InciWeb Articles WA

AUGUST 5, 2016 8:00AMNews from the fire line:Fire crews continue to secure fire lines at the Snake River fire. They are working night and day to increase containment. The fire is currently scouted at 11,000 acres and 30% contained. Firefighters continue to arrive to bolster this effort.Fire managers are building a strategy to protect values on all sides of the fire. This includes crops and rangeland in addition to homes and outbuildings. Infrastructure, such as power sources, is also a priority.Firefighters are working from separate camps on both sides of the Snake River. The Whitman County camp is located at Colton High School; the Garfield County camp is at the Garfield County Fairgrounds in Pomeroy. The Incident Command Post is at the Pomeroy Elementary School.The Snake River fire started on Tuesday, August 2nd at 12:50pm and quickly grew due to high winds and dry conditions. It started in Garfield county just across from Granite Point on the Snake River. The fire jumped the river...

SNAKE RIVER FIRE AUGUST 4, 2016 8:30PM News from the fire line: Fire crews took advantage of calm winds this afternoon to increase containment of the Snake River Fire to 30% (from 10% earlier today). The fire increased in acreage a small amount, to 11,000 acres. Due to the steep, rugged terrain, firefighters saw increased fire behavior especially in draws that act like chimneys. Crews on the ground are assisted by aircraft and helicopters in hard to access places. The fire started on August 2 at 12:50pm and quickly grew due to high winds and dry conditions. It started in Garfield County across from Granite Point on the Snake River. The fire jumped the river to Whitman County at about 4:30pm that day. The fire is being fought on both sides of the river – the Garfield county side to the south, and Whitman county to the north. The fire is approximately 10 miles northeast of Pomeroy, WA, 10 miles (as the crow flies) south of Pullman, and 24 miles west of Clarkston. No evacuations...

Range 12 Fire Update Fact Sheet August 4, 2016 – PM This will be the last Range 12 Fire update from Northwest Incident Management Team 8 (Team 8). Command of the fire will transfer to the local Type 4 fire organization. Team 8 would like to thank the public; cooperators; local, county, state and federal agencies for all the support to the firefighters and Team while suppressing the Range 12 Fire. Contact: Fire Information Center telephone number (541) 670-0812 will close permanently at 9:30 PM tonight. If you have further questions related to the Range 12 Fire please contact Jeff Clark, Spokane District Bureau of Land Management Public Affairs Officer, at (509) 536-1297 Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 PM. Information Websites: Inciweb – http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4915 and Facebook Range 12 Fire; no new information will be posted to the Facebook site Incident Management: Northwest Incident Management Team 8, Incident Commander (IC) Doug Johnson, is...

Buck Creek Fire Update NOTICE: Buck Creek Trail No. 1513, Chiwawa River Trail No. 1550, Phelps Creek Trail No. 1511, Carne Mountain Trail No. 1508, and Phelps Creek Campground are closed due to the Buck Creek Fire. Forest Road 6200 is closed immediately north of Alpine Meadows Campground. Leroy Basin is accessible from the Rock Creek Trailhead. Leavenworth, WA- The Buck Creek Fire was ignited by lightning July 22, 2016 in the Glacier Peak Wilderness, 30 miles northwest of Leavenworth Washington. The fire is 3.5 miles north of Trinity, originally a copper mine, and is currently privately owned and occupied by a caretaker year round. The fire has reached 150 acres in size and is achieving management objectives in an area that has not seen fire since the early 1900s. Additional benefits include reducing hazardous fuel accumulation naturally and restoring overall forest health in a fire adapted ecosystem. Wenatchee River Fire Managers are closely monitoring fire activity, and have...

Kewa Fire Information August 4, 2016, 10am Start date: Aug. 2, 2016 Current Size: 1,845 acres Percent Containment: 15% Northwest Incident Management Team 9, Brian Goff, incident commander, assumed management of the fire at 7 am Thursday, Aug. 4. Incident objectives Protect life and property. Develop a structure protection plan for nearby residents. Protect natural and cultural resources. Reduce impact to timber, range, lakes, streams, fish and wildlife and cultural resources. Assist area residents. Provide information and emergency assistance for any displaced homeowners. Keep this fire small. Use containment objectives in alignment with the Wildland Fire Decision Support System. Keep land management agencies and the public informed. Provide timely information and notification to the Colville Confederated Tribes, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington Department of Natural Resources, and the general public. Yesterday’s summary:...

