InciWeb Articles & Incidents for Washington and Oregon

Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Limitations While many wildfires cause minimal damage to the land and pose few threats to the land or people downstream, some fires result in damage that requires special efforts to reduce impacts afterwards. Loss of vegetation exposes soil to erosion; water run-off may increase and cause flooding, soil and rock may move downstream and damage property or fill reservoirs putting community water supplies and endangered species at-risk. The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program is designed to identify and manage potential risks to resources on National Forest System lands and reduce these threats through appropriate emergency measures to protect human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources. BAER is an emergency program for stabilization work that involves time-critical activities to be completed before the first damaging storm event to meet program objectives.BAER Objectives: Determine whether imminent...

THREE PHASES OF WILDFIRE RECOVERY There are three phases of recovery following wildfires on federal lands: Fire Suppression Repair Emergency Stabilization-Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Long-Term Recovery and Restoration Fire Suppression Repair is a series of immediate post-fire actions taken to repair damages and minimize potential soil erosion and impacts resulting from fire suppression activities and usually begins before the fire is contained, and before the demobilization of an Incident Management Team. This work repairs the hand and dozer fire lines, roads, trails, staging areas, safety zones, and drop points used during fire suppression efforts. Emergency Stabilization-Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) is a rapid assessment of burned watersheds by a BAER team to identify imminent post-wildfire threats to human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources on National Forest System lands and take immediate actions to implement...

Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Limitations While many wildfires cause minimal damage to the land and pose few threats to the land or people downstream, some fires result in damage that requires special efforts to reduce impacts afterwards. Loss of vegetation exposes soil to erosion; water run-off may increase and cause flooding, soil and rock may move downstream and damage property or fill reservoirs putting community water supplies and endangered species at-risk. The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program is designed to identify and manage potential risks to resources on National Forest System lands and reduce these threats through appropriate emergency measures to protect human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources. BAER is an emergency program for stabilization work that involves time-critical activities to be completed before the first damaging storm event to meet program objectives.BAER Objectives: Determine whether imminent...

THREE PHASES OF WILDFIRE RECOVERY There are three phases of recovery following wildfires on federal lands: Fire Suppression Repair Emergency Stabilization-Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Long-Term Recovery and Restoration Fire Suppression Repair is a series of immediate post-fire actions taken to repair damages and minimize potential soil erosion and impacts resulting from fire suppression activities and usually begins before the fire is contained, and before the demobilization of an Incident Management Team. This work repairs the hand and dozer fire lines, roads, trails, staging areas, safety zones, and drop points used during fire suppression efforts. Emergency Stabilization-Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) is a rapid assessment of burned watersheds by a BAER team to identify imminent post-wildfire threats to human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources on National Forest System lands and take immediate actions to implement...

Forest Service BAER Program Overview The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program is designed to identify and manage potential risks to resources on National Forest System lands and reduce these threats through appropriate emergency measures to protect human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources. BAER is an emergency program for stabilization work that involves time-critical activities to be completed before the first damaging storm event to meet program objectives: BAER Objectives: Determine whether imminent post-wildfire threats to human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources on National Forest System lands exist and take immediate actions, as appropriate, to manage the unacceptable risks. If emergency conditions are identified, mitigate significant threats to health, safety, human life, property and values-at-risk. Prescribe emergency response actions to stabilize and prevent unacceptable degradation to...

Forest Service BAER Program Overview The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program is designed to identify and manage potential risks to resources on National Forest System lands and reduce these threats through appropriate emergency measures to protect human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources. BAER is an emergency program for stabilization work that involves time-critical activities to be completed before the first damaging storm event to meet program objectives: BAER Objectives: Determine whether imminent post-wildfire threats to human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources on National Forest System lands exist and take immediate actions, as appropriate, to manage the unacceptable risks. If emergency conditions are identified, mitigate significant threats to health, safety, human life, property and values-at-risk. Prescribe emergency response actions to stabilize and prevent unacceptable degradation to...

