InciWeb Articles & Incidents for Washington and Oregon

Alder Lake Fire Update The Alder Lake Fire was ignited by lightning and first reported on Tuesday, August 11, 2015. The Gifford Pinchot National Forest, in coordination with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, is currently managing the fire that is approximately 4 miles East of Elbe, Washington on the south side of Alder Lake. A Type 3 Incident Management Team is assigned to the fire. Alder Lake Fire personnel would like to thank the community for their support of the firefighters. Current as of 8‎/‎ 30 /‎2015‎ Current Situation Total Personnel 148 Other Assigned Resources 4 Dozers, 4 Engines, 5 Type 2 IA Hand Crews, 5 Misc. Heavy Equipment, 2 Falling Module, Overhead Size 275 acres (10% Contained) Fuels Involved Closed canopy timber, with heavy dead and down Fire Behavior Minimal fire behavior observed due to rain showers. Fire continues to smolder under the thick canopy in the heavy fuel loading. Outlook ...

Carpenter Road Fire Update A Community Meeting will be hosted tonight at 6:00 pm at the Valley High School located at 3030 Huffman Road in Valley, WA. The Carpenter Road Fire is estimated at 64,173 acres and 20% contained. Today’s wetting rain will give fire managers some breathing room and an opportunity to evaluate the progression of the fire. Yesterday’s smoke kept fire personnel from determining the actual location of the fire along the northern edge. Today’s rain will fortunately dampen the spread of the fire significantly although a thunderstorm or two are possible during the afternoon hours. Containment has decreased with the growth of the fire along the northern edge. The western and eastern fire boundaries have remained very stable for the past several days. Crews in the southern portion of the fire have been and will continue to strengthen the lines along West End, Turtle Creek and Drum roads working towards the creation of a more secure southern boundary....

A memorial for firefighters Richard Wheeler, Andrew Zajac, and Tom Zbyszewski will be held today at 1:00 p.m. in Wenatchee. We will be observing three minutes of silence beginning at that time and will resume normal information center activities after 1:03 p.m. Information on our fallen brothers and the memorial is at

Okanogan Complex Fire Update August 30, 2015, 8:00 AM New Fire Information Numbers: 877-574-5148 or 877-568-0458 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/ Date Started: August 14, 2015, 10:25 PM Size: 304,782 Containment: 25 percent Cause: lightning Estimated Cost to Date: $21.54 million Injuries: 5 Total Personnel: 1,713 Residences Burned: assessment in progress Committed Resources: 39 crews, 162 engines, 37 dozers, 41 water tenders, 4 helicopters CURRENT FIRE SITUATION: Rain, cooler temperatures, and higher humidity are helping crews on the Okanogan Complex today as they work to secure containment lines around the fire. Despite strong winds Saturday, fire growth was minimal. Even with the rain, dense and large vegetation remains dry in many areas and is still burning. Tunk Block Fire (161,440 acres, 10 percent contained): Fire crews made good progress constructing containment lines on the northeast corner of the fire yesterday. Structure...

Colville Complex Update Sunday, Aug. 30, 2015, 9:00 a.m. Fire Information: 509-279-6795 goldhillmarblevalleyfires@gmail.com http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4562/# The Graves Mountain Fire will become part of the Kettle Complex tomorrow, Monday, August 31 at 6 a.m. At that time information on the Graves Mt. Fire can be found at: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4536/# or by calling 509-724-0040. Yesterday’s Operations: All established fire lines on the Graves Mountain, Gold Hill and Marble Valley Fires held during yesterday’s wind event, with the only perimeter growth occurring on the northern end of the Graves Mountain Fire. Fire behavior on the Graves Mountain Fire was very active on the northern perimeter, with the spot fire across Deadman Creek growing to an estimated 500 acres and the main fire edge continuing to back down toward the creek bottom. Firefighters successfully held control lines on the west, south and east flanks and continued to mop-up those lines when...

