InciWeb Articles & Incidents for Washington and Oregon

Sweet Home, Ore. – Firefighters continued mop-up activities near the Bruler Fire perimeter. Smoke decreased within the fire perimeter as interior fuel consume and reduce hazard, with only isolated tree torching well inside the control line. The helicopter was not used yesterday, as the fire activity remained low. The helicopter remains available for the Bruler Fire today. Containment is now listed at 44%.Today, firefighters will continue to improve established contingency line on the west side of the Bruler fire. Work will continue on the contingency line for the next few days, and will be near completion by Wednesday. As summer progresses, it is important to be ready for fire season. Before a wildfire occurs in your area, create defensible space near your house. Remove flammable vegetation and other combustible material near your home. This includes cleaning gutters, roofs, and removing material under decks. Develop an evacuation plan for your family and assemble an emergency...

Evacuations: Residences east of Highway 155 between milepost 18 and Osborn Bay Campground Road are at Evacuation Level 1. SR155 and Steamboat Rock State Park are open.   Today: Winds projected for this afternoon will give containment lines a chance to demonstrate their ability to hold the fire at its current borders. Provided this continued success, resources are preparing to transition command of the fire back to local units. Firefighters on the line are engaged in mop up today. Unburned islands of fuel within the perimeter of the fire will continue to burn throughout the day, which may lead to moderate smoke output. Visit wasmoke.blogspot.com for local air quality updates.   Summary: Southeast Washington Type 3 Interagency Incident Management Team 2 assumed command of the fire at 8:00 p.m. on July 23 and is working with the Washington State Patrol-Fire Marshal’s office for this state mobilization.Estimated size: 252 acres Containment: 65%Start Date/Time: July 22, 5:42...

 Colville, WA: The Spruce Canyon Fire started Friday, July 23. 2021 at 2:02 p.m. near Spruce Canyon Rd. and Black Lake. The fire spread quickly due to low relative humidity and unseasonably dry conditions. Heavy timber, logging slash, and heavy areas of blowdown from past storms are a challenge for firefighters. The fire originally started on the north side of highway 20 and crossed to the south side on initial attack. Crews are focused on hot spots and slash piles on the north side of the road. The south side of the fire had active fire throughout the day on Saturday and into the night. There were type 1 rotors (helicopters) and fixed wing aircraft working to contain the active fire on the south side of the road. Crews are having to do a more indirect attack due to the heavy timber and dense areas of the fire. Active torching, short range spotting, and flanking are the main concerns at this time.  The fire is currently estimated at 90 acres with 0% containment.There are several...

 TODAY’S SPOTLIGHT ON THE ELBOW CREEK FIRE Saturday, July 25, 2021   CURRENT FIRE SIZE AS OF 7/25/21 IR FLIGHT                           22,681 ACRES   CURRENT FIRE CONTAINMENT                                                                        28%   LAST NIGHT AND TODAY: Last night’s fire operations went well, setting the precedent for another successful day on the line. The two-day old, 50-acre spot fire east from the 6212 Road was active last night but crews were quick to respond. The spot fire is in mop-up status today. An overnight infrared flight over the fire revealed that the fire within containment lines is much less active than previous days.   The Sickfoot Creek area is a priority for today’s operations. Presented with several options in the difficult terrain in the area, crews are planning to go more direct here constructing line tight to the fire perimeter.  ...

Patrolling and monitoring the fire perimeter is ongoing and smoke will continue to be visible as unburned pockets of vegetation inside the fire area are consumed. The Lick Creek Fire is now 90% contained.California Team 12, led by Mike Nobles, Incident Commander, will in-brief today in preparation of taking command of the fire Monday evening.  Command staff from the two teams will work closely together over the course of today and tomorrow to ensure a smooth transition.  After transition occurs, the Incident Command Team 12 will establish their Command Post in Dayton, Washington. Weather and Smoke Information: Sunday will be another warm and dry day across the Blue Mountains. Morning inversion will clear up by the afternoon. Winds will start off light then become breezy in the afternoon from the northwest. Smoke Information is available on the Washington Smoke Blog at: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/ Evacuations: Evacuation zones, and fire perimeter maps are posted on InciWeb at...