Miller Complex Fire Update October 14, 2017 – 11:00 a.m. Acres: 39,284 Percent Contained: 86% Start Date: August 14, 2017 Cause: Lightning Total Personnel: 279 Location: Private land and federal land on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest 20 miles west of Ashland, OR. Fire Information: 541-838-0770 Email address: millercomplex2017@gmail.com A return to summer-like conditions is expected over the weekend and into next week. Eastern winds will contribute to a drying trend, producing much lower humidity recoveries overall. Warmer daytime temperatures, coupled with wind and poor overnight humidity recoveries, will lead to an increase in active fire behavior. Smoke production is also expected to increase as the Abney Fire responds to these trends over the next several days. Fire managers have made the decision to bring in a Type 2 Incident Management Team (IMT) due to the current warming and drying trend, the complexity of terrain in the fire area, and the unreliability of...

Miller Complex Fire Update October 14, 2017 – 11:00 a.m. Acres: 39,284 Percent Contained: 86% Start Date: August 14, 2017 Cause: Lightning Total Personnel: 279 Location: Private land and federal land on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest 20 miles west of Ashland, OR. Fire Information: 541-838-0770 Email address: millercomplex2017@gmail.com A return to summer-like conditions is expected over the weekend and into next week. Eastern winds will contribute to a drying trend, producing much lower humidity recoveries overall. Warmer daytime temperatures, coupled with wind and poor overnight humidity recoveries, will lead to an increase in active fire behavior. Smoke production is also expected to increase as the Abney Fire responds to these trends over the next several days. Fire managers have made the decision to bring in a Type 2 Incident Management Team (IMT) due to the current warming and drying trend, the complexity of terrain in the fire area, and the unreliability of...

Today will be the last day the Chetco Bar FaceBook page will be utilized. Information will continue to be posted on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest FaceBook page, the link can be found below. The fire continues to slowly back down to the FR240 Road. Firefighters are working to extinguish all hotspots along the road and remove any hazard trees in the area. Suppression repair is nearly complete while grading operations continue. Groups of specially trained tree fallers have begun work that was identified in the Burned Area Emergency Response report. Fire officials would like to remind the public that road and area closures are in place for everyone’s safety. Please obey all closure orders and signs as there are many hazards still in the fire area. The Japanese Bomb site remains closed as well. Weather: Clear skies and winds out of the east are expected to return to the fire area today. The strongest winds are expected today aiding in the low humidity’s that are predicted...

Today will be the last day the Chetco Bar FaceBook page will be utilized. Information will continue to be posted on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest FaceBook page, the link can be found below. The fire continues to slowly back down to the FR240 Road. Firefighters are working to extinguish all hotspots along the road and remove any hazard trees in the area. Suppression repair is nearly complete while grading operations continue. Groups of specially trained tree fallers have begun work that was identified in the Burned Area Emergency Response report. Fire officials would like to remind the public that road and area closures are in place for everyone’s safety. Please obey all closure orders and signs as there are many hazards still in the fire area. The Japanese Bomb site remains closed as well. Weather: Clear skies and winds out of the east are expected to return to the fire area today. The strongest winds are expected today aiding in the low humidity’s that are predicted...

The intent of this memorandum is to describe the need for a temporary closure of National Forest System (NFS) Roads, Trails, and Developed Recreation Sites and Areas on multiple districts. This Order supersedes Order No. 06-15-00-17-383 due to changing fire conditions and threats to public health and safety. AREA CLOSURE DESCRIPTIONS: Cougar Bluffs Closure: Beginning at the intersection of Hwy 138 and NFS Rd. No. 4711 (T26S, RI W, Sec 10); heading South on NFS Rd. No. 4711 to the junction of NFS Rd. No. 4711-550; heading West on NFS Rd. No. 4711-550 to the junction of the National Forest Boundary; following the National Forest Boundary North to the junction with Hwy 138; heading East on the Southern edge Hwy 138 to the junction with NFS Rd. No. 4711. All roads and trails within the closure boundary are closed. NFS Rd. No. 4711 and 4711-550 are open. Steamboat Closure: Beginning at the junction with NFS Rd. No. 38 (Steamboat Creek Rd.) and NFS Rd. No. 4760 (T25S, R l E, Section 26);...