Fire Update – Sunday, August 30, 2015 – 9:00 a.m. Community Meeting: En Espanol - Sunday, August 30, at 5:00pm at the Spanish Assembly of God, 55 S. Quetilquasoon Rd., Manson. Overview: The Incident Command Post at Chelan Falls Park is relocating today to Confluence State Park in Wenatchee to allow for the most efficient use of limited resources. Some resources may remain staged at Chelan Falls. Operations permitting, there will be a 3-minute moment of silence today at 1pm to honor the three fallen firefighters from the Twisp River Fire. Chelan Complex: The wind event that blew through the area on Saturday resulted in minimal fire growth. Crews continue to work on structure protection in the Gold Creek and McFarland areas and are focusing efforts on developing containment lines in the northwest corner of the fire. Goat Mountain continues to be closely monitored and the road to communications sites is being secured. Crews will continue to patrol and mop up the fire in the south,...

Community Meeting: En Espanol - Hoy, Sunday, August 30, at 5:00 p.m. at the Spanish Assembly of God, 55 S. Quetilquasoon Rd., Manson.

08/30/2015 Incident Phone Numbers: 509 722-6040, 509 722-6165 Hours of operation: 8:00 am to 9:00 pm Email: carpenterroadfire@gmail.com Twitter: @BlueTeam_Info Facebook: www.facebook.com/RMIMTBlue Website: www.rmblueteam.com Inciweb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4549/ Statistics of the Carpenter Road Fire: • Size: 64,173 Acres • 20 % containment • Weather: Cloudy, 90% chance of showers in the morning, 40% chance of thunderstorms in evening. Start Date: 8/14/2015 Location: Washington State, Stevens County off of State Highway 25 north of Carpenter Road and Mudget Lake Road and south of the Springdale-Hunters Road Cause: LightningLocal, Tribal, Federal, State and International resources are assigned to the fireFire is burning on Tribal, Private, State and Federal lands676 personnel assigned to fireThe fire continues to receive resources to support ongoing firefighting efforts Springdale-Hunters Road remains closed. Evacuations: For Evacuation Information please contact the...

GLENWOOD, Wash. – A low pressure system moved through the Cougar Creek Fire area yesterday, bringing with it erratic, gusty winds and areas of wetting rain. As the weather dominated the fire area, crews were engaged deliberately to ensure all firefighters were aware of potential hazards. Snags are a serious concern to the well-being of personnel on the line, and all precautions were taken prior to continuing with suppression operations. The wetting rain that fell in the Glenwood Valley Friday morning is expected to slow progression of the Cougar Creek Fire, although only temporarily. The south and west perimeters of the fire received nearly an inch of rain, whereas the northeastern perimeter received a tenth of an inch. With the increase in relative humidity and drop in temperature, crews will be allowed a small window of opportunity to gain ground on containment lines. Crews will continue burnout operations west on Potato Hill Road as fuel moistures allow. Southern...

Okanogan Complex Fire Update August 29, 2015, 8:00 PM Fire Information: 509-850-0083, 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/ Date Started: August 14, 2015, 10:25 PM Size: 304,782 Containment: 25 percent Cause: lightning Estimated Cost to Date: $21.54 million Injuries: 5 Total Personnel: 1,713 Residences Burned: assessment in progress Committed Resources: 39 crews, 162 engines, 37 dozers, 41 water tenders, 4 helicopters CURRENT FIRE SITUATION: Despite strong, gusty winds, fires in the Okanogan Complex remained within containment lines Saturday. An unusually strong front pushed southerly winds through the fire area. However, those winds were not quite as strong in some area of the complex as had been expected. In addition, portions of the complex received measurable amounts of rain and cloud cover helped to moderate fire behavior. The red flag warning for high winds expired at 7 p.m. Meteorologists predict a chance of wetting rains on portions...

