InciWeb Articles & Incidents for Washington and Oregon

Bolt Creek Fire Update October 6, 2022 Western Washington Incident Management Team 3Incident Commander: Gene PhillipsEstimated size: 12,863 acres Cause: Human; Under investigation Containment: 36 percentResources: 149 personnel – Two type-2 initial attack hand crew, one hand crew, 15 engines, one dozer, two water tenders and 76 overhead.US 2 Is Open: At this time, US 2 is open throughout the fire area. A planned closure occurred - Wednesday, Oct. 5 - from 10 am to 6 pm between mile markers 44 and 50 for hazard tree removal and successfully removed approximately 120 trees. The intention of this extended closure was to limit the need for additional closures in the future. However, additional periodic flare-ups, material rolling near the road, or hazardous trees on or along the road may force temporary short closures or reroutes. Crews are still working throughout the area so as the weekend approaches and traffic increases please drive at the posted reduced speeds through the...

Westfir, Ore., Oct. 5, 2022—A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team has arrived in Westfir, Ore., to begin their assessment of the Cedar Creek Fire. BAER is an emergency program aimed at managing imminent unacceptable risks to human life and safety, property, and or critical natural and cultural resources from post-wildfire conditions. The fire has covered 120,926 acres to date on the Willamette and Deschutes National Forests. The Team, comprised of U.S. Forest Service employees who specialize in multiple resource areas, is conducting field surveys and using science-based models to rapidly assess watersheds on National Forest System lands, then inventory BAER Critical Values, assess risk and determine the need for emergency measures and treatments on National Forest System lands. The Team will share any areas of concern outside of National Forest System lands with the appropriate federal, state, and county agencies so they can work with individual landowners under their...

White River, Irving Peak, and Minnow Ridge Fires Fire Information Line: 509-557-0973 October 5, 2022 6:00 PM  · Acres:  12,336    · Personnel: 120    · Location: 15 miles northwest of Plain, WA     · Start Date:  August 11, 2022    · Estimated Completion: October 30, 2022               Fire updates will be occurring about once a week, or as conditions change.   Unseasonably warm and dry conditions, with temperatures about 10 degrees above average, have contributed to a slight increase in fire activity over the past week. As a result of the natural increase in fire activity and lack of wind, the concentration of smoke has also increased.   White River and Irving Peak Fires (9,579 acres): The fire continued to progress toward the FS 6500 and 311 roads on the south and east perimeters. Last week, several spot fires were located across these roads and were successfully contained by fire crews. In order to protect values at risk and prevent unwanted...

JOSEPH, Ore. (October 5, 2022) – A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team has arrived inJoseph, Oregon, to begin their assessment of the Double Creek, Nebo, Sturgill, Jones and Goat MountainFires. BAER is an emergency program aimed at managing imminent unacceptable risks to human life andsafety, property, and or critical natural and cultural resources from post-wildfire conditions.The Team, comprised of U.S. Forest Service employees who specialize in multiple resource areas, isconducting field surveys and using science-based models to rapidly assess watersheds on NationalForest System lands, then inventory BAER Critical Values, assess risk and determine the need foremergency measures and treatments on National Forest System lands. The Team will share any areas ofconcern outside of National Forest System lands with the appropriate federal, state, and countyagencies so they can work with individual landowners under their respective authorities. "There are over 200,000 acres of...

The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program is designed to identify and manage potential risks to resources on National Forest System lands and reduce these threats through appropriate emergency measures to protect human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources. BAER is an emergency program for stabilization work that involves time-critical activities to be completed before the first damaging event to meet program objectives:BAER Objectives:•  Determine whether imminent post-wildfire threats to human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources on National Forest System lands exist and take immediate actions, as appropriate, to manage the unacceptable risks.•  If emergency conditions are identified, mitigate significant threats to health, safety, human life, property and critical cultural and natural resources.•  Prescribe emergency response actions to stabilize and prevent unacceptable degradation to natural...

