InciWeb Articles & Incidents for Washington and Oregon

Diamond Creek Fire Update Okanogan-Wenatchee NF Thursday, August 24, 2017 Southwest Area Type 2 Incident Management Team 5 Incident Statistics Size: 31,559 acres Completed: 55% Structures damaged: Structures destroyed: 1 2 Injuries: 1 Date detected: July 23, 2017 Cause: Human Estimated cost $7.4 million Resources Hand Crews: 5 Camp Crews: 2 Engines: 8 Helicopters: 2 Masticator: 1 Water tenders: 4 Chippers 1 Total Personnel: 228 Fire Information: (503) 765-5724, 8 am – 8 pm Email: diamondcreekfire@gmail Website: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5409/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiamondCreekFire2017 Smoke Conditions: http://wasmoke.blogspot.com Location: Methow Valley Ranger District...

Ayer en la tarde, una nubosidad y relativa humedad, además del rociado de agua por medio de helicópteros, mantuvo el crecimiento del incendio de Norse Peak (2.040 acres), incendio American (193 acres) y los tres incendios cercanos (Union Creek – 366: 156 acres; incendio 367: 52 acres; y el incendio 351: 4 acres) en un punto mínimo. Los incendios se mueven lentamente a través del territorio, de manera progresiva y en retroceso, acumulando combustibles inflamables y quemando ocasionalmente grupos de árboles o desplazándose pendiente arriba. Esto puede tener efectos ecológicos positivos en el área forestal, pero los incendios están siendo controlados lejos de áreas desarrolladas y hábitats fluviales. Logros del miércoles: los equipos continúan removiendo combustibles y restos de la tala de las líneas de contención que se extienden desde Hells Crossing, a lo largo del lado norte de la carretera 410 y del sendero 999, hasta Morse Creek, y subiendo por Morse Creek hacia...

Today, fire crews will actively continue to mop up established fire line along the southern, eastern and northern flanks of the fire, securing a thick black line in anticipation of an incoming weather event. Fire behavior specialists have asked firefighters to be cautious where anticipated winds may become aligned with topography and cause potential fire runs in unburned fuel. Other hazards on the fire have included dead snags, fire weakened green trees, steep topography, limited escape routes, rolling rocks and debris, ash pits and unburned fuels. Crews have worked to mitigate, minimize and avoid hazards. Today, felling crews will work to remove snags from the fire line. Wednesday, firefighters conducted small burnout operations to secure some unburned fuels near the eastern and northern perimeters of the fire line. Crews suppressed small spot fires that blew across the northern perimeter late in the day. A previous 10-acre spot fire that started across the eastern boundary of the...

Norse Peak Fires Update. Thursday, August 24, 2017 - 9:00 a.m. Afternoon cloud cover and high relative humidity, supplemented with water dropped by helicopters, kept growth of the Norse Peak Fire (2,040 acres), American Fire (193 acres) and three nearby fires (Union Creek – 366: 156 acres; fire 367: 52 acres; and fire 351: 4 acres) to a minimum yesterday. The fires are moving slowly across the landscape, creeping and backing, burning accumulations of fuels, and occasionally burning groups of trees or running upslope. This can have desirable ecological effects in Wilderness Areas, but the fires are being kept away from developed sites and river habitats. Wednesday Accomplishments: Crews continued removing fuels and slash from containment lines extending from Hells Crossing, along the north side of Hwy 410 and trail 999 to Morse Creek, and up Morse Creek towards Bear Gap. This is intended to prevent south and westward movement of the Norse Peak Fire, which remains east and...

Location: Cle Elum Ranger District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee NF, 11 miles northwest of Cle Elum, WA Start Date: August 11, 2017 Cause: Lightning Size: 1735 Acres Percent Contained: 0% Vegetation: Timber between rock stringers and ridge tops Resources Assigned: 323 personnel Incident Commander: Alan Sinclair with the Southwest Area Type 2 Incident Management Team 3 Summary: As a weak cold front moved over the area, drier air and increased northwest winds caused the fire to become more active yesterday. Most acreage increase was on the north and south flanks. To the north, it moved into the head of Salmon La Sac Creek and South Fork Paris Creek. On the south side, winds pushed the fire move toward Elbow Peak. Today with cooler temperatures and continued dry air, the fire is expected to not be as active as yesterday as it moves into areas of less dense fuels. Night operations will be used to provide fire behavior information and monitor fire effects. The...