The Lick Creek fire is 80,392 acres with 90% containment. It remains active on the northern, eastern and southern edges. Activity may increase with warmer and dryer conditions expected today. Yesterday accumulated smoke didn't completely clear out as anticipated when the inversion lifted. A similar pattern is expected today, with more smoke to start with. Expect overall conditions to be Moderate to USG in the forecast area. Please note that there are multiple fires in the region that are also contributing to smoke impacts in the area. If you see smoke, you are breathing smoke! Please visit the smoke blogs shown below for health advisories in your area, and the 'Smoke Ready' site for resources on how to protect yourself from wildfire smoke. For up-to-date air quality information, please visit AirNow Fire and Smoke Map

CHUWEAH CREEK FIRE UPDATENORTHWEST INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM 12 Incident Commander: Bobby Shindelar July 25, 2021 8:00 AM Operations Today: Firefighters hit the fire hard again Saturday, focusing on the north and eastflanks, where four spot fires occurred outside of the main fire perimeter.Firefighters took action to prevent additional spread. Farther south, aquarter-acre spot fire crossed the line and was also contained. On thesouth, west and northern edges, control lines remained secure. Crewscontinue to patrol and diligently monitor the fire perimeter. They will beginassessing fire-weakened trees adjacent to roads and begin mopping up extinguishing or removing burning material within 50 feet of containmentlines. Northwest Team 12 is implementing COVID 19 mitigation measures inorder to ensure the health and safety of our firefighters and thecommunities we serve. To that end, all future briefings will be offeredvirtually via Zoom, in addition to being conducted in-person. The...

 FireThe Green Ridge Fire is 4,585 acres with 15% containment. Itremains active on the northern, eastern and southern edges.Activity may increase with warmer and dryer conditionsexpected today. Yesterday accumulated smoke didn't completely clear out asanticipated when the inversion lifted. A similar pattern isexpected today, with more smoke to start with. Expect overallconditions to be Moderate to USG in the forecast area. Pleasenote that there are multiple fires in the region that are alsocontributing to smoke impacts in the area.If you see smoke, you are breathing smoke! Please visit thesmoke blogs shown below for health advisories in your area,and the 'Smoke Ready' site for resources on how to protectyourself from wildfire smoke. For up-to-date air qualityinformation, please visit AirNow Fire and Smoke

  Summary: Southeast Washington Type 3 Interagency Incident Management Team 2 assumed command of the fire at 8:00 p.m. on July 23 and is working with the Washington State Patrol-Fire Marshal’s office for this state mobilization.Today: Winds projected for this afternoon will give containment lines a chance to demonstrate their ability to hold the fire at its current borders. Provided this continued success, resources are preparing to transition command of the fire back to local units. Firefighters on the line are engaged in mop up today. Unburned islands of fuel within the perimeter of the fire will continue to burn throughout the day, which may lead to moderate smoke output. Visit wasmoke.blogspot.com for local air quality updates.Evacuations: Residences east of Highway 155 between milepost 18 and Osborn Bay Campground Road are at Evacuation Level 1. SR155 and Steamboat Rock State Park are open   Estimated size: 252 acres Containment: 65% Start Date/Time: July 22, 5:42 p.m....

   Cedar Creek and Delancy FiresMorning UpdateJuly 25, 2021Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Fire Information Line - Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires: 509-557-0740 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm)Winthrop, WA — Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires are burning on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in very steep and rocky terrain in heavy down fuels. Cedar Creek Fire: Fire is currently estimated at 24,647 acres and 11% contained. Firefighters have solidified the eastern portion of the line between Looney Creek and Badger Creek continuing to mop-up and patrol. Between Boulder Creek and Falls Creek, the fire is backing downslope where resources are holding the containment line. Last night, the fire burned actively between Falls Creek and Wolf Creek reaching containment lines along the 5005 Road where firefighters currently are holding the line. Yesterday, resources prepared dozer line from Wolf Creek to Forest Service Road 4410 continuing up Thompson Ridge. Today, crews will continue with proposed...

