InciWeb Articles & Incidents for Washington and Oregon

Size: 15,967 acres  Total Personnel: 412  Containment: 37%  Cause: Under investigation    Yesterday: Cloud cover blanketed the fire in the afternoon but warm temperatures and continuing very dry weather resulted in active burning in pockets of unburned vegetation in the Twenty-five Mile Creek drainage in the northwest area of fire. That burning produced a smoke column that was visible to surrounding communities but posed no threat to containment lines. Helicopters dropped water on areas of active burning on the western edge of the fire to delay fire spread.   On the North side of the fire, crews continued mop-up operations to extinguish heat near fire lines around Communications Site 911 and from Utah Saddle to Chesapeake Saddle and Junior Point. Late in the day conditions allowed further aerial and hand ignition to add depth along containment lines toward Junior Spike. To the south, firefighters mopped up where previous...

Start Date: August 3, 2021 Cause: Lightning Size: 88,353 acres Percent Contained: 10% Resources Assigned: 860 resources Crews (22); Engines (46); Dozers (7); Air Resources (9); Other Heavy Equipment (29) Yesterday: Crews completed ignitions and continued mop-up along Bethel Ridge to contain the southern perimeter of the fire. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS or "drones") and helicopters assisted with aerial ignitions, dropping small incendiary devices that can light unburned pockets of fuel between the main fire and the perimeter. UAS was also used during the night to detect any spot fires outside the containment lines. Firefighters continued structure assessment in both the southern perimeter and Bumping River Road areas of the fire. Crews completed the indirect fire line on the northeast portion of the fire from the Naches River to the Rock Face and from the river up to Forest Road (FR) 250. Firefighters placed these indirect lines to protect communities adjacent to Highway 410....

Start Date: August 4, 2021    Cause: Lightning    Size: 13,314 acres    Containment: 74% Location: Approximately four miles northeast of Conconully Resources Assigned: 97 personnel Current Situation:  The northern perimeter of the fire is the primary area of focus for the resources on the incident, which remains hot with creeping and smoldering fire behavior. The fire crews are still mopping up the interior and exterior of the dozer line removing threats up to 150 feet from the fire edge. The suppression repair continues Middle Mountain road to clean downed trees and piling slash from suppression action is occurring as equipment becomes available. So, the air resources and hose lays are in place and supporting the mop up efforts. The resources also will be ready to work with the local unit if request for assistance with new fires.   Weather: Sunny with maximum temperatures in the valleys are 70 to 80, 60 to 66 on the ridges top. Relative humidity will...

Winthrop, WA – The Cedar Creek, Cub Creek 2, and Delancy fires are burning on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and public and private lands within Okanogan County.   Safety Note: The Cedar and Cub Creek Fires are active fires, and certain roads and trails in the community and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest remain closed for your safety. The public is reminded to stay out of closed areas for your safety and the safety of firefighters.   Fire Information Line: (509) 557-0740 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm daily)   Cedar Creek Fire: The fire is 55,187 acres and 87% contained. Excavators, graders and dozers are all focusing their efforts on improving and repairing dozer lines. Aerial resources are providing additional support over the Slate Lake area while heavy equipment engages in repair work through Bridge Creek and along Twist River.   Cub Creek 2 Fire: The Cub Creek 2 Fire is 70,186 acres and 70% contained. Heavy equipment is being utilized through 8...

Winthrop, WA – The Cedar Creek, Cub Creek 2, and Delancy fires are burning on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and public and private lands within Okanogan County.   Safety Note: The Cedar and Cub Creek Fires are active fires, and certain roads and trails in the community and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest remain closed for your safety. The public is reminded to stay out of closed areas for your safety and the safety of firefighters.   Fire Information Line: (509) 557-0740 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm daily)   Cedar Creek Fire: The fire is 55,187 acres and 87% contained. Excavators, graders and dozers are all focusing their efforts on improving and repairing dozer lines. Aerial resources are providing additional support over the Slate Lake area while heavy equipment engages in repair work through Bridge Creek and along Twist River.   Cub Creek 2 Fire: The Cub Creek 2 Fire is 70,186 acres and 70% contained. Heavy equipment is being utilized through 8...

 KEY ELEMENTS OF A BAER ASSESSMENT                               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...

 FOREST SERVICE BAER PROGRAM OVERVIEWThe 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...

Devil’s Knob Complex Update – September 4, 2021Email: 2021.DevilsKnob@Firenet.gov Information line: 541.900.6133 - 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Facebook: Facebook.com/2021DevilsKnobComplex Total Acreage: 43,830 Complex Total Containment: 29% Personnel assigned: 858  The Devil's Knob Complex is a group of lightning-caused fires on the Tiller Ranger District of the Umpqua National Forest and private lands protected by Douglas Forest Protective Association and the Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians. Two significant fires remain active: the Smith mostly to the north and the Big Hamlin to the south of the South Umpqua River, with interior pockets burning and most natural fire growth occurring at a moderate rate on the Smith Fire’s north and east sides.  Smith Fire (26,542 acres): On the northwest edge, crews continue building containment lines north to Forest Service Road 2719, engaging in direct attack when feasible and conducting strategic firing operations. In Ash Valley, crews...

