InciWeb Articles & Incidents for Washington and Oregon

Whitewater Fire Including Little Devil, Scorpion, French and Potato Hill Fires September 9, 2017 Daily Update Fire Information Line: 541-719-8371 Location: Willamette National Forest willamettewildfires2017@gmail.com Willamette National Forest Closures: 541-225-6350, https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/willamette/alerts-notices Inciweb Websites: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5420 https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5565/ Resources Assigned: 267 personnel (total resources of all of the abovefires) Size: 13,339 acres (total acres of all of the above fires) A helicopter assigned to the Whitewater Fire was loaned to assist with a quickly growing new start in Central Oregon yesterday afternoon. The public is reminded the fire danger remains very high and caution should be used when enjoying the outdoors. Evacuation Levels: For additional information of the evacuation levels, please contact the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (503) 588-5108. Current evacuation levels: Level 2...

Fire Information: (541) 316-7711 Containment: 60% Size: 24,025 Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5517/ Milli Fire September 9, 2017 Daily Update REDMOND, Ore.— There was no new growth on the Milli Fire yesterday. Total acreage for the fire today sits at 24,025 acres with 60 percent containment. Resources on scene include 59 personnel from the US Forest Service, the BLM, the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Oregon Department of Transportation. Firefighters today will continue repairing and rehabilitating fire line along the northwestern edge of the fire area. Crews also continue monitoring the perimeter as it pushes into the lava flows along Highway 242 ensuring that all hot spots are monitored until cold. The majority of heat from this fire remains in the southwestern edge of the fire perimeter as it moves slowly south in the Pole Creek burn and west into rock. The area closure in place for the Milli Fire has been reduced. While the western, southern and...

Whitewater Fire Including Little Devil, Scorpion, French and Potato Hill Fires September 9, 2017 Daily Update Fire Information Line: 541-719-8371 Location: Willamette National Forest willamettewildfires2017@gmail.com Willamette National Forest Closures: 541-225-6350, https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/willamette/alerts-notices Inciweb Websites: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5420 Size: 13,339 acres (total acres of all of the above fires) https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5565/ Resources Assigned: 267 personnel (total resources of all of the above fires) A helicopter assigned to the Whitewater Fire was loaned to assist with a quickly growing new start in Central Oregon yesterday afternoon. The public is reminded the fire danger remains very high and caution should be used when enjoying the outdoors. Evacuation Levels: For additional information of the evacuation levels, please contact the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (503) 588-5108. Current evacuation levels: Level 2 –...

Summary: Winds shifted Friday, blowing predominantly upriver out of the west and increasing fire activity to the east. One new Level 1 (Ready) and one new Level 2 (Set) Evacuation Notices were issued by the Hood River Sheriff’s Department for portions of Hood River County on Friday afternoon. See the Hood River County Sheriff’s web site for current information. Firefighters performed a strategic burnout near Cascade Locks to protected endangered residential and commercial structures. They continued to work along Interstate 84 and Hwy 30 using heavy equipment to strengthen firelines and protect structures, avoiding sensitive areas like fish hatcheries. Helicopters were dipping water out of the Columbia River to assist firefighters working south of the Interstate. Helicopters also provided assistance to crews working to contain the Archer Fire in Washington. Overnight, Oregon State Fire Marshall (OSFM) structure protection crews continued to mop up along I-84 and in Corbett while...

Today we should see cool temperatures and high humidity, with a possibility of light showers in the morning and in the evening. In the afternoon, there could be increased west winds, but fire behavior, even with the winds, is predicted to be minimal to moderate. Wildfires are a No Drone Zone: If you fly, we can’t. Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) areas remain in effect. knowbeforeyoufly.org Protect your home from wildfire: Remove flammable materials - clean roof surfaces and gutters of pine needles, leaves, branches, etc. For more tips on protecting your home go to www.firewise.org Approximately 407 personnel are assigned to the fires listed below. Resources include hand crews, helicopters, engines, dozers, water tenders, masticators, feller-bunchers, and chippers under the management of a Type 1 Incident Management Team. MCKENZIE RIVER RANGER DISTRICT The HORSE CREEK COMPLEX (29,157 combined acres) includes the Avenue Fire, located southeast of McKenzie Bridge, and the nearby...