Snake River Fire August 3, 2016. 10:30pm News from the fire line: Fire crews worked hard on the Snake River Fire today. The fire is now approximately 10,000 acres and 10% contained. The management of the fire transitioned from local to State Mobilization resources. Incident Commander, Lonnie Click, praised the efforts of the local agencies for the hard work early in the incident. The State resources will give the local volunteer firefighters a rest and a chance to get back to their primary jobs. The perimeter spans two sides of the Snake River, which makes for long travel times between the two sides. There is an Incident Command Post at Pomeroy Elementary, Fire Camp at Garfield County Fairgrounds, and a spike camp on the Whitman County side in Colton. Terrain is steep and the weather is hot, leading to difficult conditions for firefighters. Four firefighters were treated for heat related injuries today. Two type 2 helicopters, 1 FireBoss airplane, and 2 SEAT airplanes worked the...

Wawawai River Road is closed from Steptoe Canyon to the intersection of Wawawai-Pullman Road.Wawawai County Park is also

Range 12 Fire Update Fact Sheet August 4, 2016 – AM Contact: Fire Information Center telephone number (541) 670-0812 Information Websites: Inciweb – http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4915 and Facebook Range 12 Fire Incident Management: Northwest Incident Management Team 8, Incident Commander (IC) Doug Johnson, is managing the fire under a Delegation of Authority from the Spokane District Bureau of Land Management and the US Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Region. Team 8 is preparing to transition command of the fire to a local, type 4 organization, IC Russ Babiak, will assume command early Friday morning. Fire Size: 176,600 acres Percent Contained: 90% Estimated Containment Date: 8-4-2016 Structures Threatened: 250 single residences Structures lost: 0 Closures: None; all local and state routes are open. Cause: Fire started July 30, 2016. The cause remains under investigation. Injuries: 0 Resources: 170 total personnel- 17 Engines, 2 Camp Crews. Resources...

Range 12 Fire Update Fact Sheet August 3, 2016 – PM Contact: Fire Information Center telephone number (541) 670-0812 Information Websites: Inciweb – http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4915 and Facebook Range 12 Fire Incident Management: Northwest Incident Management Team 8, Doug Johnson Incident Commander (IC), is managing the fire under a Delegation of Authority from the Spokane District Bureau of Land Management and the US Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Region. Team 8 is preparing to transition command of the fire back to a local type 4 organization that will assume command on Friday morning. Fire Size: 176,600 acres Percent Contained: 90% Estimated Containment Date: 8-4-2016 Structures Threatened: 250 single residences Structures lost: 0 Closures: None Cause: Fire started July 30, 2016. The cause remains under investigation. Injuries: 0 Resources: 177 total personnel- 17 Engines, 2 Camp Crews. Resources excess to the operational needs are continuing to be...

August 3, 2016 For Immediate Release Contact Olympic Fire Information 360-565- 3125 Cooler Temperatures and Increased Humidity Diminish Fire Activity in Olympic National Park Wilderness Fires Provide Benefits to Ecosystem Four lightning-caused fires within Olympic National Park are being actively monitored while they fulfill their natural role in the wilderness environment. Lightning ignited the Cox Valley Fire, Hayes Fire, Godkin Fire, and Ignar Creek Fire on July 21 when a storm system moved through the park. The fires were discovered several days later, once smoke became visible. The forests and mountains protected within Olympic National Park are fire-dependent ecosystems and fire managers are using a low impact strategy to manage the fires. The Hayes, Godkin and Ignar Creek fires are within designated wilderness deep in the park. In keeping with wilderness values, these three fires will be managed to minimize human intervention unless the fires grow and threaten...