Carpenter Road Fire Update Today’s High Wind Warning will be in effect until 10:00 PM tonight. A Community Meeting will be hosted tomorrow night at 6:00 pm at the Valley High School which is located at 3030 Huffman Road in Valley, WA. Fire managers are evaluating fire progression from today’s operations. Due to lack of visibility from smoke, fire perimeters cannot be defined on the northern area of the fire. Crews continued to scout for safe opportunities to construct fire line in these areas. As winds picked up firefighters disengaged the fire and went to their safety zones and when the winds let up worked on the control lines resumed. Crews in the southern portion of the fire will be holding and improving the existing fire lines. While the southwestern and western edges of the fire remains very quiet, firefighters continue to work in the area patrolling and mopping up around structures. Crews will continue to create control line just south of Springdale-Hunters Road...

Yesterday’s Activities: As the smoke inversion lifted, the North Star Fire became more active and smoke plumes from within the perimeter were visible. The fire pushed toward the ridgetops along Highway 21 and was backing downhill. Winds were favorable for successful burnout operations along the northeast perimeter and crews continued bringing fire southward overnight. Engines patrolled the burnout in the Moses Meadows and Lyman Lake area. Firefighters worked to reinforce the line connecting to Cache Creek Road. The burnout and direct dozer line in the Owhi Lake area is holding. Crews were successful in responding to the small spot fires on the Northwest corner of the North Star Fire. Engine crews provided structure protection in the Disautel area yesterday as firefighters responded to a 100 acre spot fire east of Tunk Block Fire. Today’s Operations: Command of the North Star Fire transitioned to Pacific Northwest Team 3 this morning, other resources assigned to the fire...

Community Meeting: A community meeting will be held tonight, August 29, at 7:00pm at the Performing Arts Center, Chelan High School, 215 W. Webster Way. A second community meeting will be held en Espanol Sunday, August 30, at 5:00pm at the Spanish Assembly of God, 55 S. Quetilquasoon Rd., Manson. Overview: A significant wind event is forecast for much of the day, which will test containment lines on all fires. Crews will be focused on structure protection and holding lines, with the primary priority being on firefighter and public safety. Plans are underway for relocation of the Incident Command Post at Chelan Falls Park to Confluence State Park in Wenatchee to allow for the most efficient use of limited resources. Timing of relocation is dependent on changing weather conditions. Chelan Complex: On Thursday, the fire crossed the line at South Fork Gold Creek on the north side. Crews are scouting opportunities to construct a dozer line in the McFarland and Gold Creek areas and...

The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning for the region today. Currently a strong front is passing across the Western Olympic Peninsula bringing with it high, destructive winds. Wind gusts as high as 62 mph have been recorded in the Olympic National Park. This is unusual for late August. This could create more problems due to trees being under stress from the dry conditions and deciduous trees still having their leaves. These factors will increase the risk of downed trees and branches. All Park roads are closed to inbound traffic as rangers assess the damage from falling tress. All Park campgrounds are closed and many campers are unable to exit campgrounds due to downed trees. The Park Service is advising everyone to take shelter until the high winds subside. Multiple power outages have been reported and some communication lines are down. The public is advised to exercise extreme caution around downed power lines. For information on power outages visit these...

Información para el día sábado, 29 de agosto, 2015 Reunión pública de la comunidad: sábado 29 de agosto a las 7:00pm en el Performing Arts Center, Chelan High School, 215 W. Webster Way. El domingo 30 de agosto a las 5:00pm en el Spanish Assembly of God, 55 S. Quetilquasoon Rd., Manson. En general: Un evento significante de vientos está previsto para hoy que al mejor causará problemas en los fuegos. Los equipos se concentraran en la protección de las estructuras con la seguridad de los bomberos y el público siendo la prioridad principal. El Chelan Complex se trasladará a Confluence State Park en Wenatchee. Chelan Complex: El jueves, el fuego cruzó la línea en South Fork Gold Creek en el lado norte. Los equipos siguen trabajando en las áreas de McFarland y Gold Creek y las protecciones de estructuras siguen. Goat Mountain sigue siendo supervisado y el camino hacia el sitio de comunicaciones está siendo asegurado. Hoy equipos continuará patrullando el fuego en las...

