InciWeb Articles & Incidents for Washington and Oregon

Date Started: August 11, 2017Cause: LightningSize: 40,343 acresTotal Personnel: 897Structures Destroyed: 0Firefighter injuries to date: 1Total Complex Containment: 37%Fire Resources: 17 crews, 50 engines, 5 helicopters, 4 bulldozers, and 20 water tenders Current Information: A little rain fell on the Complex Tuesday morning, but it not affect the fire to any degree. Fire behavior increased predictably in the afternoon, when the fuel had the least amount of moisture content. The Devil Fire, the Eagle Rock Campground and the north east section of the Ragged Ridge Fire were the most active areas. Tuesday’s night shift reported very little activity on the complex. This was due to cooler temperatures and higher relative humidity. Today, in the Boulder Creek area, crews will monitor fire progression and be ready to burn out along established containment lines if needed. Direct suppression and mop up continues on the Devil Fire. Throughout the complex, firefighters will work on...

Sawmill Creek Fire Update for September 13, 2017 Enumclaw Washington, September 13, 2017 - The Sawmill Creek Fire is currently 915 acres with 0% containment and has increased by over 64 acres in the last three days. Overnight, the fire activity decreased at about 3:00 a.m. due to cooler temperatures and higher humidity. The fire grows slightly as it backs down slopes and creeps around in ground fuels; it remains within the Sawmill Ridge area northeast of the town of Greenwater. Firefighters continue their efforts to improve roads, remove fuel around the fire and build indirect containment line. Crews continue to work their way into the fire to build direct containment lines. Firefighters working in Division’s “G” and “E” near The Dalles, Crystal Mountain Communities and Alta Vista Resort area continue working on structure protection by building control lines which continue to hold. Crews continue to reduce fuels around homes in preparation for structure defense...

Smoke: Winds associated with the storm front have donea good job of clearing smoke out of the communities.Expect improving air quality conditions as winds willcontinue through the day. There is a possibility in riverdrainages that smoke will accumulate during the night timehours.Fire: The Jolly Mountain fire is currently burning north ofCle Elum, WA. The current fire size is 32,509 acres anincrease of 1,789 acres. Active fire behavior with heavyconcentrations of dead and down fuels and thickunderstory brush. The Uno Peak fire is currently burningnorth of Lake Chelan with a current size of 7,879 acres anincrease of 543 acres. Active fire behavior. The Norse Peakfire is burning northwest of Yakima. The current size is52,502 acres an increase of 340 acres. Active fire behavior.Heavy fuel loading is contributing to fire growth.Other: Transitioning to cooler temperatures and breezyconditions over the next few days should improve thequality of the air due to smoke from wildfires. Longer...

Warmer, dry winds picked up yesterday evening, increasing fire behavior. On the Northeast corner, the fire crossed Herman Creek into the Camp Creek drainage about two to three miles south of I-84. It ran approximately three miles to Nick Eaton Ridge with some spots toward Gorton Creek. Firefighters anticipated this potential movement and have been dropping water in the area as conditions permitted, slowing the fire’s advance. These efforts will continue today. Crews are also establishing and strengthening contingency lines along the powerline corridor east of Cascade Locks to Shellrock Mountain and from Mitchell Point to Wahtum Lake. These measures are in place to protect communities and the I-84 corridor. Crews made gains along the I-84 corridor, particularly between Bridal Veil and Warrendale, where more line was completed. Mop up continued on the west end of the fire along with direct line construction on the Southwest side; crews are also scouting powerline corridors to...

NORTHWEST INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM #10 Al Lawson-Incident Commander Increased fire activity on west flank with warm, breezy weather Wednesday, September 13, 2017 Fire: Uno Peak Completion: 10% Acres: 7,879 Start Date: August 30, 2017 Cause: Under Investigation Location: 15 miles NW of Manson, WA Total Personnel: 323 Fuels/Topography: Timber, grass, rugged terrain Yesterday: Hot, dry conditions contributed to active fire behavior. Most of the activity was on the west side of the fire at the top of Lone Fir Creek and in upper Safety Harbor drainage, away from town.The containment line along Nelson Butte down to Lake Chelan has been completed. Crews strengthened and improved the dozer and hand lines down the ridge to the lake. Crews also worked to secure the line on the upper northeast side of the fire near South Navarre campground. The structure protection group tested and finalized their work and assessed other preparation needs. The Canoe Creek area to the west and the Llama Ranch...