Diminished Fire Activity Results in Forest Service Reopening Recreation Sites, Roads and Areas ROSEBURG, OR - October 13, 2017 – Just in time for predicted sunny weather, Forest Service officials are reopening several areas, roads, and recreation sites on the Umpqua National Forest. The areas remaining closed to public entry are essentially the footprint of the summer’s wildfires. The Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness is now open. All trails into the Wilderness are open except for two in the northeast portion: the Rattlesnake Way Trail #1497 and the short trail (#1453) to Mosquito Lake. Five trailheads remain closed: Rocky Ridge, Beaver Swamp, Fish Lake, Cougar Butte, and Abbott Butte. Forest Road 3702-500 at the northern tip of the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness also remains closed. All roads on the Tiller Ranger District are now open for travel except Forest Road 68 and Forest Road 2840. Those two roads will remain closed until further notice. Boulder Flat and Island...

The intent of this memorandum is to describe the need for a temporary closure of National Forest System (NFS) Roads, Trails, and Developed Recreation Sites and Areas on multiple districts. This Order supersedes Order No. 06-15-00-17-383 due to changing fire conditions and threats to public health and safety. AREA CLOSURE DESCRIPTIONS: Cougar Bluffs Closure: Beginning at the intersection of Hwy 138 and NFS Rd. No. 4711 (T26S, RI W, Sec 10); heading South on NFS Rd. No. 4711 to the junction of NFS Rd. No. 4711-550; heading West on NFS Rd. No. 4711-550 to the junction of the National Forest Boundary; following the National Forest Boundary North to the junction with Hwy 138; heading East on the Southern edge Hwy 138 to the junction with NFS Rd. No. 4711. All roads and trails within the closure boundary are closed. NFS Rd. No. 4711 and 4711-550 are open. Steamboat Closure: Beginning at the junction with NFS Rd. No. 38 (Steamboat Creek Rd.) and NFS Rd. No. 4760 (T25S, R l E, Section 26);...

Diminished Fire Activity Results in Forest Service Reopening Recreation Sites, Roads and Areas ROSEBURG, OR - October 13, 2017 – Just in time for predicted sunny weather, Forest Service officials are reopening several areas, roads, and recreation sites on the Umpqua National Forest. The areas remaining closed to public entry are essentially the footprint of the summer’s wildfires. The Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness is now open. All trails into the Wilderness are open except for two in the northeast portion: the Rattlesnake Way Trail #1497 and the short trail (#1453) to Mosquito Lake. Five trailheads remain closed: Rocky Ridge, Beaver Swamp, Fish Lake, Cougar Butte, and Abbott Butte. Forest Road 3702-500 at the northern tip of the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness also remains closed. All roads on the Tiller Ranger District are now open for travel except Forest Road 68 and Forest Road 2840. Those two roads will remain closed until further notice. Boulder Flat and Island...

The intent of this memorandum is to describe the need for a temporary closure of National Forest System (NFS) Roads, Trails, and Developed Recreation Sites and Areas on multiple districts. This Order supersedes Order No. 06-15-00-17-383 due to changing fire conditions and threats to public health and safety. AREA CLOSURE DESCRIPTIONS: Cougar Bluffs Closure: Beginning at the intersection of Hwy 138 and NFS Rd. No. 4711 (T26S, RI W, Sec 10); heading South on NFS Rd. No. 4711 to the junction of NFS Rd. No. 4711-550; heading West on NFS Rd. No. 4711-550 to the junction of the National Forest Boundary; following the National Forest Boundary North to the junction with Hwy 138; heading East on the Southern edge Hwy 138 to the junction with NFS Rd. No. 4711. All roads and trails within the closure boundary are closed. NFS Rd. No. 4711 and 4711-550 are open. Steamboat Closure: Beginning at the junction with NFS Rd. No. 38 (Steamboat Creek Rd.) and NFS Rd. No. 4760 (T25S, R l E, Section 26);...

