InciWeb Articles & Incidents for Washington and Oregon

Date Started: Aug. 11, 2017; Cause: Lightning; Acreage: 52,056 (Norse Peak) and 3,853 (American) Percent Completed: 80% (Norse Peak) and 99% (American). Total Personnel and Resources: 85 personnel, 2 Engines and 13 pieces of assorted equipment for chipping, loading and hauling. Fire Summary: Minimal fire growth is expected. Isolated pockets of slow surface spread where the fire is sheltered by the tree canopy and continued burning in the larger dead or down trees is still possible. The southeast side of the fire is under the command of the Naches Ranger District’s Type 4 organization. The northwest side of the fire is under the command of a Type 3 organization with the Incident Command Post located at the Expo Center in Enumclaw. Norse Peak Fire: On the northwest side of the fire, cleanup and fire suppression restoration work continues along Forest Road 70. Fire personnel are monitoring fire movement within the containment lines. American Fire: Any fire activity is expected to be...

High Cascades Complex - West Zone UpdateNorthwest Interagency Incident Management Team 8, Incident Commander: Tim Keith September 27, 2017 Special Announcements: General Westside Deer hunting season opens this week-end. The Rogue River-Siskiyou and the Umpqua National Forests encourage Forest visitors to “Know before you go”! Know: the forecasted weather; road, trail and area closure information; and be aware of firefighters working in the vicinity of your hunting activities. Fire Information Center: (541) 316-8352 Available 8:00 am to 9:00 pm. Information Websites: Inciweb – https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5503 and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/R6RRSNF and https://facebook.com/UmpquaNationalForest/ Incident Management Team: Northwest Interagency Incident Management Team 8, Incident Commander, Tim Keith, is managing the High Cascades Complex - West Zone. The incident command post (ICP) is located at the Joseph Stewart State Park near Lost Creek Reservoir southwest of...

Date Started: Aug. 11, 2017; Cause: Lightning; Acreage: 52,056 (Norse Peak) and 3,853 (American) Percent Completed: 80% (Norse Peak) and 99% (American). Total Personnel and Resources: 85 personnel, 2 Engines and 13 pieces of assorted equipment for chipping, loading and hauling. Fire Summary: Minimal fire growth is expected. Isolated pockets of slow surface spread where the fire is sheltered by the tree canopy and continued burning in the larger dead or down trees is still possible. The southeast side of the fire is under the command of the Naches Ranger District’s Type 4 organization. The northwest side of the fire is under the command of a Type 3 organization with the Incident Command Post located at the Expo Center in Enumclaw. Norse Peak Fire: On the northwest side of the fire, cleanup and fire suppression restoration work continues along Forest Road 70. Fire personnel are monitoring fire movement within the containment lines. American Fire: Any fire activity is expected to be...

New Tool in Firefighting Pioneered by Alaska TeamThe Alaska Interagency Incident Management Team (AIIMT) is pioneering use of a new reconnaissance tool for wildfire: the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), more commonly referred to as a ‘drone.’ The UAS is capable of detecting size, location and intensity of fires when conditions are too dangerous or smoky to send in ground teams or helicopters. AIIMT is the first team in the nation to travel to a wildfire incident with a UAS division (including equipment and personnel) as an integral part of the firefighting team. So what’s the difference between privately owned drones and this one? Communication and safety. If privately owned aircraft or drones are flying near a wildfire, fire managers have to cancel fire surveillance flights for safety reasons. That’s why it’s not legal for private aircraft (including drones) to fly over wildfires. “The UAS is part of our team,” said Air Support Group Supervisor Jason Brooks, who is...