As winds shifted westerly today, areas east of the fire experienced increased smoke. Some of this smoke was generated by fire backing slowly southward into the Herman Creek drainage, though the fire has not crossed Herman Creek or created any new threats. A fixed wing aircraft was used to conduct reconnaissance over some parts of the fire, but heavy smoke prevented the use of other aerial resources for water drops. Further east, firefighters continued to construct line along I-84 from Cascade Locks to Shell Mountain and from Wahtum Lake to Mitchell Point. For the most part, these contingency lines follow existing powerline corridors and roads.Work continued along the I-84 corridor, as firefighters strengthened lines between Bridal Veil and the Bonneville Dam. Crews from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) also made progress falling hazard trees along transportation and power transmission corridors. On the far west end of the fire,...

A public meeting has been scheduled for September 13, 2017 beginning at 6 p.m. at the Lowell Rural Fire District Fire Station located at 389 North Pioneer St., Lowell, OR 97452. This will be an opportunity for the public to hear the latest fire information and ask questions about the Jones Fire.

Due to on-going fire activity on the Jack Creek Fire, the existing Colchuck, 8mile and Stuart zone closure cancellation and refund for permit holders has been extended through September 22, 2017. While permit holders will be contacted individually, please feel free to contact the Wenatchee River Ranger District at 509-548-2550 to inquire about the refund

A public meeting has been scheduled for September 13, 2017 beginning at 6 p.m. at the Lowell Rural Fire District Fire Station located at 389 North Pioneer St., Lowell, OR 97452. This will be an opportunity for the public to hear the latest fire information and ask questions about the Jones Fire. The existing Jones Fire Base Camp, located in the Lowell Sate Park, will be moving today. The new Base Camp location will be Dexter State Recreation Site, including the South Bank Fishing Area. The staffed closure point will be at the existing entrance to the Dexter State Recreation Site off of State Highway 58. This move is a cooperative effort between the Jones Fire Incident Team, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and the Columbia Drag Boat Association. One of the safety aspects of this move will be the consolidation of our various main fire camps into one location. The Team appreciates the public support for the firefighting efforts, Oregon Parks and Recreation and the Columbia Drag...

Aproximadamente a las 8:00 p.m., se aclaro el clima de humo y se empezaron quemar áreas de combustibles en el lado oeste de Herman Creek, creando un columna de humo impresionante que era visible por muchas millas alrededor. La columna fue causada por vientos que soplaron por el drenaje Herman Creek. En el anochecer, con temperaturas mas bajas, se esperaba que los vientos dirigieran el incendio hacia partes que ya se habían quemado. La contención del incendio aumento al 11%. Las áreas que se quemaron afuera de la línea de control han sido aseguradas. Ayer, el liderato del incendio atendieron juntas comunitarias en Troutdale y Cascade Locks para compartir la información mas actualizada sobre evacuaciones, el cierre de las carreteras, y las operaciones del incendio. Oficiales estaban a mano para contestar preguntas. Las condiciones climaticas se secaran mas a través de la noche, y la humedad climática bajara al 20% en las crestas. El clima seguirá seco en la mañana....