Today we should see cool temperatures and high humidity, with a possibility of light showers in the morning and in the evening. In the afternoon, there could be increased west winds, but fire behavior, even with the winds, is predicted to be minimal to moderate. Wildfires are a No Drone Zone: If you fly, we can’t. Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) areas remain in effect. knowbeforeyoufly.org Protect your home from wildfire: Remove flammable materials - clean roof surfaces and gutters of pine needles, leaves, branches, etc. For more tips on protecting your home go to www.firewise.org Approximately 407 personnel are assigned to the fires listed below. Resources include hand crews, helicopters, engines, dozers, water tenders, masticators, feller-bunchers, and chippers under the management of a Type 1 Incident Management Team. MCKENZIE RIVER RANGER DISTRICT The HORSE CREEK COMPLEX (29,157 combined acres) includes the Avenue Fire, located southeast of McKenzie Bridge, and the nearby...

Cooler weather slows fire spread; Additional firefighters arriveLocation: 12 miles N of Mazama, WA Total Personnel: 85Acres: 91,500 U.S; 14,000 Canada Cause: Believed to be HumanContainment: 30% Start Date: July 23, 2017 Yesterday: Operations Section Chief Ian Morgan took a reconnaissance flight on Friday over the Diamond Creek Fire and saw active fire in the head of Monument Creek with continuous fuels to the south. Fortunately the weather moderated overnight with increased humidity and lower temperatures and the fire did not progress significantly to the south. The fire perimeter remains approximately two miles north of the line that would trigger an elevation to a Level 2 evacuation for the Mazama area. Crews continued to extend a hand-line well in front of the fire in the Yellowjacket Creek area as well as construct heli-spots that can be used in case of injury or to deliver supplies. Helicopters used bucket drops to cool spots at the top end of Pat Creek and provided...

Chetco East Zone Fire Update. Saturday, September 9, 2017 9:00 a.m. Friday was the first day of a drying and warming trend over the Chetco East Zone Fire area that will continue through Monday. Thursday’s wetting rain reduced fire activity providing a good opportunity for crews to continue making progress on fire line construction. However, fuels were only temporarily dampened and are already beginning to dry out. A fourth new fire, ignited by lightning Thursday, came to life and was controlled by Wild Rivers Ranger District firefighters. Dean Warner, Fire Behavior Analyst with Northwest Incident Management Team #13, observed that roads are already drying out and vehicles are kicking up dust again. Today’s temperatures are expected to reach 84 degrees in the valleys and 72 degrees on the ridges. The minimum relative humidity will be in the 30’s. Winds of 4-8 mph are expected out of the north. With warming temperatures and lower relative humidity, fire activity is...

Today we should see cool temperatures and high humidity, with a possibility of light showers in the morning and in the evening. In the afternoon, there could be increased west winds, but fire behavior, even with the winds, is predicted to be minimal to moderate. Wildfires are a No Drone Zone: If you fly, we can’t. Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) areas remain in effect. knowbeforeyoufly.org Protect your home from wildfire: Remove flammable materials - clean roof surfaces and gutters of pine needles, leaves, branches, etc. For more tips on protecting your home go to www.firewise.org Approximately 407 personnel are assigned to the fires listed below. Resources include hand crews, helicopters, engines, dozers, water tenders, masticators, feller-bunchers, and chippers under the management of a Type 1 Incident Management Team. MCKENZIE RIVER RANGER DISTRICT The HORSE CREEK COMPLEX (29,157 combined acres) includes the Avenue Fire, located southeast of McKenzie Bridge, and the nearby...