Información para el día sábado, 29 de agosto, 2015 Reunión pública de la comunidad: sábado 29 de agosto a las 7:00pm en el Performing Arts Center, Chelan High School, 215 W. Webster Way. El domingo 30 de agosto a las 5:00pm en el Spanish Assembly of God, 55 S. Quetilquasoon Rd., Manson. En general: Un evento significante de vientos está previsto para hoy que al mejor causará problemas en los fuegos. Los equipos se concentraran en la protección de las estructuras con la seguridad de los bomberos y el público siendo la prioridad principal. El Chelan Complex se trasladará a Confluence State Park en Wenatchee. Chelan Complex: El jueves, el fuego cruzó la línea en South Fork Gold Creek en el lado norte. Los equipos siguen trabajando en las áreas de McFarland y Gold Creek y las protecciones de estructuras siguen. Goat Mountain sigue siendo supervisado y el camino hacia el sitio de comunicaciones está siendo asegurado. Hoy equipos continuará patrullando el fuego en...

Forest Service Fire Closure Area ExpandedRelease Date: Aug 27, 2015 Severe fire hazard has prompted the Forest Service to close all National Forest lands north of Highway 2 on the Wenatchee River Ranger District to public entry. “This is not a decision that has been taken lightly,” said District Ranger Jeff Rivera. “Our primary concern is for public and fire fighter safety.” The closure will be lifted as soon as the unusual wildfire threat is abated, but rainfall predicted for this weekend probably will not be enough to end that threat, he said.The decision notice signed by Okanogan-Wenatchee Forest Supervisor Mike Williams is effective immediately. The forest closure includes all National Forest System lands on the Wenatchee River Ranger District north of Highway 2 except the higher elevation Pacific Crest Trail.The closure is prompted by the expansion of the Wolverine wildfire on the Entiat Ranger District just north of the Wenatchee River district, Rivera said. “That fire...

Overview The Olympic National Park (NPS) and Olympic National Forest (USFS) are managing the information dissemination for all federally managed fires on the Olympic Peninsula through one channel. A Type 3 Incident Management Team (IMT) is managing fires under NPS and USFS jurisdiction. A Type 4 organization is managing the Cabin, Mildred Lake, and Nicklund Creek fires under USFS jurisdiction.Weather Forecast The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning for the region today. Southerly winds of 20 to 35 mph with gusts over 50 are possible. This is unusual for late August. This could create more problems because of trees being under stress due to dry conditions and deciduous trees still having their leaves. These factors will increase the risk of downed trees and branches. Weather stations near the Paradise Fire have recorded 1.12 inches of precipitation since Friday but heavier rain is expected today.Paradise Fire - NPS - 2796 acres All fire personnel assigned to...

Okanogan Complex Fire Update August 29, 2015, 8:00 AM Fire Information: 509-850-0083, 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/ Date Started: August 14, 2015, 10:25 PM Size: 302,225 Containment: 23 percent Cause: lightning Estimated Cost to Date: $18.47 million Injuries: 5 Total Personnel: 1,918 Residences Burned: assessment in progress Committed Resources: 34 crews, 184 engines, 37 dozers, 41 water tenders, 8 helicopters CURRENT FIRE SITUATION A red flag warning is in effect for high winds. An unusually strong front with southerly winds will move through the region, with sustained winds of 35 miles per hour and gusts up to 60 miles per hour possible. The Pacific Northwest Wildfire Coordinating Group took the unusual step of issuing a safety alert warning firefighters and the public for potential risks: rapid fire spread and abrupt changes in the direction of the fire’s movement. Fire behavior analysts expect significant fire growth today on...