InciWeb Articles WA

Incident Summary: The 243 Command Fire started on Monday night, June 3, near Highway 243 and Wanapum Dam. The winds pushed the fire easterly through the Lower Crab Creek Canyon. The fire crews were able to contain it between the canyon’s northern and southern ridges. It is presently 85% contained with 20,380 acres burned. The cause is still under investigation.The fire has been handled by the Southeast Washington Interagency Type 3 Team 3, Tony Gilmer is the Incident Commander.Fire’s Summary: Early the fire was pushed by strong winds from the west. As it was running to the east, air was pushed up and out to its sides. On the south side of the canyon, the fire tried to cross the road and run up the ridge. Crews made sure that fire did not cross that road. The north side of the canyon is sheer vertical with draws. Crews fought to keep the fire from running up these draws. Over the first few days the fire moved east, running and spotting ahead of the flame front. By Wednesday...

Wenatchee, WA- Starting September 10, a team of soil scientists, hydrologists, and other experts will begin time-critical assessments of areas burned in large wildfires this summer including the Miriam, Cougar Creek, Crescent Mountain, and McLeod fires. Under higher intensity burn conditions, soils in these areas may absorb less water in the future, potentially producing runoff and erosion downstream. “Even as firefighting continues on some portions of these fires, we’re starting burned area emergency response (BEAR) in others,” said Molly Hanson, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest BAER coordinator. “Our goal is to assess unacceptable risks to life, property and watersheds from exposed soil, runoff or possible flooding.” With over 120,000 acres burned on the Forest this year to date, BAER efforts will largely focus on human life and safety concerns including potential downstream impacts to communities including Ardenvior and Twisp as well as others. Emergency stabilization...

Wenatchee, WA- Starting September 10, a team of soil scientists, hydrologists, and other experts will begin time-critical assessments of areas burned in large wildfires this summer including the Miriam, Cougar Creek, Crescent Mountain, and McLeod fires. Under higher intensity burn conditions, soils in these areas may absorb less water in the future, potentially producing runoff and erosion downstream. “Even as firefighting continues on some portions of these fires, we’re starting burned area emergency response (BEAR) in others,” said Molly Hanson, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest BAER coordinator. “Our goal is to assess unacceptable risks to life, property and watersheds from exposed soil, runoff or possible flooding.” With over 120,000 acres burned on the Forest this year to date, BAER efforts will largely focus on human life and safety concerns including potential downstream impacts to communities including Ardenvior and Twisp as well as others. Emergency stabilization...

Wenatchee, WA- Starting September 10, a team of soil scientists, hydrologists, and other experts will begin time-critical assessments of areas burned in large wildfires this summer including the Miriam, Cougar Creek, Crescent Mountain, and McLeod fires. Under higher intensity burn conditions, soils in these areas may absorb less water in the future, potentially producing runoff and erosion downstream. “Even as firefighting continues on some portions of these fires, we’re starting burned area emergency response (BEAR) in others,” said Molly Hanson, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest BAER coordinator. “Our goal is to assess unacceptable risks to life, property and watersheds from exposed soil, runoff or possible flooding.” With over 120,000 acres burned on the Forest this year to date, BAER efforts will largely focus on human life and safety concerns including potential downstream impacts to communities including Ardenvior and Twisp as well as others. Emergency stabilization...

Crescent: Approximately 21 miles west of TwispMcLeod: Approximately 8 miles north of MazamaApproximate AcreageCrescent: 52,609 acresMcLeod: 24,411 acresTotal acreage: 77,020ContainmentCrescent: 86%McLeod: 91%Reported Date (Cause)Crescent: July 29, lightningMcLeod: August 11, lightningCrescent Mountain and McLeod Fire Methow Ranger District Incident Commander Dan Robbins reports that: “Fire personnel have repaired the vast majority of the dozer and hand lines on both the McLeod and Crescent Mountain Fires. We are able to focus more and more on grading the forest roads in order to repair the washboards and damage caused by firefighting operations.” The closure area and trail closures for the McLeod and Crescent Fire have been reduced due to the seasonal weather changes and continued progress of repair operations. See maps: Crescent Mountain Fire Closure MapMcLeod Fire Closure Area Map Heavy equipment will continue to do the important road repair work in the remaining closure area....