Residents Allowed to Return to Homes in Teanaway Kittitas County, WA - 09/12/2017 - Effective at 9:00am this morning (Tuesday 9/12), the Kittitas County Emergency Operations Center officially reduced the Evacuation Advisory in certain parts of the Teanaway area, allowing residents affected by the Jolly Mountain Fire to return home. The EOC reduced the Level 3 notice to Level 2 in Teanaway Meadows, the West Fork to include Dingbat, the Middle Fork, the Wagon Wheel area, and the residences in the lower North Fork Teanaway area. Residents returning home are reminded to use extra caution on the roads, as fire personnel and equipment are still actively working and moving through the area. The Kittitas County Fire Marshal also advises that all propane tanks were shut off by the fire team’s structure protection group. The technicians placed a “lock out-tag out” lock on each tank. Residents will be responsible for contacting their propane provider for removal of these locks. West...

Miller Complex Fire Update Sept. 12, 2017 10 am NW Incident Management Team (IMT) 9, Brian Goff, Incident Commander Fire Statistics: Start Date: August 14, 2017 Cause: Lightning Complex Size: 34,033 acres Personnel: 601 Containment: 40% Community Meetings: The team will host two community meetings this week to brief the public on the progress of the Miller Complex. The west side community meeting will be held today, Tuesday, September 12, at 6:00 p.m. at the Williams Elementary School located at 20691 Williams Hwy, Williams, OR 97544. The eastside community meeting will be held Wednesday, September 13 at 6:00 p.m. at the Applegate Valley Fire Station #9 1095 Upper Applegate Road Jacksonville, OR 97530. Current Situation: Team operations continue to meet fire objectives, adjusting plans based on available resources and changing weather conditions. Due to national fire activity, resources are limited. Containment lines continue to hold with great success throughout the complex....

EQUIPO #10 DE DIRECCIÓN DE INCIDENTES DEL NOROESTE Al Lawson- Comandante de incidente El clima templado sigue ayudando con el incendio Martes, 12 de septiembre de 2017 Incendio: Uno Peak Completado: 1% Acres: 7,336 Fecha de inicio: 30 de Agosto de 2017 Causa: Bajo investigación Ubicación: 15 millas al noroeste de Manson, WA Personal total: 278 Carburante/topografía: Madera, Pasto, terreno escarpado Ayer: A pesar de haber tenido otro día caliente y seco, el comportamiento del incendio fue mínimo y mantuvo el incendio dentro de las líneas de contención. Se ha completado la línea de contención a lo largo de Nelson Butte hasta Lake Chelan. El grupo de estructuras ha completado el trabajo dentro de la zona de Canoe Creek. La zona de Canoe Creek al oeste y la zona de Llama Ranch al sureste permanecen bajo una evacuación de nivel 1 (estén preparados). Hoy: A lo largo de Nelson Butte Ridge, equipos continuarán fortaleciendo y mejorando la línea de buldócer y línea...

PRINEVILLE, Ore. – The Ochoco National Forest issued a temporary closure order today for a hiking trail and campground in Mill Creek Wilderness to promote public safety while fire crews fight the Desolation fire. The order temporarily prohibits public use of Wildcat Trail #833 and Whistler Campground. See attached map. The Forest will reopen the trail and campground to the public as soon as it’s deemed safe to do so. The Desolation fire is currently estimated at 300 acres in size, burning in patches of dead and live timber in the East Fork of Mill Creek drainage and running into parts of the 2000 Hash Rock fire. The fire was first reported around noon on Saturday, originating near the intersection of the creek with Desolation Canyon. Since then, the fire has grown northeast along the drainage toward Whistler Point, paralleling Highway 26 which is about 2 miles southeast of the fire. As the fire became active yesterday afternoon, heavy air tankers dropped 7 loads of...

NORTHWEST INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM #10 Al Lawson-Incident Commander Mild weather continues to moderate fire Tuesday, September 12, 2017 Fire: Uno Peak Completion: 1% Acres: 7,336 Start Date: August 30, 2017 Cause: Under Investigation Location: 15 miles NW of Manson, WA Total Personnel: 278 Fuels/Topography: Timber, grass, rugged terrain Yesterday: Despite another warm and dry day, fire behavior was minimal and maintained the fire within the containment lines. The containment line along Nelson Butte down to Lake Chelan has been completed. The structure group has completed work within the Canoe Creek area. The Canoe Creek area to the west and the Llama Ranch area to the southeast remain under a Level 1 evacuation (get ready). Today: Along Nelson Butte Ridge, crews will continue to strengthen and improve the dozer line and hand line down the ridge to the lake. On the upper northeast side of the fire near South Navarre campground, crews will secure the fire’s edge...