El incendio de Norse Peak se extiende actualmente sobre 1.966 acres y el incendio American sobre 176. Hay una plantilla de 295 personas (1 equipo tipo 1; 6 equipos tipo 2, 18 camiones de bomberos, 2 tanques de agua, 4 equipos de talado y 2 helicópteros) trabajando en los incendios. Otros tres incendios forestales que comenzaron a partir del mismo evento de relámpagos cubren actualmente una superficie de 132, 48, y 4 acres. Los bomberos se encuentran monitoreando estos incendios y vertiendo agua desde helicópteros cuando es necesario para mantenerlos bajo control. Carretera 410: La carretera 410 abrió la noche pasada sólo desde las 8 p.m. hasta las 6 a.m. El límite de velocidad es de 45 mph. Los conductores deberán manejar con cautela, debido a que los bomberos se encontrarán trabajando en el área durante toda la noche. Está prohibido detenerse. Las instalaciones para acampar permanecen cerradas alrededor del área del incendio. Este sistema está siendo evaluado diariamente...

Okanogan - Wenatchee National ForestTuesday 22, 2017Southwest Area Type 2 Incident Management Team 5 Fire Information: (503) 765-5724, 8 am – 8 pm Email: diamondcreekfire@gmail Website: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5409/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiamondCreekFire2017 Smoke Conditions: http://wasmoke.blogspot.com Location: Methow Valley Ranger District on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest; 12 miles north of Mazama, WA. Summary: Firefighters continue to work on contingency lines and roads. Chipping operations continue to remove debris from the line construction operations. Chipping is one component of the suppression repair plan. A smoke column was visible on Tuesday in a few parts of the fire area. Contributing to the column were high temperatures, low humidity and unstable air. Also on Tuesday, firefighters secured a containment line along the ridge above Pat Creek. While the possibility of fire spreading in the Pat Creek drainage is low, the area will continue to...

The Norse Peak Fire is currently 1,966 acres and the American Fire is 176 acres. There are 295 personnel (1 Type 1 crew; 6 Type 2 crews, 18 engines, 2 water tenders, 4 felling teams and 2 helicopters) working on these fires. Three other wilderness fires started by the same lightning event are now 132, 48, and 4 acres. Firefighters are monitoring these fires and using helicopter water drops as needed to hold them. Hwy 410: Hwy 410 opened last night from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. only. The speed limit is 45 mph. Drivers should drive cautiously as firefighters are still working in the area all night. Stopping is prohibited. Camping facilities remain closed within the fire area. This system is being evaluated daily and expected to remain in effect through Friday August 25. The highway is closed from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. to allow firefighters to work safely. Tuesday’s Accomplishments: The Norse Peak Fire continued to be active on its northwest corner, moving along Union Creek. Helicopters made...

Tuesday, fire crews battling the Bridge Creek Fire burning on the Colville Indian Reservation successfully established a black line around a valuable seedling test and research site on the eastern flank of the fire and continued to develop black line around the northeastern flank. Additional crews continued to finish contingency lines along the western flank of the fire and have prepared the western line for potential burnout operations. Today, crews will monitor passage of a cold front that is expected to bring shifty and gusty winds. Southwest winds will continue into the evening and overnight. Slightly lower temperatures are expected to continue through Friday. Thunderstorms are forecasted to pass to the east of the fire. Crews will work on continuing to secure established line and begin mop up along the Bridge Creek Road. Fire activity along the road has been minimal. Fire management has reported the burnout operations along the southeastern, eastern and northeastern flanks have...