Outlook for Chetco Bar Air QualitySmoke: Smoke impacts today will vary from light to heavy in communities surrounding the Chetco Bar fire. Light Northerly winds will drift smoke generally South and down drainages into communities such as Brookings-Harbor. A rise in smoke this morning is likely in these coastal communities South of the fire before clearing later in the afternoon. Inland communities, including Cave Junction, will see a slow rise in smoke impacts through the day that may reach Unhealthy at times by the afternoon/evening. Areas North and West of the fire, such as Gold Beach and Agness, are expected to see Good/Moderate conditions and possible haze overhead. With warmer and drier weather developing this weekend, smoke impacts are likely to slowly increase with a forecast increase in fire activity. Fire: Low/Moderate fire behavior is expected today with an increasing trend. The fire is 182,244 acres burned and is 5% contained. Other: The Brookings arrived...

Smoke: Smoke impacts today will vary from light to heavy in communities surrounding the Chetco Bar fire. Light Northerly winds will drift smoke generally South and down drainages into communities such as Brookings-Harbor. A rise in smoke this morning is likely in these coastal communities South of the fire before clearing later in the afternoon. Inland communities, including Cave Junction, will see a slow rise in smoke impacts through the day that may reach Unhealthy at times by the afternoon/evening. Areas North and West of the fire, such as Gold Beach and Agness, are expected to see Good/Moderate conditions and possible haze overhead. With warmer and drier weather developing this weekend, smoke impacts are likely to slowly increase with a forecast increase in fire activity. Fire: Low/Moderate fire behavior is expected today with an increasing trend. The fire is 182,244 acres burned and is 5%

Smoke: With the approaching storm front, it is expected that smoke conditions will improve throughout the area over the next couple of days. The smoke within the Columbia Basin should clear and smoke in the area will be mainly from local

Acres: 2,732 Containment: 0% Start Date: August 11, 2017 Cause: Lightning Location: 15 miles WSW of Leavenworth, WA Inciweb: http://tinyurl.com/JackCreekInciweb Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JackCreekFire/ Fire managers get a clear view of fire activity Yesterday smoked cleared enough out of the valley for fire managers to take a recon flight to view fire movement in the Jack Creek, Stuart and Eightmile Lake basins. Fire activity was observed as low, with smoldering, creeping and isolated single tree torching. The fire continues to grow in all directions and is approximately one mile west of Eightmile Lake, ½ mile west of Stuart Lake. The Jack Creek Fire is predominantly a mixed severity burn, with areas of high and low burn intensity. The fire has burned understory and pockets of tree stands creating openings on the landscape promoting diversity. The mosaic pattern is beneficial for the landscape and the fire adapted ecosystem. The currently management strategy of...

Enumclaw Washington, September 9, 2017 - The Sawmill Creek Fire is currently 848 acres with 0% percent containment. The Sawmill Creek Fire was reported to the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) dispatch center on Sept. 4, at 7:30 p.m. As of Saturday morning, the fire burned throughout the Sawmill Ridge area northeast of the town of Greenwater. Overnight fire activity was minimal due to lower temperatures and increased humidity. Today firefighters are constructing roads and burnouts to get a line around the fire. The fire continues to threaten the watershed for the City of Tacoma, industrial timberland, DNR protected lands, and the United States Forest Service lands. Total Personnel 200, Crews 5, Engines 13, Dozers 2, Injuries 0, Structures Destroyed 0 A weakening cold front will bring showers and cooler weather as it crosses Western Washington on Saturday. Temperatures will be up to 10 degrees below normal. A public meeting for information about the...

Weather and Fire Behavior: The recent rainfall and high humidity led to minimal fire activity, best described as creeping and smoldering with little perimeter movement. Later in the day on Thursday, temperatures were noticeably warmer, signaling the beginning of a warming and drying trend that is expected to continue through Monday. Smoke impacts today will vary from light to heavy in communities surrounding the Chetco Bar fire. Today, during the morning hours, there will be smoke and fog in some areas with clearing in the afternoon. Skies will be partly sunny, temperatures in the mid 60’s with 5-10 MPH winds from the northwest. As humidity levels begin to drop and temperatures begin to rise, vegetation will begin to dry out, leading to increasingly active fire behavior with surface spread, fire backing downhill and making flanking runs uphill. Fire could climb to the tops of trees (isolated torching) in areas where wetting rain did not occur. Yesterday: Clouds, smoke and fog...

