InciWeb Articles & Incidents for Washington and Oregon

Springfield, Ore. –The overnight infrared flight mapped the Holiday Farm Fire’s footprint at over 170,000 acres. The fire’s perimeter measures more than 260 miles or roughly Portland to Medford.The suppression strategy uses a combination of roads, ridges and hand line to control the fire’s spread. Across the lengthy perimeter of the fire crews are making steady progress. Equipment operators are widening existing roads, building dozer lines and removing trees to create solid control lines. Hand crews are following up, connecting control features and completing burnout operations to remove fuels between the main body of the fire and control lines. Structural firefighters continue to aggressively extinguish hot spots in and around homes, clearing 100 feet around structures. The focus today remains on mopping up around homes from Vida to Rainbow. Protection efforts also remain in and around homes in the Deerhorn Road and Greenpasture Road areas. The Urban Search and Rescue Team...

El incendio de Big Hollow se ubica 15 millas al noroeste de Carson y 7 millas al sur de Cougar (Washington). Se pronostica humo y niebla por la mañana, con temperaturas que rondan los 70 grados. Los vientos variables no superarán las 10 millas por hora.   Operaciones de ayer: Los bomberos apagaron un nuevo foco en los espacios naturales de Trapper Creek que pudo amenazar las líneas de contención. Sigue aumentando el número de maquinaria y de equipos para combatir el incendio luego de que las brigadas volvieran a las carreteras 57 y 58 tras apagar el incendio para extinguir los combustibles en la línea de contención. Los equipos usan maquinaria pesada para seguir limpiando las carreteras S1000 y S6000, y trabajaron al sur de Canyon Creek para limitar la expansión del incendio. Asimismo, redujeron los combustibles en la cuenca de Wind River y quemaron una línea de control al este de la carretera 64 y al norte de la 201 para frenar la propagación del incendio hacia la...

Salem, Ore. – Los combatientes continuar haciendo buen progreso asegurando el perímetro del Incendio Beachie Creek.  Como resultado a sus esfuerzos, el incendio esta 20% contenido.  Tras una evaluación extensiva, por parte de las brigadas, los oficiales han determinado que 470 residencias, 35 estructuras comerciales, y 783 estructuras menores no residenciales fueros destruidas por el incendio.  Adicionalmente, 46 residencias,  5 estructuras comerciales, y 83 estructuras menores no residenciales, fueron dañadas.    Las brigadas y equipo pesado continúan trabajando para conectar y reforzar las líneas de control en el lado oeste y noroeste del incendio. Los combatientes continúan trabajando con los dueños de las tierras en el perímetro sureste del incendio para asegurar las líneas de control.  El aumento de acres del incendio en las últimas 24 horas,  no se debe a la propagación del incendio sino a que se están realizando evaluaciones aéreas, así proporcionando...

Special Update: Let’s Talk Burn-Outs What is a ‘burn-out’? Does this mean you’ll be putting more fire on the ground? How would that help? If you’ve asked these questions you’re not alone. Our intent with this special update is to help folks understand what’s what and increase your understanding of what this means out on the ground.A firefighter’s style of ‘burn-out’ has nothing to do with tires, race cars, or cheering fans. In the world of wildland firefighting, a burn-out is defined as intentionally putting fire inside a control line to consume fuel (brush, logs, grass) between the edge of the fire and the control line to create a buffer of burned area around the edge of the fire to help secure the area. This strategy ‘starves’ the fire of fuel and allows our hardworking engines and crews to engage the fire on their terms.Today’s burnout in the Engstrom Rd area will help limit the fire’s spread to the west towards communities. So while you may see more...

Air quality and smoke summaries can be found

Air quality and smoke summaries can be found

Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs P-515 & Lionshead Fire Update – Wednesday, September 16, 2020 – 9:00 a.m.   Weather and Fire Behavior: Well over one million acres are currently experiencing fire in the Pacific Northwest, mostly in large timber through the Cascades. The scale of this situation means that full perimeter containment or control will take time and help from seasonal weather. Lower temperatures, lighter winds, and higher humidity has aided firefighting efforts. Today conditions will be very similar to yesterday, with light variable winds, temperatures in the upper 60s and mid-70s, and 30 – 35% relative humidity. Fire activity should be moderated today across most of the fire and some rain is still expected Thursday. Yesterday: Yesterday, additional fire line along the east/southeastern portion of the fire was declared contained. When fire line is called “contained,” it means control line has been established which can reasonably be expected to stop the...