The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program is designed to identify and manage potential risks to resources on National Forest System lands and reduce these threats through appropriate emergency measures to protect human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources. BAER is an emergency program for stabilization work that involves time-critical activities to be completed before the first damaging event to meet program objectives:BAER Objectives:•  Determine whether imminent post-wildfire threats to human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources on National Forest System lands exist and take immediate actions, as appropriate, to manage the unacceptable risks.•  If emergency conditions are identified, mitigate significant threats to health, safety, human life, property and critical cultural and natural resources.•  Prescribe emergency response actions to stabilize and prevent unacceptable degradation to natural...

Overview: The Kalama Fire, located southwest of Mount St. Helens near the town of Cougar, WA, is approximately 443 acres in size and five percent contained.  Containment lines have been completed.  With the inability to safely mop up the fire’s edge, due to steep terrain and overhead hazards, containment percentages will remain low. Fire Behavior and Operations: Overall fire behavior is moderate and has been observed creeping, smoldering, and backing.  Potential for large plume dominated fire growth remains low.  Today's planned actions will be to continue indirect work on containment lines and work on contingency lines on Forest Service and private lands. Helicopters will drop water to help moderate fire behavior as it backs and flanks to containment lines. Weather: Warm and dry conditions continue as an upper high-pressure ridge persists. Today's high is expected to be 72 with a minimum relative humidity of 61 percent. Winds are expected to turn offshore Wednesday night...

Forest Service BAER assessment teams are established by Forest Supervisors before wildfires are fully contained. The teams coordinate and work with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), National Weather Service (NWS), local counties, State Department of Transportation, and other federal, state, and local agencies to strategically assess potential post-fire impacts to the watersheds burned from wildland fires.The BAER assessment teams are evaluating watershed conditions to determine the level of potential risks to human life, safety, property, critical natural and cultural-heritage resources, and determine if there are appropriate and effective emergency stabilization measures that can be implemented on federal lands in a timely manner to reduce unacceptable risks from potential flooding and debris flow threats.The BAER assessment team conducts field surveys and uses science-based models to rapidly...

 Community Meeting: Please join Nevada Incident Management Team 4 and the Gifford Pinchot National Forest for a Community Meeting on Friday, October 7, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. Attendees can either join in-person at the Packwood Fire Department (2953 US 12) or online via Facebook live

Community Meeting: Please join Nevada Incident Management Team 4 and the Gifford Pinchot National Forest for a Community Meeting on Friday, October 7, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. Attendees can either join in-person at the Packwood Fire Department (2953 US 12) or online via Facebook live (@GiffordPinchot). Fire Activity: As the inversion layer lifted yesterday, fire activity increased. Given that the fire has been creeping along the forest floor for almost two months, vegetation is increasingly dry. Some individual and groups of trees are igniting within the fire perimeter, producing columns of smoke. When today’s marine layer lifts, this pattern will continue. Firefighting Efforts: The fire continues to push toward the ridge south of Coal Creek and Three Peaks trail, where crews and a bulldozer are hard at work bolstering control lines. The combination of hose lay, handline, and dozer line continues to hold the fire at the ridge. Firefighters continue to prioritize structure preparation and...

Cedar Creek FireOctober 5, 2022 | Update 8:30 AM | Size: 120,926 acres | Contained: 36% | Start Date: August 1,2022 | Origin: 15 miles east of Oakridge, OR Cause: Lightning | Total personnel: 702 | Resources: 12 engines; 17 crews; 10 heavy equipment; 5 helicoptersPacific Northwest Incident Management Team 9 assumed command of the East Zone of Cedar Creek Fire at 8:00 PM yesterday, October 3. The team will coordinate management of the entire Cedar Creek Fire, as well as facilitate the remaining work to be done on Potter and Big Swamp Fires.Operations: Although there have been no changes to closures in the fire area, road repairs and grading are underway in many areas of the Cedar Creek Fire including Forest Service Road 19 and 24 near the Westfir community and Highway 46 in the East Zone. Some firing operations occurred in Division W (the southwestern border of the fire) along Eagle Creek and a sprinkler system is in place for utilization along the train...