Smoke: Smoke from the Nash, Horse Complex, Milli and Whitewater fires will continue to impact the forecast area. The communities of Black Butte Ranch, Sisters, Redmond, Madras, Prineville and Bend will see slightly improved smoke conditions. Cascade Lakes and La Pine, will see improved conditions. Smoke is expected to persist in canyons throughout the day. The heaviest concentrations will occur in the morning and in the overnight hours. Fire: Fire activity is expected to be minimal to moderate today due to the lower temperatures, higher relative humidity and decreased stability. Other: Expect areas of low visibility on Highway 20, Highway 126 and Highway 97. Whitewater Fire Information-https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5420/ Milli Fire Information - https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5517/ Horse Creek Complexhttps://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5523/ Separate smoke forecast will be issued for communities west of the Cascade Crest for the communities impacted by the Willamette

NORTHWEST INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM #10 Al Lawson-Incident Commander Favorable weather conditions for firefighters Saturday, September 9, 2017 Fire: Uno Peak Completion: 1%Acres: 7,236 Start Date: August 30, 2017 Cause: Under Investigation Location: 15 miles NW of Manson, WA Total Personnel: 257 Fuels/Topography: Timber, grass, rugged terrain Yesterday: Fire activity has been minimal due to higher relative humidity and cooler temperatures. Completion of the containment line along Coyote Ridge has allowed crews to focus on finishing an additional containment line closer to the fire along Nelson Butte down to Lake Chelan. A structure crew has been working to provide protection to structures 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: Crews will continue and work on the containment line down Nelson Butte to Lake Chelan. If conditions are favorable, crews...

Smoke: Smoke from the Horse Creek Complex and Whitewater Fire will continue to impact the forecast area. The communities of Mill City and Detroit will see improved conditions while Brietenbush, Black Butte Ranch, Sisters, Redmond, Madras and Bend will see moderated smoke conditions. Smoke is expected to persist in canyons throughout the day. Fire: Fire activity is expected to be minimal to moderate today due to the lower temperatures, higher relative humidity and decreased stability. Other: Smoke from Potato Hill Fire may impact Highway 20 visibility at night and early morning. Expect limited visibility along Highway 20, Highway 126 and Highway 22. Separate smoke forecast will be issued for communities east of the Cascade Crest. Whitewater Fire Information -

The High Cascades Complex is now being managed as two Zones. The West Zone consists of the Broken Lookout and Pup Fires and continues to be managed by NWIMT 7. The East Zone is comprised of the Spruce Lake, Blanket Creek and North Pelican Fires and is being managed by SWIMT 3. Updates will be produced for each Zone and posted to Inciweb under the High Cascades Complex: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5503 There are numerous area, road and trail closures associated with the fires on the High Cascades Complex issued by Crater Lake National Park and the Umpqua, Rogue River-Siskiyou and Fremont-Winema National Forests. Firefighters and fire managers appreciate the cooperation of the public in respecting the closures for their own safety and the efficiency and effectiveness of the firefighting operations. Yesterday’s Activity: On the Broken Lookout Fire, crews neared completion of the containment line on the southwest flank of the fire. Indirect line construction continued along...

Smoke: Smoke from the Horse Creek Complex and Whitewater Fire will continue to impact the forecast area. The communities of Mill City and Detroit will see improved conditions while Brietenbush, Black Butte Ranch, Sisters, Redmond, Madras and Bend will see moderated smoke conditions. Smoke is expected to persist in canyons throughout the day. Fire: Fire activity is expected to be minimal to moderate today due to the lower temperatures, higher relative humidity and decreased stability. Other: Smoke from Potato Hill Fire may impact Highway 20 visibility at night and early morning. Expect limited visibility along Highway 20, Highway 126 and Highway 22. Separate smoke forecast will be issued for communities east of the Cascade Crest. Whitewater Fire Information -