Summary: The Rough Patch Complex and Jack fire are being managed under a full suppression strategy using direct and indirect tactics to minimize fire spread to prevent loss of valuable resources. Fire activity picked up yesterday during the evening hours and again later in the afternoon with the warmer and drier weather.   Chaos and Little Bend Fires: The Chaos fire is at 21,452 acres and the Little Bend fire is at 7,497 acres. Firing operations started on the north side of the Chaos fire near Bohemia Mountain along the 176 road, south toward Shane Saddle. In the City Creek drainage, fire has crossed the creek and is now on the east side of the 3829 road but has not crossed the ridge. The west side of the fire continues to be patrolled for any remaining heat. On the Little Bend, crews are improving line to the south and east of the fire.   Jack and Buckhead Fires: The Jack fire is at 23,897 acres and the Buckhead fire is at 5,239 acres. The west, north, and northeast end...

Special Statement The latest Air Quality Alerts and Advisories issued by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality will be posted on the "Oregon Smoke Blog". Fire and Weather The Middle Fork Complex is now at 22,179 acres and is 21% contained. We've seen an overall increase in fire activity in the past few days and this trend will continue as we will experience hot, dry conditions thru the weekend. Successful firing and suppression activities continue on the north and southeast ends of the Ninemile and Gales fires. Smoke Areas east and along the Cascades will see the most smoke today and it could be heavy at times. Westerly transport winds will continue to move smoke into Bend and La Pine. As the morning inversions break, we should see some improvement to the smoke levels after mid-day. But we expect smoke will settle back in the evening hours when we could see 'Very Unhealthy' levels return. Oakridge and Fall Creek will continue the trend of 'Unhealthy', and potentially...

Summary: The Rough Patch Complex and Jack fire are being managed under a full suppression strategy using direct and indirect tactics to minimize fire spread to prevent loss of valuable resources. Fire activity picked up yesterday during the evening hours and again later in the afternoon with the warmer and drier weather.  Chaos and Little Bend Fires: The Chaos fire is at 21,452 acres and the Little Bend fire is at 7,497 acres. Firing operations started on the north side of the Chaos fire near Bohemia Mountain along the 176 road, south toward Shane Saddle. In the City Creek drainage, fire has crossed the creek and is now on the east side of the 3829 road but has not crossed the ridge. The west side of the fire continues to be patrolled for any remaining heat. On the Little Bend, crews are improving line to the south and east of the fire. Jack and Buckhead Fires: The Jack fire is at 23,897 acres and the Buckhead fire is at 5,239 acres. The west, north, and northeast end of the Jack...

Fire and Weather:  Crews continue to burn out where possible to increase containment of the fires, while other crews are actively mopping up and patrolling areas that are cooler along the containment lines. Detailed Fire information can be found on Facebook and Inciweb. Winds throughout the forecast area over the next 48 hours are inconsistent in direction at the surface making it difficult to accurately forecast smoke locations and concentrations. Smoke:  Color codes for communities on the map show 24 hour averages. Smoke models show the smoke clearing out of the I-5 corridor between Roseburg and Grants Pass today and Sunday. Variable smoke impacts may be seen south to southeast of the fires through the day today, improving this evening, and worsening again overnight. Unhealthy air quality will impact communities east of the fires today with conditions improving Sunday afternoon. Health:  Limit outdoor activity during periods of unhealthy air quality. Wear an N95 mask...

South Oregon Cascades Rough Patch & Devils Knob Complex, and Jack Fire Issued at: 2021-09-04 07:47 PDT Fire and Weather: Crews continue to burn out where possible to increase containment of the fires, while other crews are actively mopping up and patrolling areas that are cooler along the containment lines. Detailed Fire information can be found on Facebook and Inciweb. Winds throughout the forecast area over the next 48 hours are inconsistent in direction at the surface making it difficult to accurately forecast smoke locations and concentrations. Smoke: Color codes for communities on the map show 24 hour averages. Smoke models show the smoke clearing out of the I-5 corridor between Roseburg and Grants Pass today and Sunday. Variable smoke impacts may be seen south to southeast of the fires through the day today, improving this evening, and worsening again overnight. Unhealthy air quality will impact communities east of the fires today with conditions improving Sunday...

   Limited Access for Archery Hunters in Indigo and Dixon units on the Umpqua National Forest GLIDE, OR. – SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 - Due to the lightning-caused Rough Patch Complex and the Jack Fire, access has been restricted to many locations within the Indigo (21) and Dixon (22) hunting units for the archery deer and elk hunting season.   With the arrival of fall, the changing weather is a signal to many hunters to prepare for hunting season. This can be in the form of checking old gear, purchasing new equipment, packing trailers, tuning up all-terrain vehicles (ATV’s), tuning bows and practicing for the fall big game hunts.   Despite all this preparation, this year many hunters will find access is limited on the Indigo (21) and Dixon (22) units during the archery deer and elk hunts and upland game bird season within the Umpqua National Forest. Currently, these hunters can travel further east in the units to find open access; hunters should check area closure maps before...