Range 12 Fire Update Fact Sheet August 3, 2016 – AM Contact: Fire Information Center telephone number (541)670-0812 Information Websites: Inciweb – http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4915 and Facebook Range 12 Fire Incident Management: Northwest Incident Management Team 8, Doug Johnson Incident Commander (IC), is managing the fire under a Delegation of Authority from the Spokane District Bureau of Land Management and the US Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Region. Fire Size: 176,600 acres Percent Contained: 60% Estimated Containment Date: 8-4-2016 Structures Threatened: 250 single residences Structures lost: 0 Closures: None Cause: Fire started July 30, 2016. The cause remains under investigation. Injuries: 0 Resources: 228 personnel. 27 Engines. 1 Hand Crew. 1 Helicopter. 1 Dozer. Air Operations: The temporary flight restriction (TFR) over the fire has been removed. Weather: High pressure will build over the Range 12 Fire today and Thursday, bringing lighter winds and settled...

Range 12 Fire UpdateFact Sheet August 2, 2016 – PM Contact: Fire Information Center telephone number (541)670-0812 Information Websites: Inciweb – http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4915 and Facebook Range 12 Fire Incident Management: Northwest Incident Management Team 8, Doug Johnson Incident Commander (IC), is managing the fire under a Delegation of Authority from the Spokane District Bureau of Land Management and the US Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Region. Fire Size: 176,600 acres Percent Contained: 60% Structures Threatened: 250 single residences Closures: No closures Cause: Fire started July 30, 2016. The cause remains under investigation. Resources: Total personnel assigned 419; 1 -type 1 hand crew, 7 -type 2 hand crews, 2 camp crews, 2 helicopters, 34 engines, and 4 dozers. Resources determined as excess to the suppression efforts will be released to return home or made available for reassignment to other fires. Air Operations: The temporary flight restriction (TFR)...

The webcam at Hurricane Ridge is currently directed toward the Hayes and Godkin fires and is a good source for monitoring the fire activity and smoke. http://tinyurl.com/z5pguba Smoke levels are affected by many factors, including the size of the wood that is burning, how wet the wood is, the type of terrain, temperatures, and wind patterns. Due to cooler temperatures and increased humidity over the weekend, smoke from the Hayes and Godkin fires, once quite visible from Hurricane Ridge, is minimal. Smoke from the Cox Valley Fire, visible from mileposts 11 - 15 on Hurricane Ridge Road, also decreased over the past several days.

Range 12 Fire Update Fact Sheet August 2, 2016 – AM Contact: Fire Information Center: Temporary numbers are (541)670-0812 or (818)512-6906 Information Websites: Inciweb – http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4915 and Facebook Range 12 Fire Incident Management: Northwest Incident Management Team 8, Doug Johnson Incident Commander (IC), is managing the fire under a Delegation of Authority from the Spokane District Bureau of Land Management and the US Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Region. Fire Size: 175,000 acres Percent Contained: 10% Structures Threatened: 250 single residences Closures: No closures at this time. Cause: Fire started July 30, 2016. The cause is under investigation Resources: Total personnel assigned 404; 1 -type 1 hand crew, 7 -type 2 hand crews, 2 camp crews, 3 helicopters, 34 engines, and 4 dozers. Air Operations: The temporary flight restriction (TFR) expanded slightly over the fire area with the center located 10 miles southeast of Yakima restricting public...

Range 12 Fire Update Fact Sheet August 1, 2016 – PM Contact: Fire Information Center: Temporary numbers are (541)670-0812 or (818)512-6906 Information Websites: Inciweb – http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4915 and Facebook Range 12 Fire Incident Management: Northwest Incident Management Team 8, Doug Johnson Incident Commander (IC), assumed management of the fire at 12:00 noon today. IC Johnson would like to thank the Multi-Agency Type 3 Team for the successful suppression efforts. Fire Size: 175,000 acres, perimeter of fire growth was minimal today. The acreage increased is the result of clearing smoke and a helicopter flying the perimeter with a GPS. Percent Contained: 10% Structures Threatened: 250 single residences Closures: No closures at this time. State route 24 was opened today to all traffic. Cause: Fire started July 30, 2016. The cause is under investigation Resources: Total personnel assigned 365; 1 -type 1 crew, 8 -type 2 crews, 2 camp crews, 3 helicopters, 25...