Location: Cle Elum Ranger District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee NF, 11 miles northwest of Cle Elum, WA Start Date: August 11, 2017 Cause: Lightning Size: 1208 Acres Percent Contained: 0% Vegetation: Timber between rock stringers and ridge tops Resources Assigned: 320 personnel Incident Commander: Alan Sinclair with the Southwest Area Type 2 Incident Management Team 3 Summary: Yesterday the fire was actively backing down toward the West Fork Teanaway River, making short uphill runs through bug killed trees. Isolated torching was evident. Both the north and south flanks continued to increase in acreage, cleaning up fuels left behind after uphill runs. Weather patterns are predicted to remain warm and dry. Incident meteorologist, Mike Smith says “expect above normal temperatures with low humidities and below normal precipitation through the middle of next week. “ As this weather pattern stays in place, fire behavior will continue to be active. Area Closures...

A public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 24 at 6:00 p.m. at the Centennial Center, 719 E 3rd Street, Cle Elum, Washington. We will live stream the meeting on Facebook Live for those that are not able to attend in person. We will field questions that come in through Facebook Live after the meeting has

El incendio de Norse Peake se extiende actualmente sobre 708 hectáreas, y el incendio Americano cubre 63 hectáreas. Hay una plantilla de 290 personas (1 equipo tipo 1; 6 equipos tipo 2, 16 camiones de bomberos, 2 cisternas, y 2 helicópteros) trabajando para apagarlos. Otros tres incendios forestales que comenzaron a partir del mismo evento de relámpagos cubren actualmente una superficie de 31, 18 y 1 hectáreas. Los bomberos se encuentran monitoreando estos incendios. Autopista 410: Hasta esta noche, la autopista 410 estará abierta aproximadamente desde las 8 p.m. hasta las 6 a.m. Los gestores de incendio le piden paciencia al público, ya que aún se encuentran equipos trabajando en esta área a lo largo de la autopista y toda la maquinaria y escombros deben ser retirados de los carriles antes de permitir el tráfico en la carretera. El límite de velocidad será de 45 mph. Los conductores deberán manejar con cautela, debido a que los bomberos se encontrarán trabajando en...

Highway 410 to re-open for night travel starting August 22. The Washington State Department of Transportation and Norse Peak Fire managers are implementing a plan for allowing limited traffic through the Highway 410 corridor between Chinook Pass (mile post 69) and Hells Crossing (mile post 84, west of Cliffdell, WA). Beginning Tuesday night August 22 at 8:00 p.m., Highway 410 will be opened to traffic until 6:00 a.m. Provided conditions remain acceptable, the road will be opened nightly for these same hours, until further notice. During those hours, night shift fire engines will patrol the fire and closure areas. The Highway remains closed during the day from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. this week, to allow fire crews to work safely along the highway. This plan remains in effect through Friday August 25. For your safety and ours, if you plan to travel through this portion of Highway 410 when it is open at night, please follow these guidelines: Drive slowly and remain alert....

Highway 410 to reopen to nighttime traffic. The Washington State Department of Transportation and Norse Peak Fire managers are implementing a plan for allowing limited traffic through the Highway 410 corridor between Chinook Pass (mile post 69) and Hells Crossing (mile post 84, west of Cliffdell, WA). Beginning Tuesday night August 22 at 8:00 p.m., Highway 410 will be opened to traffic until 6:00 a.m. Provided conditions remain acceptable, the road will be opened nightly for these same hours, until further notice. During those hours, night shift fire engines will patrol the fire and closure areas. The Highway remains closed during the day from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. this week, to allow fire crews to work safely along the highway. This plan remains in effect through Friday August 25. For your safety and ours, if you plan to travel through this portion of Highway 410 when it is open at night, please follow these guidelines: Drive slowly and remain alert. The speed limit...

Location: Cle Elum Ranger District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee NF, 11 miles northwest of Cle Elum, WA Start Date: August 11, 2017 Cause: Lightning Size: 916 Acres Percent Contained: 0% Vegetation: Timber between rock stringers and ridge tops Resources Assigned: 301 personnel Incident Commander: Alan Sinclair with the Southwest Area Type 2 Incident Management Team 3 Summary: The Jolly Mountain Fire was more active yesterday than it has been the past few days. The higher temperature and lower relative humidity pattern will continue into the coming days. On Thursday, predictions call for lower temperatures then rising again for the remainder of the week into the following week. The up canyon winds enabled the fire to make short uphill runs above the West Fork Teanaway River. Most of the acreage increase was along the northwest edge of the fire. “We recognize the smoke has become more visible as it moved into an area with excessive amounts of large diameter dead...