If you have never seen what a grinder can do with the huge amounts of slash that is generated when firelines are being constructed, here is your chance. Great video shot by Heavy Equipment Boss trainee Jeanne Dawson today working along on the 3811 Road shows how quickly the horizontal grinder can chip up very large pieces of woody debris.Link to grinding/chipping operations

Rick Davis is assisting the Great Basin IMT #3's Planning and Operations sections as an Incident Meteorologist (IMET). Based in Tampa, Florida with the National Weather Service, Rick put in four 12-hour pre-hurricane shifts then waited out Hurricane Irma and spent the next five days without power before being dispatched to Oregon to assist with the Umpqua North Complex.Link to IMET

FINAL UPDATE Fire Information Line: 541-719-8371 Location: Willamette National Forest willamettewildfires2017@gmail.com Willamette National Forest Closures: Facebook: WillametteWildfires2017@facebook.com https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/willamette/alerts-notices Inciweb Website: Size: 14,451 acres (total for reported fires) Containment: 47% https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5420 Resources: 372 personnel (total for reported fires) (Beginning September 26 at 8:00 a.m., anyone calling for information on the Whitewater Fires will need to call the Forest Service Detroit Ranger District at 503-854-3366. The District Station is open Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:30 p.m.) On Wednesday, September 27, the local Type 3 Team will spend most of the day shadowing with outgoing NW Team 11. The Incident Command Post for the new Type 3 Team will be relocated to the Detroit Lake State Park on Highway 22. The Type 3 Team will continue to focus on suppression repair efforts, preparing the fire areas for the...

FINAL UPDATE Fire Information Line: 541-719-8371 Location: Willamette National Forest willamettewildfires2017@gmail.com Willamette National Forest Closure: Facebook: WillametteWildfires2017@facebook.com https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/willamette/alerts-notices Inciweb Website: Size: 14,451 acres (total for reported fires) Containment: 47% https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5420 Resources: 372 personnel (total for reported fires) (Beginning Tuesday, September 26 at 8:00 a.m., anyone calling for information on the Whitewater Fires will need to call the Forest Service Detroit Ranger District at 503-854-3366. The District Station is open Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:30 p.m.) Over the next three days the Northwest Incident Management Team 11 (Type 2) will be preparing to transition the Whitewater Fires to a local Type 3 Incident Management Team. Transfer of command is expected to take place on Wednesday, September 27. Fire managers are beginning to downsize and demobilize suppression equipment...

Reunion Comunitaria: Reunion Publica, que incluira informacion revisada y actual, en la Estacion de Bomberos Voluntarios en Winchuck (363 Winchuck River Road, Brookings) El dia de hoy a las 6:00 pm)El dia de hoy: Un mapeo de vuelo infrarrojo confirma las observaciones de los bomberos en los incendios de chetco bar e Indigo. Todavia permanecen areas recalentadas, las cuales se muestran como humo aislado dentro del interior del incendio asi como el acceso dificil en las areas de Meadow Creek, East Fork Pistol river (bifurcacion Este del Rio Pistol), Emily Creek y los drenajes del Rio Illinois. Los bomberos estan barriendo y patrullando dichas areas. Tambien,continuan con la recuperacion de equipo y las lineas de fuego de reparacion que ya no son necesarias. Con la finalidad de minimizar la erosion potencial del suelo, se llevo a cabo la introduccion de barreras de agua a lo largo de lineas manuales y de tractores. Los tripulantes colocaron arsenal de tierra, rocas, troncos, madera...

Umpqua North ComplexUpdateSeptember 26, 2017 – 9:00 a.m. Fire Information: 541-378-6944 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm) Inciweb address: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5505/# Start Date: August 11, 2017 Cause: Lightning Fuels: Timber, forest litter, grass, shrubs Acres: 43,140 Percent Completed: 60% Current Situation: Yesterday crews made great progress in repair work across the entire complex. Along the western edge of the Ragged Ridge/Happy Dog Fire area, use of a newly arrived grinder chipped up woody debris much faster than anticipated. Chipped wood will be hauled to other areas in need of material to slow water runoff. Firefighters finished mopping up containment lines east of the Rattlesnake Fire. A hotshot crew finished repairing dozer line north of the 4775 Road where soils were too wet to use heavy equipment. Along the eastern edge of the Brokentooth Fire, crews finished falling hazard trees along the 28 Road and repaired a gravel retaining wall on the 100...