(Lincoln County, Washington) – El Equipo NW 10 transferirá la administración del incendio de Whitney a las agencias locales a las 8:00 am el jueves 17 de septiembre. A medida que las cuadrillas se acerquen a la contención total del incendio, los combustibles continuarán ardiendo dentro del interior, aunque es poco probable que se extiendan más allá del perímetro. El público puede notar algo de humo en las próximas semanas. Los bomberos continuarán trabajando para extinguir todos los puntos calientes cerca de las estructuras y dentro del área del incendio dentro de al menos 100 pies de los bordes exteriores del incendio. A partir del jueves, habrá seis camiones, una topadora, tres cisternas de agua portables y supervisión asociada para continuar con la extinción de puntos calientes y la patrulla.La calidad del aire seguirá siendo peligrosa durante los próximos días a medida que la columna de humo de los incendios en la costa oeste continúe moviéndose por el área....

 Fire Summary:There is a Red Flag Warning for our area for gusty winds and low relative humidity today. The weather continues to be dry and we are ex-pecting to see gusts up to 20 mph today. In anticipation of the winds, crews continue working hard to eliminate hot spots along the perimeter of the fire. Yesterday there were two new fire starts within the surrounding area of the Two Four Two Fire. The Cattle Fire is east of the Two Four Two Fire in the Pine Ridge Estates. It burned in grass and grew to 5 acres. The second start, named the Dam Fire, was off of Twin Rivers Road. That fire grew to 2.25 acres. Multiple engines were pulled from the Two Four Two Fire line to assist Chiloquin Fire Department and local resources with these new fires. Crews will continue mop up operations and patrol both of these fires today. Both fires are under investigation. Highway 97 will have areas of traffic control points so crews can fall hazard trees. The highway will remain open during this...

Beachie Creek Fire Update for Wednesday, September 16, 2020Brian Gales, Incident Commander, NWIMT13Les Hallman, Incident Commander, OSFMStart date: Aug, 16, 2020Location: Santiam Canyon west of Detroit, OR, Southern Clackamas CountyCause: UnknownFire size: 191,238 acresAir Assets Assigned: 7Total personnel: 530Salem, Ore. –Firefighters continue to make good progress securing the perimeter of the Beachie Creek Fire. As a result of their efforts, the fire is 20% contained. Following an extensive assessment by crews, fire officials determined that 470 residences, 35 commercial structures, and 783 minor nonresidential structures were destroyed by the fire. Additionally, 46 residences, 5 commercial structures, and 83 minor nonresidential structures were damaged.   Crews and heavy equipment continue to connect and strengthen control line on the west and northwest sides of the fire.  Firefighters continue to work with landowners on the southeastern perimeter to secure control lines. The...

Lionshead Fire Update – Wednesday, September 16, 2020 – 9:00 a.m.     Lionshead Fire Update – Wednesday, September 16, 2020 – 9:00 a.m.Start Date: 8/16/2020 Cause: Lightning Incident Commander: Noel Livingston, Pacific Northwest Team 3 Approximate Size: 183,744 acres Containment: 10%Total Personnel: 1113Approximate Distance:  14 miles west of Warm SpringsResources on the Fire: 31 crews31 engines 8 dozers28 water tenders11 helicopters Cooperating Agencies:Marion County SheriffLinn County SheriffJefferson County SheriffDeschutes County SheriffWeather and Fire Behavior: Well over one million acres are currently experiencing fire in the Pacific Northwest, mostly in large timber through the Cascades. The scale of this situation means that full perimeter containment or control will take time and help from seasonal weather. Lower temperatures, lighter winds, and higher humidity has aided firefighting efforts. Today conditions will be very similar to yesterday, with...

Northwest Incident Management Team 8, Incident Commander, Doug Johnson Oregon State Fire Marshal Incident Management Blue Team, Incident Commander, Scott Magers September 16, 2020 – 9:00 AM The South Obenchain Fire management teams will be hosting a virtual public meeting today (Wednesday 9/16/2020) at 3 PM on the South Obenchain Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/SouthObenchainFire  Presenters will describe the current fire, how we got to this point, planned actions and answer questions. No account is required to view the video. Online Facebook questions will be monitored during the meeting.   The life and safety of the public and all wildland fire responders is always the number one priority for all fire agencies.  To keep firefighters and communities healthy and safe, all firefighters are asked to follow recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the spread of illness.  This also includes limited entry into the incident command post...

(Lincoln County, Washington) – Northwest Incident Management Team 10 will be transferring management of the Whitney Fire back to the local agencies at 8:00 am Thursday, September 17. As crews near full containment of the fire, fuels will continue to burn within the interior, although they are unlikely to spread beyond the perimeter. The public may notice some smoke over the coming weeks. Firefighters will continue to work to mop up all hot spots near structures and inside the fire area within at least 100 feet of the outer edges of the fire. Starting on Thursday, there will be six engines, one dozer, three water tenders and associated supervision to continue with mop up and patrolAir quality will remain hazardous through the next few days as the smoke plume from fires on the West Coast continues to move through the area. Cooler temperatures, light wind, and a higher relative humidity means flare ups are less likely to spread. A 40 percent chance of rain is predicted for...