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /· Style Definitions ·/ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;} Crescent Mountain and McLeod Fire Methow Ranger District Incident Commander Dan Robbins reports that: “Fire personnel have repaired the vast majority of the dozer and hand lines on both the McLeod and Crescent Mountain Fires. We are able to focus more and more on grading the forest roads in order to repair the washboards and damage caused by firefighting operations.”...

Closure Area reduced in size, effective September 28. See Closure Order and Map at links

Closure Area reduced in size, effective September 28. See Closure Order and Map at links

Closure Area reduced in size, effective September 29. See Closure Order and Map at links

Closure Area reduced in size, effective September 29. See Closure Order and Map at links

News Release Media Contact: Public Information Officer, Carly Reed, 920-550-6466 98 percent of Cougar Creek Fire soils burned at moderate or lower severity; Soil burn maps available Central Washington- On a sunny September day in the Tyee drainage northwest of the community of Entiat, hydrologists and other Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) experts kneel in the dirt as they test dozens of soil samples in an area burned in the 2018 Cougar Creek Fire. Across the nearly 43,000 acre burn perimeter, the results are looking favorable. “Across the vast majority of the fire, we’re seeing intact plant roots and soils that are able to hold water at normal or near normal levels” said Forest BAER Coordinator, Molly Hanson. “However, there are certainly areas of higher intensity, such as the Mad River, where we’ll be focusing on emergency road and trail drainage efforts.” The BAER team for the Miriam Fire in the White Pass area west of Yakima is...

News Release Media Contact: Public Information Officer, Carly Reed, 920-550-6466 98 percent of Cougar Creek Fire soils burned at moderate or lower severity; Soil burn maps available Central Washington- On a sunny September day in the Tyee drainage northwest of the community of Entiat, hydrologists and other Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) experts kneel in the dirt as they test dozens of soil samples in an area burned in the 2018 Cougar Creek Fire. Across the nearly 43,000 acre burn perimeter, the results are looking favorable. “Across the vast majority of the fire, we’re seeing intact plant roots and soils that are able to hold water at normal or near normal levels” said Forest BAER Coordinator, Molly Hanson. “However, there are certainly areas of higher intensity, such as the Mad River, where we’ll be focusing on emergency road and trail drainage efforts.” The BAER team for the Miriam Fire in the White Pass area west of Yakima is...

September 26-28th, 2018 UpdateCrescent: 52,609 acres 75% containmentMcLeod: 24,411 acres 91% containmentTotal acreage: 77,020Holman: 302 acres 0% containmentCrescent Mountain and McLeod Fire managers continue to focus efforts on repairing damage caused by firefighting operations, mitigating hazard trees, while also monitoring the fire in the Buttermilk Butte and Sunshine Peak areas. Four excavators are working to obscure dozer lines. Four road graders are working with water tenders to repair roads impacted by several weeks of suppression efforts. The intent of suppression repair is to minimize soil erosion and restore damaged ecological functions. All repairs occur under advisement of local Resource Advisors.Smoke and flame are occasionally spotted within the fire perimeter where heavy fuels retain heat that intensifies by mid- afternoon. This causes the fire, lingering in dry grasses and forbs under the heavy fuels, to creep slowly. It is not unusual for individual trees to...

There will be a Cougar Creek Fire community meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at the Entiat Fire Station. Get an update on fire suppression repair efforts from fire managers and agency administrators and learn about burned area emergency response (BAER).The meeting will be live streamed on the Cougar Creek Fire Facebook page for anyone who is unable to attend in person.For more information, contact Central Washington BAER at

There will be a Cougar Creek Fire community meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at the Entiat Fire Station. Get an update on fire suppression repair efforts from fire managers and agency administrators and learn about burned area emergency response (BAER).The meeting will be live streamed on the Cougar Creek Fire Facebook page for anyone who is unable to attend in person.For more information, contact Central Washington BAER at

September 23-24, 2018 (Sunday-Monday) Crescent and McLeod Fires update: Crescent: 52,609 acres/ 86% contained McLeod: 24,411 acres/ 91% Total fire acreage: 77,020 acres Crescent Mountain and McLeod Fire crews continue to repair damage caused by firefighting operations, using excavators and hand-crews to mend and obscure dozer and hand-dug line. The intent of suppression repair is to minimize soil erosion and restore damaged ecological functions. All repairs occur under advisement of local Resource Advisors. Smoke and flame are occasionally spotted within the fire perimeter where heavy fuels retain heat that intensifies by mid- afternoon. This causes the fire, lingering in dry grasses and forbs under the heavy fuels, to creep slowly. It is not unusual for individual trees to occasionally torch. No visible smoke was observed during a reconnaissance flight of Holman Fire Saturday. Weather: A dry northwest flow develops today, into Monday, as upper level high pressure builds across...