Location: 11 miles NNW of Mazama, WA Total Personnel: 75 Acres: 127,498 total acres Cause: Under Investigation Containment: 79% Start Date: July 23, 2017 Note: The containment reflects the percent of operational objectives completed. Evacuation order lifted and additional road openings in Diamond Creek Fire area Update: Yesterday, resources completed excavator suppression repair work in the Ruffed Grouse area. South of the fire area, an excavator also worked on primary dozer line. One hand crew continued piling and chipping, while additional suppression repair work was done in the area of Ortell Creek. During a recon flight yesterday; personnel monitored fire activity at Monument Creek, Pat Creek, and the Tungsten Mine area. Minimal movement of the fire was seen in the Pat Creek and Tungsten Mine area; while Monument Creek showed slightly more activity due to the rise in temperature and lower humidity levels. Approximately 97,043 acres in the U.S. and 30,454 acres in Canada...

Suppression repair work on the Umpqua North Complex is over 60 percent complete. Planning Operations Section Chief Dan Gustafson gives an update on today's operations, including extensive chipping, grinding, and log processing along on the 3811 Road north of the Ragged Ridge Fire.Link to 9/26/17 Operations Briefing

Date Started: Aug. 11, 2017; Cause: Lightning; Acreage: 52,056 (Norse Peak) and 3,853 (American) Percent Completed: 80% (Norse Peak) and 99% (American). Total Personnel: 125 which includes 3 Crews and 4 Engines. Fire Summary: Minimal fire growth is expected. Isolated pockets of slow surface spread where the fire is sheltered by the tree canopy and continued burning in the larger dead or down trees is still possible. The southeast side of the fire is under the command of the Naches Ranger District’s Type 4 organization. The northwest side of the fire is under the command of a Type 3 organization with the Incident Command Post located at the Expo Center in Enumclaw. Norse Peak Fire: On the northwest side of the fire, cleanup and fire suppression restoration work continues along Forest Road 70. Fire personnel are monitoring the active portion of the fire adjacent to State Route 410. American Fire: Any fire activity is expected to be minimal. 99% of the indirect lines are complete....

Summary: Crews continued chipping away on repair efforts; increasing repair completion to 43 percent. Aerial operations assisted firefighters by shuttling crews and supplies into difficult to reach areas. While a warm and dry weather trend continued, high clouds prevented major temperature increases. Lingering snow remained a hurdle to repair operations but continued to slow remaining fire activity. Fire perimeters have little potential for movement. Grading operations are progressing smoothly as heavy equipment operator continue to overhaul roads impacted by operations. North Pelican (27% repair complete): Crews cleaned the trailhead at the end of Cold Springs Road leading into the wilderness. Chipping is expected to continue on the North Pelican for the next several days to remove excess slash along the roads. In addition to hand work, three excavators will repair access roads surrounding the fire. Blanket Creek Fire (45% repair complete): Firefighters...

Location: 11 miles NNW of Mazama, WA Total Personnel: 75 Acres: 127,498 total acres Cause: Under Investigation Containment: 79% Start Date: July 23, 2017 Note: The containment reflects the percent of operational objectives completed. Evacuation order lifted and additional road openings in Diamond Creek Fire area Update: Yesterday, resources completed excavator suppression repair work in the Ruffed Grouse area. South of the fire area, an excavator also worked on primary dozer line. One hand crew continued piling and chipping, while additional suppression repair work was done in the area of Ortell Creek. During a recon flight yesterday; personnel monitored fire activity at Monument Creek, Pat Creek, and the Tungsten Mine area. Minimal movement of the fire was seen in the Pat Creek and Tungsten Mine area; while Monument Creek showed slightly more activity due to the rise in temperature and lower humidity levels. Approximately 97,043 acres in the U.S. and 30,454 acres in Canada...