Cedar Creek FireOctober 5, 2022 | Update 8:30 AM | Size: 120,926 acres | Contained: 36% | Start Date: August 1,2022 | Origin: 15 miles east of Oakridge, OR Cause: Lightning | Total personnel: 702 | Resources: 12 engines; 17 crews; 10 heavy equipment; 5 helicoptersPacific Northwest Incident Management Team 9 assumed command of the East Zone of Cedar Creek Fire at 8:00 PM yesterday, October 3. The team will coordinate management of the entire Cedar Creek Fire, as well as facilitate the remaining work to be done on Potter and Big Swamp Fires. Operations: Although there have been no changes to closures in the fire area, road repairs and grading are underway in many areas of the Cedar Creek Fire including Forest Service Road 19 and 24 near the Westfir community and Highway 46 in the East Zone. Some firing operations occurred in Division W (the southwestern border of the fire) along Eagle Creek and a sprinkler system is in place for utilization along the train tracks. ...

Bolt Creek Fire Update October 5, 2022 Western Washington Incident Management Team 3Incident Commander: Gene PhillipsEstimated size: 12,723 acres Cause: Human; Under investigation Containment: 36 percentResources: 149 personnel – One type-2 initial attack hand crew, one hand crews, 15 engines, one dozer, two water tenders and 76 overhead. US 2 Is Open: At this time, US 2 is open throughout the fire area. A planned closure will occur today - Wednesday, Oct. 5 - from 10 am to 6 pm between mile markers 44 and 50 for hazard tree removal. The intention of this extended closure is to allow significant hazard tree abatement and hopefully limit the need for additional closures in the future. However, additional periodic flare-ups, material rolling near the road, or hazardous trees on or along the road may force temporary short closures or reroutes. Crews are still working throughout the area so please drive at the posted reduced speeds through the fire area.Fire Update: Tuesday saw...

The Little Bear Rd (FS Road 8250) remains

The remaining closure for the Double Creek Fire is the Hat Point Road starting at the forest

The following roads remain closed:Sturgill Fire:  FR 8250 (Little Bear Rd.)Double Creek Fire:  Hat Point

The following roads remain closed:Double Creek Fire - Hat Point RdSturgill Fire - FR 8250 (Little Bear

 All Closures on the Nebo Fire have been

Western Washington Incident Management Team 3 Incident Commander: Ty Crowe Estimated size: 12,625 acres  Cause: Human; Under investigation  Containment: 36 percent Resources: 158 personnel – One type-2 initial attack hand crew, two hand crews one dozer, two water tenders and 70 overhead.US 2 Is Open: At this time, US 2 is open throughout the fire area. However, periodic flare-ups, material rolling near the road, or hazardous trees on or along the road may force temporary short closures or reroutes. A planned closure will occur Wednesday, Oct. 5, from 10 am to 6 pm for hazard tree removal. The specific area for this closure will be provided in tomorrow’s update. Crews are still working throughout the area so please drive at the posted reduced speeds through the fire area.Fire Update: Monday saw very little intense fire behavior despite unseasonably warm and dry conditions over the fire area. These weather conditions are likely to persist for the next few days and may...

Highlights: There was increased fire activity yesterday, but the fire remains within control lines. Firefighters expected this change, as the hotter and drier days have dried out the fuels. There is more smoke coming from the Coal Creek drainage, which may continue for the next few days given the weather forecast. The Rogue River Hotshots and the Northwest Regulars Crew (Central Oregon) are using direct fireline tactics in that area, receiving additional suppression support from engines, a dozer and aerial bucket work. The dozer aims to finish the control line south of Coal Creek today. The fire also continues to emit increased smoke near Bluff Lake. Skies will remain smoky until the inversion layer lifts this afternoon. Firefighters continue to prioritize establishing control lines, patrolling communities, and refining structure preparation. Crews are testing and adjusting hose lays around private structures. A structure protection specialist arrives today, further augmenting those...