Diminished Fire Activity Results in Forest Service Reopening Recreation Sites, Roads and Areas ROSEBURG, OR - October 13, 2017 – Just in time for predicted sunny weather, Forest Service officials are reopening several areas, roads, and recreation sites on the Umpqua National Forest. The areas remaining closed to public entry are essentially the footprint of the summer’s wildfires. The Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness is now open. All trails into the Wilderness are open except for two in the northeast portion: the Rattlesnake Way Trail #1497 and the short trail (#1453) to Mosquito Lake. Five trailheads remain closed: Rocky Ridge, Beaver Swamp, Fish Lake, Cougar Butte, and Abbott Butte. Forest Road 3702-500 at the northern tip of the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness also remains closed. All roads on the Tiller Ranger District are now open for travel except Forest Road 68 and Forest Road 2840. Those two roads will remain closed until further notice. Boulder Flat and Island...

The intent of this memorandum is to describe the need for a temporary closure of National Forest System (NFS) Roads, Trails, and Developed Recreation Sites and Areas on multiple districts. This Order supersedes Order No. 06-15-00-17-383 due to changing fire conditions and threats to public health and safety. AREA CLOSURE DESCRIPTIONS: Cougar Bluffs Closure: Beginning at the intersection of Hwy 138 and NFS Rd. No. 4711 (T26S, RI W, Sec 10); heading South on NFS Rd. No. 4711 to the junction of NFS Rd. No. 4711-550; heading West on NFS Rd. No. 4711-550 to the junction of the National Forest Boundary; following the National Forest Boundary North to the junction with Hwy 138; heading East on the Southern edge Hwy 138 to the junction with NFS Rd. No. 4711. All roads and trails within the closure boundary are closed. NFS Rd. No. 4711 and 4711-550 are open. Steamboat Closure: Beginning at the junction with NFS Rd. No. 38 (Steamboat Creek Rd.) and NFS Rd. No. 4760 (T25S, R l E, Section 26);...

Diminished Fire Activity Results in Forest Service Reopening Recreation Sites, Roads and Areas ROSEBURG, OR - October 13, 2017 – Just in time for predicted sunny weather, Forest Service officials are reopening several areas, roads, and recreation sites on the Umpqua National Forest. The areas remaining closed to public entry are essentially the footprint of the summer’s wildfires. The Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness is now open. All trails into the Wilderness are open except for two in the northeast portion: the Rattlesnake Way Trail #1497 and the short trail (#1453) to Mosquito Lake. Five trailheads remain closed: Rocky Ridge, Beaver Swamp, Fish Lake, Cougar Butte, and Abbott Butte. Forest Road 3702-500 at the northern tip of the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness also remains closed. All roads on the Tiller Ranger District are now open for travel except Forest Road 68 and Forest Road 2840. Those two roads will remain closed until further notice. Boulder Flat and Island...

On Thursday, October 12 the Burned Area Emergency Response team presented their assessment findings and recommendations at a public meeting held at the Chetco Community Library in Brookings. A PDF copy of the presentation is available here and a videotaped recording of the meeting will soon be available. Follow the U.S. Forest Service-Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Facebook page for future news and alerts regarding BAER implementation within the Chetco Bar Fire

BLY, Ore. – Fremont-Winema National Forest will begin prescribed burning October 15 on the Bly, Paisley and Silver Lake Ranger Districts. Prescribed burns are a proactive tool used to achieve a number of purposes, including the reduction of hazardous fuels (overgrown vegetation). They can help decrease the threat of high intensity, high-severity wildfires; reduce the risk of insect and disease outbreak; recycle nutrients that increase soil productivity; and improve wildlife habitat.Area residents and visitors may notice smoke on public lands in various areas during the next few months as part of the continued commitment to protect communities and natural resources from wildfires. Bly Ranger District: Approximately 500 acres of prescribed burning is planned for the West Spodue Project area, located 12 miles north of Beatty and just west of Spodue Mountain. An additional 300 acres are scheduled to be burned within the Long Project area, which is 15 miles east of the Bly, in the...