Miller Complex Fire UpdateSeptember 26, 2017 – 9:00 a.m. Acres: 36,496 Percent Contained: 75% Start Date: August 14, 2017 Cause: Lightning Total Personnel: 189 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 Containment on the Miller Complex has increased to 75%. During a reconnaissance flight yesterday the Incident Commander observed ground fire moving at a low intensity near Elliot and Dutch Creak. Warmer and drier weather in conjunction with overnight winds are lowering overall humidity levels. Fire behavior and smoke production are increasing with the changing weather as anticipated. Crews are reinforcing and patrolling primary, alternate and contingency lines along this more active flank of the Abney Fire. Yesterday two medical scenarios were carried out on the Abney Fire. Crews had the opportunity to simulate a fire line medical...

Community Meeting There will be a public meeting, including a fire overview and update, at the Winchuck Volunteer Fire Station (363 Winchuck River Road, Brookings, OR) today at 6:00 p.m. Today Infrared mapping has confirmed fire fighters’ observations on the Chetco Bar and Indigo fires. Pockets of heat remain, displayed as isolated smokes within the fire interior and in difficult to access areas in the Meadow Creek, East Fork Pistol River, Emily Creek, and Illinois River drainages. Firefighters are mopping up and patrolling these areas. Firefighters continue to recover unneeded equipment and repair fire lines that are no longer required. Inserting waterbars along hand line and dozer line minimizes erosion potential. Crews place earthen berms, boulders, logs, slash and other vegetative material to obscure previously disturbed areas. In other instances, berms are removed to allow for waterflow and settling of topsoil for vegetative recovery. Firefighters and support functions...

Daily Update Eagle Creek Fire September 26, 2017 - 9:00 a.m. Fire Information: 541-392-1632 (8 a.m.-8 p.m.) eaglecreekfire2017@gmail.com Approximate Fire Size: 48,573 acres Approximate Fire Containment: 46% Summary: Two reconnaissance flights yesterday revealed no significant change in behavior or size of Eagle Creek Fire. Today, incident objectives remain the same with crews working on suppression repair, chipping, decking trees, and mop-up where the topography and terrain allow. Personnel continue to work closely with resource advisors (READs) on repair specifications on the use of chippers and excavators in the southern flank of the fire. Hood River County collaborated with resource advisors to finalize a plan for identifying and relocating downed logs out of the eastern flank. As chipping work ends in some areas, personnel and heavy equipment are being repositioned as needed. More personnel and heavy equipment are on order. A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team...

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUREFOREST SERVICEOKANOGAN WENATCHEE NATIONAL FORESTMETHOW VALLEY RANGER DISTRICTORDER NO. 06-17-04-17- DIAMOND CREEK FIRE CLOSUREPursuant to 16 USC § 551 and 36 CFR § 261.50 (a) and (b), and to provide for public safety, the following acts are prohibited within the Methow Valley Ranger District of the Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest. This Order supersedes Order #06-17-04-17-17 and Order #06-17-04-17-1019, both signed on September 7, 2017 by Michael R. Williams as well as Order #06-17-04-17-1021, signed on September 15, 2017 by Michael R. Williams and is effective until October 15, 2017, unless rescinded, whichever is earlier. PROHIBITIONS: Entering into or being upon National Forest System lands as described below and depicted in Exhibit A. [36 CFR § 261.53(e)].Being on any National Forest System road as described below and depicted in Exhibit A. [36 CFR § 261.54(e)].Being on any National Forest System closed trail, as displayed...

Smoke: Smoke remains minimal as fire personnel continue to mop up and suppress any remaining heat. Agness continues to see moderate night time smoke drifting down the valley drainage. Other communities may also see similar conditions as the weather heats up, however any lingering smoke should lift up and out by mid-morning.Fire: The fire is rapidly winding down as crews mop up the remaining areas of heat and repair damaged areas that happened during the initial fire suppression operations.Other: The smoke monitors at Brookings, Gold Beach, and Agness will be taken down today. Due to area smoke becoming less and less the monitors will be taken down and the smoke outlook forecast will end in the next couple