM Structures burned: 3 Number of Resources: 651 Cause: Under investigation Origin/Location: 5 miles North of Winthrop, WA.Yesterday firefighters continued to have success on the western flank as they were able to progress up Eightmile Road safely and successfully securing established containment lines. Crews were also working up the Falls Creek Road removing hazard trees making access to the northern perimeter. The northern perimeter remains in its current footprint as the fire burned into high severity burn scars.As smoke lifted in the Methow Valley aviation resources were utilized throughout the day as they were able to support ground resources with water dropping missions, aerial supervision, mapping missions and...

   Bootleg Fire Update, August 4, 2021    Location: 28 miles northeast of Klamath Falls, OR    Fireline total:  325 miles  Size: 413,765 acres, 647 square miles 51 miles active fire edge, 274 miles of contained line  Personnel: 1,493 Containment: 84%    (Klamath Falls, OR) – A Red Flag Warning and a Fire Weather Watch are in effect this afternoon and evening for the second day in a row. These conditions promote the rapid spread of wildfire and extreme fire behavior, but so far the Bootleg fire line is holding. Helicopters kept dropping water on the active fire yesterday to cool it so crews could continue to work.  Southwesterly winds yesterday brought smoke to the Bootleg Fire area from fires burning in northern California. The smoke was helpful in that it created overcast skies that allowed less solar radiation to the active fire and kept temperatures cooler.  Overcast skies, from...

Daily UpdateAugust 4, 2021Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest  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)   Fire Weather: High pressure over Central Washington will continue to deliver very warm conditions today.  Moisture from yesterday’s rain will lead to muggy conditions early in the day.  Winds will be light, and terrain driven.  The ridge will weaken Thursday with increasing onshore flow and deepening marine layer west of the Cascade Crest.  Northwest winds will slowly increase on Thursday and become breezy late afternoon and evening.  A cold front will pass over the fire Thursday night into Friday bringing increasing humidity, cooler air, and strong northwest winds.  Light showers will be...

 John Day, Hines and Prairie City, OR. — (August 3, 2021) The Black Butte and Swamp Fires were discovered as lightning starts on Tuesday, August 3.  High Desert Type 3 Incident Management Team has been ordered to help manage the Black Butte Fire on Prairie City Ranger District.  Fire crews are working on the Swamp Fire located on the Emigrant Creek Ranger District.  The Black Butte Fire, estimated at 40 acres, is burning east of Black Butte near the North Fork of the Malheur River.  The fire is burning in the vicinity of the Pine Creek Inventoried Roadless Area (IRA). The Swamp Fire, estimated at one acre is burning southeast of Calamity Lookout on Emigrant Creek Ranger District.  Multiple resources are on scene. The fire management team would like the public to be aware of the potential for smoke impacts to the fire areas.  For more information in regards to smoke please visit:  Oregon Smoke Blog or Fire Air Now. To ensure public and firefighter safety, roads, trails, and...

See the related documents below for the Closure Order and Exhibit A. PROHIBITIONS: 1. Entering into or being upon National Forest System (NFS) lands, as described belowand displayed on the attached map, Exhibit A [36 CFR § 261. 53(e)].2. Being on a National Forest System Trail as described below and displayed on theattached map, Exhibit A [36 CFR § 261.55(a)].3. Being on a National Forest System Road as described below and displayed on theattached map, Exhibit A [36 CFR §

Lightning Ignites Complex of FiresCanyonville, Ore.— On August 1, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. a lightning storm over southern Douglas County ignited dozens of confirmed wildfires. Collectively, the fires have been dubbed the Skyline Ridge Complex. The fires range from less than an acre to over 600 acres and are burning on a mix of public and private forestland in southern Douglas County, east of Interstate 5. Firefighters from Douglas Forest Protective Association, Oregon Dept. of Forestry, Bureau of Land Management, and the US Forest Service have been aggressively attacking the blazes while providing for public and firefighter safety. The largest fires in the complex include Poole Creek (500-700 ac), O’Shea (100+ ac) and Ike’s Butte (40-60 ac).Despite high temperatures and low humidity, crews are making progress—getting control lines built around the fires and working toward containment. The suppression strategy is to keep the small fires small and prevent them from turning into...