Goddard Road FireNews Release  - July 25th, 2021Rice, WA: Yesterday, crews continued to work along the fire line, making progress to extinguish hot spots up to 500 feet around structures and 150 feet along the fire line.  The majority of containment along the fire line is now 100 feet, with sections at 150 feet.  Today, crews will continue to conduct mop-up operations, increasing the sections of the lines towards the goal of 150 feet. In areas where containment objectives have been reached, crews will work to disassemble hose lays, port-a-tanks and pumps and remove them from the fire line.  As containment objectives are reached, crews will begin to demobilize and either return to their home districts or be reassigned to neighboring fires.  Level 2 evacuations are currently in place and will be reassessed as conditions change. Southwest winds 3 to 7 mph will form later today, increasing this afternoon to 6 to 12 mph with gusts up to 23 mph, with low relative humidity.  This has a...

Smoke Outlook for 7/25 - 7/26North Central Washington Cedar Creek, Delancy, Cub Creek 2 Fires   Smoke Slope and valley winds will prevail over the fire area today with west winds on ridges in the afternoon. Air quality in Mazama will improve with the west winds. Smoke around the fire area should lift by noon. Smoke from Canada will impact communities in the Okanogan Valley in the morning with downvalley winds in Oroville and Tonasket. Air quality improvements from Pateros north through the Okanogan Valley should start mid morning. Upper Methow Valley smoke impacts could decrease Sunday with W/SW winds and more instability. Health Utilize N95 masks in heavy smoke if you need to be outside. Avoid vigorous outdoor activities when air quality is unhealthy. For information on smoke and health visit the Washington Smoke

FIRE INFORMATION:E-mail:  2021.summittrail@firenet.gov Phone:  385-999-1380   INCHELIUM, WASHINGTON – Hot, dry conditions continue to contribute to active fire growth. The fire was most active yesterday to the north and east, and that is expected to continue today. By yesterday afternoon, the fire had crossed proposed containment lines on Oregon City Ridge, and firefighters will prioritize building solid contingency line on Bridge Creek Road today, while also scouting places closer to the active fire edge to continue suppression. Residents along Bridge Creek Road will likely see firefighters and equipment working on roads and among structures today.   Motorists can expect one-way, controlled traffic along Bridge Creek Road between approximately 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. starting today between Carson Beach and Beaver Dam Creek. Some recreation and parking areas may be closed to public access. Expect delays and please use caution driving as firefighters will be working along the road.The...

Cub Creek 2 Fire Morning Update July 25, 2021   Fire Information Line – (509)-593-0574 (8:00 am to 9:00 pm)   The fire is burning on Okanogan County Fire District 6 and Washington Department of Natural Resources protected lands and the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.   The Cub Creek 2 Fire is estimated at 42,785 acres with 10% containment.   Overnight the fire remained within existing control lines, where moderate fire activity continued along the eastern flank because of heavy dead and down fuels from the 2006 Tripod Fire. Infrared is still picking up heat in the Eight Mile Creek drainage between the 2018 McLeod Fire and the 2014 Upper Falls Creek Fire. Crews are working aggressively to minimize fire spread south towards Cub Creek, as there is no recent fire history in this area. As the temperatures rise and winds increase out of the west today, an area of concern for crews is along Cub Pass and Cabin Creek because of the variations of fuel, specifically sub...

Fecha de inicio: 22 de julio, 5:42 pmPunto de origen: a lo largo de SR155, cerca de la milla 18 y Northrup Canyon Road Causa: bajo investigaciónResumen: El Equipo 2 de Manejo de Incidentes Interagenciales Tipo 3 del Sureste de Washington asumió el mando del fuego a las 8:00 p.m. el 23 de julio y está trabajando con la oficina del Jefe de Bomberos y Patrulla del Estado de Washington para esta movilización estatal.   Evacuaciones: A partir de las 6:00 p.m. esta noche, todas las áreas al este de la autopista SR155 entre el poste de la milla 18 y Osborn Bay Campground Road ahora se encuentran en un nivel de evacuación 1 (alerta). Esto incluye todas las áreas que anteriormente estaban en un nivel 2 (prepárese). La residencia única que anteriormente estaba en un nivel 3 (salga ahora) también se ha reducido a un nivel 1. SR155 y Steam Boat Rock State Park están abiertos.   Hoy: Equipos de mano y camiones, asistidos por helicópteros de lanzamiento de baldes, han estado mejorando...