Obstruction Point Road reopened to the public Monday morning. Olympic National Park remains OPEN, and the main visitor areas, including the visitor centers, information stations and campgrounds are not affected by this fire. There are no trail closures associated with the fires and all ranger programs and special events are still scheduled as normal. Overnight, a fixed wing aircraft with infrared-sensing capabilities flew over the fires and gathered information on the amount and locations of heat produced by each fire. Godkin Fire shows scattered heat along its east flank, with isolated pockets of heat within the fire perimeter. The Hayes Fire has scattered heat on its north flank with fingers of scattered heat on the west flank. Cox Valley Fire shows scattered heat within its perimeter. This information is consistent with other observations of fire behavior and smoke and further demonstrates the effects of cooler, moister weather. Cooler temperatures and increased humidity over the...

Olympic National Park Fire Update Sunday, July 31, 2016 Saturday brought cooler weather and increased humidity which led to decreased fire behavior. Minimal fire growth was reported on all fires. The acreage increase of Godkin and Hayes fires compared to yesterday is due to more accurate mapping. Three fire engines are assigned to monitor the Cox Valley fire and helicopter operations and water drops may continue if needed. The Hayes fire is progressing slowly over the ridge into Lost Creek. The Godkin fire is showing minimal growth to the south and west, up slope. Firefighters continue to monitor the Godkin and Hayes fires, taking management actions, such as point protection, as necessary. The Ignar Creek fire is smoldering and creeping, showing minimal fire growth. Fire Management will continue reconnaissance flight over the fires as needed to aid in planning fire operations for the next several days. Fire behavior is predicted to decrease this weekend as the temperatures return...

Olympic National Park Fire Update Saturday, July 30, 2016 Friday was a dynamic day, with warm weather contributing to increased active fire behavior. The Cox Valley fire was active in the morning with a smoke column visible from the Hurricane Ridge area and surrounding towns. Water drops from a helicopter effectively slowed fire spread to the south. Helicopter operations will continue today on the Cox Valley fire. The Hayes fire was active in the afternoon, slowly progressing over the ridge into Lost Creek. The Godkin fire grew approximately five acres yesterday. Firefighters continue to actively monitor the Godkin and Hayes fires, taking management actions, such as point protection, as necessary. A fourth fire was reported Friday afternoon. The Ignar Creek fire, located southeast of Pyrites Creek at the confluence of the East Fork Quinault River and Ignar Creek is approximately ½ acre and burning in steep inaccessible terrain with heavy fuels at approximately 2,400 feet in...

KANIKSU COMPLEX: TOWER, BALDY, & GREASE CREEK POST-FIRE BAER ASSESSMENT REPORT SUMMARY FS-2500-8 Burned-Area Report: Watershed Analysis, Condition, and Response Of the seven lightning-caused wildfires comprised within the Kaniksu Complex, three fires were assessed by Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) specialists for post-fire watershed conditions and response. The Tower (24,700 acres), Baldy (500 acres) and Grease Creek (700 acres) fires burned a total of approximately 25,900 acres. Approximately 6,700 acres burned on the Coleville National Forest (NF) and 12,100 acres that burned on the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. The remaining acres burned were state and private lands. A Forest Service (FS) Burned-Area Report, which included the BAER assessment team’s analysis of the burned areas within the Kaniksu Complex and recommended emergency stabilization treatments, was submitted to the Pacific Northwest Region by...

BAER TREATMENT IMPLEMENTATION BEGINS ON KANIKSU COMPLEX FOR TOWER, BALDY, & GREASE CREEK BURNED AREAS A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) implementation team has begun work to install the BAER assessment team’s recommended emergency stabilization treatments and measures within the 6,700 acres of the Kaniksu Complex (Tower, Baldy, and Grease Creek Fires) that burned on the Colville National Forest (NF), and the 12,100 acres that burned on the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. BAER crews working on the Kaniksu Complex reported that heavy rain and snow recently fell over portions of the burned areas. Crews continue to work clearing debris and rock from culverts, allowing run-off to move through those systems without causing additional damage. Some road culverts are cleaned using heavy machinery while crews will hand-clear around some other culverts and to ensure that they are ready for the next rain event. Several...