Fire Weather Warning Beginning: 2021-08-03T20:27:00 Ending: 2021-08-05T05:00:00 New Alert KLAMATH BASIN AND THE FREMONT-WINEMA NATIONAL FOREST- 127 PM PDT TUE AUG 3 2021 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR STRONG GUSTY WIND WITH LOW RH AND HAINES 6 OVER THE BOOTLEG FIRE FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 624... ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM TO 10 PM PDT WEDNESDAY FOR STRONG GUSTY WIND WITH LOW RH AND HAINES 6 OVER THE BOOTLEG FIRE FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 624... ...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR STRONG GUSTY WIND WITH LOW RH AND HAINES 6 OVER THE BOOTLEG FIRE FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 624... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEDFORD HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM TO 10 PM PDT WEDNESDAY. A FIRE WEATHER WATCH HAS ALSO BEEN ISSUED AND IS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING. · IMPACTS: STRONG, GUSTY WIND WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND CRITICALLY DRY VEGETATION...

 “Dry” thunderstorms forecast for Cub Creek 2, Cedar Creek fire areas A weak low pressure system near the coast is creating conditions that are ripe for the development of thunderstorms in the Winthrop and Twisp areas. Jack Messick, incident meteorologist for the Cub Creek 2, has been watching regional and local patterns and said any thunderstorm over the fire areas could cause issues. “Dry thunderstorms usually have really gusty winds; we’re looking at up to 45 mph.,” he said. “They have an updraft of air on one side and a down draft on the other. The down draft hits the ground and has to go somewhere so it spreads out in every direction. These winds can be enhanced by ridges and valleys that channel the direction and flow.” Firefighters on the Cub Creek 2 Fire have been working to strengthen containment lines but a significant wind event certainly would test them. Messick said even though it’s referred to as a dry thunderstorm, that doesn’t mean there will be...

Twelve individual fires make up the Middle Fork Complex, with seven fires at 100% containment. Four fires make up the northwest section of the Middle Fork complex. The Gales Creek Fire is located south of the Forest Road 18 near the 1835 road and is now 1,268-acres with 0% containment. Heavy equipment will be used to remove vegetation along the 1824 and 220 roads. The six-acre Elephant Rock Fire, which is approximately two miles to the southeast has held at six acres and is 0% contained. On the 143-acre Ninemile Fire, engines and crews will work along the 1834 Road tying in with 339 Road to obtain a solid containment line. With growth of the fire to the east- northeast, firefighters will evaluate containment opportunities. Crews will monitor and patrol the Journey and Symbol Rock Fires, each at 0.1 acre and both at 100% containment. The 204-acre Kwis Fire is the closest fire to Oakridge and is located south of Forest Road 24 near Salmon Creek. Burnout will occur along established...

Inchelium, Wa. – On Monday there was minimal fire growth. Crews made progress strengthening dozer and handlines in the Oregon Ridge area.   Warm and dry conditions have prompted a Heat Advisory to be in place between 11:00 a.m. today and Wednesday night. An active fire day is expected. An approaching weather system has the potential to bring thunderstorms and erratic winds that could gust up to 35mph. This storm system is expected to pass through the fire area between this afternoon into the evening.  These gusting and shifting winds can create challenging conditions on the ground for firefighters with the potential for torching, short crown runs, and quick rates of spread through dry grasses.   Crews are building direct and indirect fire line along the fire’s north and east sides.  Mop up and reinforcement continues to the west and on parts of the northern edge of the fire. Crews continue to prepare dozer line in the southeast and plan to use helicopters to drop water on the...

How To Support the Firefighters on the Bootleg FireWe greatly appreciate the support and generosity of the community! Our team’s focus is on fire suppression and our number one priority is firefighter and public safety. Our wildland fire crews are well equipped and cared for, we provide them with all the food and supplies they need.We are unable to accept any donations at fire camps.For those asking how they can help support our efforts, here are a few ideas:1. Keep firefighters safe by adhering to road and area closures and by creating defensible space around your home. Learn how to create defensible space at http://firewise.org.2. Post "Thank You" banners or signs in the community and on social media. This is a great morale booster for firefighters after a long shift and many of our crews are working throughout the night when, under these extremely hot and dry conditions, it is actually safer!3. Though we cannot accept donations of food, beverages or clothing, we can accept...

  News Release August 3, 2021 Cusick, WA - The Molybdenite Fire is located about 9 miles Southeast of Ione, WA. It started on Saturday, July 31st and has burned approximately 54 acres of forested land.   Yesterday the fire stayed within containment lines and there was no fire growth.   Two Bull Dozers and eight hand crews continued to work on constructing containment line around the fire yesterday increasing fire containment to 20%.   Fallers were brought in yesterday to work on removing the overhead hazards. Fallers are crew members whose purpose is to cut down trees the pose a hazard to fire crews.   A Skidgen was also added yesterday to support crews with water. A skidgen is a log skidder that has been equipped with a water tank allowing crews to get water to areas that cannot be reached with large water tenders.   In addition crews laid out hundreds of feet of hose line around the fire to continue mop up of the fire perimeter. Water to these hose lines is supported by...