Cedar Creek and Delancy FiresEvening UpdateJuly 24, 2021Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Fire Information Line - Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires: 509-557-0740 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm)     Winthrop, WA — Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires are burning on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in very steep and rocky terrain in heavy down fuels.    Cedar Creek Fire: The western portion of the fire in Silverstar Creek area continues to slowly push up the drainage.  Firefighters completed fire line from Cedar Creek to Highway 20 and will be patrolling it over the next 24 hours. Firefighters conducted mop-up operations along portions of the fire line at the base of the foothills west of State Route 20 from Early Winters area south towards Gobblers Knob looking to tie off Wolf Creek with dozer line, hand lines and hose lays.  From Gobblers Knob, crews reopened previous dozer line from prior fires across Thompson Ridge in addition to constructing handline. The fire is expected to remain...

Cub Creek 2 Fire  Evening Update  July 24, 2021   Fire Information Line – (509)-593-0574 (8:00 am to 9:00 pm)   The fire is burning on Okanogan County Fire District 6 and Washington Department of Natural Resources protected lands and the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.    The Cub Creek 2 Fire is estimated at 42,785 acres with 10% containment.   This morning the smoke limited visibility for fixed wing and rotary aircraft to provide air attack for crews on the ground. The air did clear a bit in the afternoon on the eastern flank that allowed for some aerial suppression activities. The fire remains split into east and west flanks actively burning on all sides. Both of the flanks continue to move in the northern section toward previously burned areas from the Mcleod and Tripod fires. These fire scars are moderating fire behavior.   On the southern portion of the fire, crews continue to successfully work at establishing containment lines that would limit fire...

 Wallowa, OR – The Elbow Creek fire has burned approximately 21,928 acres and is 25 percent contained. Overall, today was a successful day for firefighting operations. An inversion’s blanket of smoke suppressed fire activity and created ideal conditions for successful burnout operations from the crews. Efforts in the Elbow Creek area will continue to be prioritized, and slow burnout operations will be completed during night shift. Eric Perkins, Operations Section Chief commented, “We are very happy with where we are at.” In the southwest corner of the fire, a one-acre spot fire occurred, but was caught by a quick response from crews. Currently, the spot fire is being lined by a dozer with assistance from aerial resources. The east side of the fire continues to hold steady with mop-up operations in full swing. The fire is nearly lined with additional mop-up slated for tonight and tomorrow, as well as additional small sections of burnout left to be done. The Sickfoot Creek...

 The Summit Trail Fire was active again today with higher temperatures and lower relative humidity. The fire has crossed the proposed control line along Oregon City Ridge to the east, and crews are beginning to prepare the Bridge Creek Road as a contingency line. They will continue to assess opportunities for containment closer to the active fire's edge as well. Residents can expect to see crews on roads and among structures north of Bridge Creek. Work along the Bridge Creek Road will begin tomorrow, and motorists can expect one-way, controlled traffic along the road between approximately 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily from Carson Beach west to Beaver Dam Creek.  Firefighters will also be utilizing several parking areas along the road to stage equipment during this work. The Twin Lake area remains under a Level 1 (Advisory) evacuation. A Level 1 (Advisory) evacuation also remains in place from Lafleur south on Hall Creek Road to Hall Creek Flat (including Lynx Creek Road), and Seyler...

 Summary: Southeast Washington Type 3 Interagency Incident Management Team 2 assumed command of the fire at 8:00 p.m. on July 23 and is working with the Washington State Patrol-Fire Marshal’s office for this state mobilization.Start Date/Time: July 22, 5:42 p.m. Evacuations: As of 6:00 p.m. this evening, all the areas east of Highway 155 between milepost 18 and Osborn Bay Campground Road are now at an evacuation Level 1. This includes all areas that were previously at a Level 2. The single residence that was previously at a Level 3 has also been reduced to a Level 1. SR155 and Steamboat Rock State Park are open. Today: Hand crews and engines, assisted by helicopter bucket drops, have been improving containment lines along the southern and western borders of the fire. Professional fallers have also been engaged in felling hazardous snags. Along the northeast and east perimeter, resources are engaged in mop up. Unburned islands of fuel within the perimeter of the fire burned...