A 10-acre spot fire occurred to the east of Summit Trail on Sunday night. Helicopters and Fire Boss scooper planes converged on the spot fire on Monday, and crews successfully surrounded it with a combination of hand line and dozer line. There is also a backup contingency line to the east and Bridge Creek Road as a back-up fire break to the south. Bridge Creek Road was closed for two hours on Monday because work on the Summit Trail spot fire had the potential of interfering with traffic. The southern flank of the Bridge Creek Fire has been lined and the line has been reinforced by a burnout operation. The eastern flank has now been lined and burned out. Today’s plans include mopping up the spot fire, finishing a “black line” (a result of a burnout operation) around a special seedling test and research site within the fire area, and continuing the burnout operation along the north side of the fire. On Thursday a strong front is expected to pass over the area bringing ridge top...

The Norse Peak Fire is currently 1,750 acres and the American Fire is 156 acres. There are 290 personnel (1 Type 1 crew; 6 Type 2 crews, 16 engines, 2 water tenders, and 2 helicopters) working on these fires. Three other wilderness fires started by the same lightning event are now 78, 45, and 4 acres. Firefighters are monitoring these fires. Hwy 410: As of this evening, Hwy 410 will be open from approximately 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Fire managers are asking the public to be patient as this area still has crews working along the highway and all equipment and debris must be removed from the driving lanes prior to allowing traffic on the road. The speed limit will be 45 mph. Drivers should drive cautiously as firefighters will still be working in the area all night. Stopping is prohibited. Camping facilities remain closed within the fire area. This system is being evaluated daily and expected to remain in effect through Friday August 25. Monday’s Accomplishments: The northwest corner of...

Tuesday, August 22, 2017Southwest Area Type 2 Incident Management Team 5 Fire Information: (503) 765-5724 - 8 am – 8 pm Email: diamondcreekfire@gmailWebsite: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5409/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiamondCreekFire2017Smoke Conditions: http://wasmoke.blogspot.com Location: Methow Valley Ranger District on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest; 12 miles north of Mazama, WA. Summary: On Monday, hotshots were successful in building containment lines on the ridge above Pat Creek, in the southwestern portion of the fire. Today, hotshots will be securing lines and utilizing helicopter bucket drops to prevent down-canyon burning. Crews to the south of the fire continue working on contingency lines. Eightmile drainage will be patrolled and monitored.A combination of low relative humidity, high temperatures and unstable weather makes today potentially challenging for firefighters on the Diamond Creek Fire. Temperatures are expected to be 5 degrees higher...

Fire activity is increasing on Jolly Mountain Fire. As temperatures increased and relative humidity decreased and the wind picked up this afternoon, the fire is making short uphill runs above the West Fork Teanaway River. Expect to see increased smoke from the local communities.

The Norse Peak Fire is 1,556 acres and the American Fire is 129 acres. There are 269 personnel (1 Type 1 crew; 6 Type 2 crews, 11 engines, 2 water tenders, and 2 helicopters) currently working on these fires. Three other wilderness fires started by the same lightning event are now 42, 35, and 2 acres; these fires are monitored daily. Sunday’s Accomplishments: Firefighters were able to fell dead trees and improve the fire line along the 999 Trail and Hwy 410. They held the Norse Peak Fire east of Union Creek and north of the 999 Trail. Hose lays and sprinklers are now in place to help protect structures in the area, including the Union Creek Cabins and the Pleasant Valley Campground. They also completed important strategic firing operations on the southeast corner of the Norse Peak Fire. Today: The fire edge along the Highway 410 corridor remains the priority. Snag falling, securing fireline through careful ignition operations, and assessing structures are the primary tasks today....