Archie Creek Fire Northwest Incident Management Team 9 (Incident Commander Brian Goff) Email: 2020.archiecreek@firenet.gov Phone: 971-334-7674 Hours: 7am-8pmFire Update:  Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020 Firefighters continue to work in the Little River area with heavy machinery, engines and crews, to construct and hold containment lines. Structure protection resources remain in place along Little River Road. On the far eastern portion of the fire, crews are allowing the fire to slowly back down the hillside to Panther Creek where crews have prepared roads to hold the fire. Heading north from Highway 138E, firefighters are scouting and constructing both primary and secondary containment lines from the Canton Creek area into the Upper Rock Creek area. Containment lines from South Calapooya Creek down to Glide continue to hold. Suppression efforts on the Archie Creek Fire were boosted yesterday by an additional 125 personnel from the Oregon National Guard. These soldiers are working to hold...

 The South Obenchain Fire management teams will be hosting a virtual public meeting today (Wednesday 9/16/2020) at 3 PM on the South Obenchain Facebook

PNW Incident Management Team #12 will be holding a virtual community meeting on the Gifford Pinchot Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/GiffordPinchot on Thursday September 17 at 5:00 PM. The meeting will be streamed via Facebook Live on the Gifford Pinchot Facebook page.The team will be giving an update to the current situation of the fire, as well as the current and predicted weather, fire behavior, and the leader’s intent from the incident commanders. Questions can be left on this post as well as during the virtual meeting, and staff will try to answer them to the best of our ability at the end of the presentations. The video will be saved and able to be viewed and shared for those that can’t attend during the live broadcast. Please share this message with all of those that would be interested in attending this

Acres: 135,956 based on infrared flight                                                Riverside Fire Info: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7174/                                                                                                                              Containment: 3%                                                                                                                              fb.com/RiversideFireInfo  Start Date: September 8, 2020                                                                                                      twitter.com/fire_riverside   Cause:...

The Big Hollow Fire is 15 miles northwest of Carson and 7 miles southeast of Cougar, Washington. Some smoke and morning fog are forecast, with temperatures up to the mid-70s. Variable winds will be under 10 mph. Yesterday’s Operations: Firefighters suppressed a new start in the Trapper Creek Wilderness that could have threatened containment lines. Equipment and crew numbers continued to increase as crews held road 57 after resuming firing to consume fuels inside the control line; they also resumed firing along road 58. Crews used heavy equipment to continue clearing roads S1000 and S6000, and worked to limit fire spread south of Canyon Creek. Crews reduced fuels in the Wind River drainage, and burned a control line east of Road 64 and north of Road 201 to stem fire spread east of Wind River Hwy. Crews cleared and secured areas around structures at Government Mineral Springs. Today’s Operations: Crews will continue holding the fire along roads 57 and 58, and monitor and build...

Lincoln City, Ore. – Rainfall totals for yesterday were not as much as firefighters were hoping to receive.  Rain gauges placed in the fire area showed that the western half of the fire received 0.13-0.18 inches of rain.  Further to the east, the rain gauges only received trace amounts of precipitation.  The lack of rain didn’t slow firefighter’s progress though.  The Echo Mountain Complex remained at 2,552 acres, but is now 40% contained.  Firefighters are working on mopping up and securing the fire.  Mopping up is the methodical process of detecting hotspots around the fire’s perimeter and removing the heat.  This is generally conducted using water, but utilizing the high relative humidity to assist is also a tactic firefighters will employ.  Fire resources will continue this process over the next few days to make sure there are no threats to the fire line. The incident meteorologist is predicting more significant rainfall over the fire area later in the week. ...

Two fires currently burning in a mix of timber and brush on the Colville Indian Reservation and one in patrol status comprise the Inchelium Complex: the Fry Fire, Inchelium Highway Fire, and Kewa Fields Fire.  All three fires are being managed for full suppression. The cause of the fires remains under investigation. Crews remain focused on exterior line construction with an emphasis on mopping up around structures, and the ongoing protection of natural and cultural resources.  Current Situation: Yesterday on Inchelium Highway Fire, improving and securing containment lines progressed in the northern areas. Most of the effort focused on interior work around structures within the fire perimeter. In the northeast, east, and southeast flanks of Kewa Fields Fire all lines held and crews continued mop up operations. The direct fire line around the slopover south of Cougar Canyon Road has been completed. Mop up on the Fry Fire was completed.Today’s Operations: Inchelium Highway Fire...