Eagle Creek Fire Video Update for Tuesday, September 12, 2017Good morning, I'm Rick Miller Operations Section Chief on the Eagle Creek. Give you a quick update on what happenedyesterday, what our actions were and what the fire did. Starting on the west end the spot fires that are out here on the farthest west end, they look really good, no smoke, no movement, just continued to monitor them. Coming up to the Bridal Veil area we did do a burnout operation tying it back into the highway 84 corridor yesterday. That went well. Very successful. Coming east along the Highway 84 corridor everything looked good. There was a couple areas that we identified that we put some handline in and around. And right around the Bonneville Dam we went in and put some hand line in on a piece that was still backing down towards the interstate to cut that off.So all of that was looking really good yesterday. Coming up to the Cascade Locks area, the burnout operations from two days ago, our folks were in there...

Smoke: Chetco Bar smoke impacts are expected to be moderate to heavy today with moderating fire behavior. Winds from the northeast will again push smoke toward coastal areas including Gold Beach, Brookings and further south into northern California. Highway 101 may see reduced visibility in some areas. Periods of Unhealthy air may again be experienced in coastal towns by this afternoon /evening. Inland, in the Miller Complex and Chetco Bar fires' smoke will influence Cave Junction, Grants Pass, Medford and other Rogue Valley communities with moderate conditions this morning. This is expected to worsen through the day, possibly reaching periods of unhealthy air. This is due to smoke from several regional fires impacting this zone. Fire: A generally moderate fire behavior trend is expected today on Chetco Bar with more active fire behavior on the Miller Complex, influencing air across southwest Oregon. Chetco Fire Information: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5385/ Miller Complex:...

Horse Creek Complex: Olallie Lookout Fire, 1,221 acres; Roney Fire, 3,161 acres; Avenue Fire, 2,038 acres; Separation Fire, 16,588 acres, Nash Fire, 6,409 acres; Rebel Fire, 7,992 Current Resources: Personnel, 401; Crews, 10; Helicopters, 2; Engines, 17; Dozers, 7; Water Tenders, 6; Masticators, 4, Skidgens, 4. Current Situation: The Alaska Interagency Incident Management Team assumed command of the fires Monday evening to assist local resources with the suppression of the fires burning in the Willamette National Forest. The Nash Fire is still burning close to the edge of Nash Lake, and is approximately four miles from Elk Lake. It remains in the Three Sisters Wilderness of the Willamette National Forest. Crews and heavy equipment are concentrating their work along the Cascade Lake Highway, removing dense vegetation and thinning trees to create a fuel break in the event the fire moves southeasterly over the Cascade Crest. Helicopters were able to fly on Monday as the smoke...

Horse Creek Complex: Olallie Lookout Fire, 1,221 acres; Roney Fire, 3,161 acres; Avenue Fire, 2,038 acres; Separation Fire, 16,588 acres, Nash Fire, 6,409 acres; Rebel Fire, 7,992 Current Resources: Personnel, 401; Crews, 10; Helicopters, 2; Engines, 17; Dozers, 7; Water Tenders, 6; Masticators, 4, Skidgens, 4. Current Situation: The Alaska Interagency Incident Management Team assumed command of the fires Monday evening to assist local resources with the suppression of the fires burning in the Willamette National Forest. The Nash Fire is still burning close to the edge of Nash Lake, and is approximately four miles from Elk Lake. It remains in the Three Sisters Wilderness of the Willamette National Forest. Crews and heavy equipment are concentrating their work along the Cascade Lake Highway, removing dense vegetation and thinning trees to create a fuel break in the event the fire moves southeasterly over the Cascade Crest. Helicopters were able to fly on Monday as the smoke...