September 23-24, 2018 (Sunday-Monday) Crescent and McLeod Fires update: Crescent: 52,609 acres/ 86% contained McLeod: 24,411 acres/ 91% Total fire acreage: 77,020 acres Crescent Mountain and McLeod Fire crews continue to repair damage caused by firefighting operations, using excavators and hand-crews to mend and obscure dozer and hand-dug line. The intent of suppression repair is to minimize soil erosion and restore damaged ecological functions. All repairs occur under advisement of local Resource Advisors. Smoke and flame are occasionally spotted within the fire perimeter where heavy fuels retain heat that intensifies by mid- afternoon. This causes the fire, lingering in dry grasses and forbs under the heavy fuels, to creep slowly. It is not unusual for individual trees to occasionally torch. No visible smoke was observed during a reconnaissance flight of Holman Fire Saturday. Weather: A dry northwest flow develops today, into Monday, as upper level high pressure builds...

Incendio Crescent Mountain y McLeod las cuadrillas continúan reparando el daño causado por las operaciones de extinción de incendios, usando excavadoras para reparar y tapar las líneas de buldócer y las que se excavaron a mano. La reparación de supresión se realiza para minimizar la erosión del suelo y restablecer las funciones ecológicas dañadas. Todas las reparaciones ocurren bajo aviso de asesores de recursos locales. Ocasionalmente se ve humo y llamas dentro del perímetro del incendio donde los combustibles pesados retienen el calor que se intensifica después del mediodía. Esto causa el fuego, que persiste en pastos secos y hierbas debajo de los combustibles pesados, se desplace lentamente. No es inusual que los árboles individuales ocasionalmente se quemen. Hoy se actualizaron las cifras de superficie para los incendios Crescent Mountain y McLeod con base del mapeo GPS. Los bomberos continúan logrando los objetivos de supresión y reparación relacionados con los...

Incendio Crescent Mountain y McLeod las cuadrillas continúan reparando el daño causado por las operaciones de extinción de incendios, usando excavadoras para reparar y tapar las líneas de buldócer y las que se excavaron a mano. La reparación de supresión se realiza para minimizar la erosión del suelo y restablecer las funciones ecológicas dañadas. Todas las reparaciones ocurren bajo aviso de asesores de recursos locales. Ocasionalmente se ve humo y llamas dentro del perímetro del incendio donde los combustibles pesados retienen el calor que se intensifica después del mediodía. Esto causa el fuego, que persiste en pastos secos y hierbas debajo de los combustibles pesados, se desplace lentamente. No es inusual que los árboles individuales ocasionalmente se quemen. Hoy se actualizaron las cifras de superficie para los incendios Crescent Mountain y McLeod con base del mapeo GPS. Los bomberos continúan logrando los objetivos de supresión y reparación relacionados con los...

Crescent Mountain and McLeod Fire crews continue to repair damage caused by firefighting operations, using excavators to mend and obscure dozer and hand-dug line. The intent of suppression repair is to minimize soil erosion and restore damaged ecological functions. All repairs occur under advisement of local Resource Advisors. Smoke and flame are occasionally spotted within the fire perimeter where heavy fuels retain heat that intensifies by mid- afternoon. This causes the fire, lingering in dry grasses and forbs under the heavy fuels, to creep slowly. It is not unusual for individual trees to occasionally torch. Acreage figures for Crescent Mountain and McLeod Fires were updated today based on GPS mapping. Firefighters continue to progress in achieving suppression and repair objectives related to values at risk such as private property, infrastructure, timber, and critical habitat. Campfire Closures: On Monday, September 17, 2018, the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest announced...