The Schneider Springs emergency fire area closure on National Forest System lands was decreased, increasing opportunities for recreational activities ahead of the Labor Day weekend. Please keep in mind that these areas are still being utilized by firefighting resources. Be vigilante and drive with caution.Updates to the Forest Fire Area Closure include:Beginning at the point where Highway 12 intersects the OWNF boundary on the east section line of T14R15S13, the closure boundary proceeds along the OWNF boundary in a northerly direction until it intersects the Naches River. The boundary follows the Naches River north until it intersects the Bumping River. The boundary follows the Bumping River west until it intersects the American River. The boundary continues west along the American River until it meets the northeast corner of the William O. Douglas Wilderness boundary. The boundary goes along the eastern boundary of the Wilderness southwesterly to the intersection with the 971 trail....

South Oregon Cascades Rough Patch & Devils Knob Complex, and Jack Fire Issued at: 2021-09-03 07:36 PDT Weather and Fire: East winds over the ridges in the fire area last night and this morning will return again tonight. Crews continue to burn out where possible to increase containment of the fires, while other crews are actively mopping up and patrolling areas that are cooler along the containment lines. The Devils Knob Complex is 40,858 acres 28% contained, the Rough Patch Complex is 37,463 acres 26% contained, and the Jack Fire is 23,987 acres 55% contained. Additional fire information can be found on Facebook and Inciweb. Smoke: East winds pushed smoke into Roseburg and Grants Pass yesterday. Expect similar or worsening conditions today. The east winds that cleared the smoke out of Crater Lake and Chiloquin yesterday will return this morning. This afternoon W winds in the Toketee area may push smoke back into Crater Lake and degrade conditions at Diamond Lake even more....

 WALKER CREEK AND CHICKADEE CREEK FIRES - DAILY FIRE UPDATE SEPTEMBER 3, 2021NORTHWEST INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM 12 Incident Commanders: Jeff Dimke and Bobby Shindelar The Chickadee Creek Fire is located 15 miles west of Tonasket, Washington, while the Walker Creek Fire is 13 miles east/northeast of Tonasket, Washington, surrounding Lake Bonaparte. The Incident Command Post at the Omak Stampede Grounds is closed to all but essential personnel. The holiday weekend will bring more people into the area, so be aware of increased traffic, and of fire restrictions in areas you visit. Due to heightened fire danger, please be especially careful recreating on public lands. Operations: Containment on both fires has been steadily increasing. Firefighters continue to remove fire equipment that is no longer needed. Suppression repair actions are being identified, and will be addressed by the land management agencies. Resources needed for the national firefighting effort are being released and...

WALKER CREEK AND CHICKADEE CREEK FIRES - DAILY FIRE UPDATE SEPTEMBER 3, 2021NORTHWEST INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM 12 Incident Commanders: Jeff Dimke and Bobby Shindelar The Chickadee Creek Fire is located 15 miles west of Tonasket, Washington, while the Walker Creek Fire is 13 miles east/northeast of Tonasket, Washington, surrounding Lake Bonaparte. The Incident Command Post at the Omak Stampede Grounds is closed to all but essential personnel. The holiday weekend will bring more people into the area, so be aware of increased traffic, and of fire restrictions in areas you visit. Due to heightened fire danger, please be especially careful recreating on public lands. Operations: Containment on both fires has been steadily increasing. Firefighters continue to remove fire equipment that is no longer needed. Suppression repair actions are being identified, and will be addressed by the land management agencies. Resources needed for the national firefighting effort are being released and...

 KEY ELEMENTS OF A BAER ASSESSMENT                               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...

Tamaño: 14,629 acres Personal total: 408 Contención: 37% Causa: A ser determinada Ayer: De nuevo, el clima fue favorable para las operaciones de quema controlada. Al sur, los bomberos trabajaron desde Slide Peak a lo largo de Forest Road 8410 para conectar la línea de los buldóceres. Del lado norte del incendio, se realizaron operaciones de limpieza entre Utah Saddle y Grouse Mountain. El apoyo aéreo incluyó el riego de agua para controlar la propagación del incendio, monitorización de cortafuegos, y la quema controlada para fortalecer los cortafuegos al agregar profundidad. Hoy: Los operadores de camiones y los bomberos seguirán controlando, limpiando y mejorando el cortafuegos entre el parque Twenty-Five Mile y Junior Spike, utilizando quema aérea y apoyo de contención. Continuarán las operaciones de quema para fortalecer las líneas de contención alrededor de Slide Ridge. Los bomberos que trabajan en las líneas de contención...