Tuesday, October 2, 2012 Morning Update

Incident: Wenatchee Complex Wildfire
Released: 0930 hours

INCIDENT QUICK FACTS

Location: North, west and southwest of Wenatchee, Wash.

Total acres: 55,234

Containment: 55 percent

Start Date: 09/09/2012

Cause: Lightning

Resources: 14 Crews 29 Engines 6 Helicopters 4 Dozers 764 Personnel

Today’s Summary:

Firefighters on the Wenatchee Complex remain under a Red Flag Warning for strong winds and low humidity until 5 p.m. today, as a cold front continues to move through the area. By this morning, relative humidities on ridgetops had fallen as low as 21 percent, with wind gusts up to 40 mph.

Even dryer conditions are expected, with relative humidities dropping as low as 15 percent and staying low all day. Winds will remain gusty and erratic.

The Peavine Fire, southwest of Wenatchee, is now 19,307 acres and 60 percent contained. Crews were on hand on the east flank overnight to catch fires that spotted across the control line. Two-thirds of a planned 1.5-mile burnout along a difficult section of the 9712 Road has been completed. The operation will continue when the winds subside, either late today or tomorrow. Crews will also build indirect line where possible on the northwest side and continue mop up along U.S. Highway 97.

Rehabilitation continues on many fires in the complex, with crews placing waterbars to divert run-off, spreading out dirt berms and taking other measures to reduce the impact of fire suppression. Until the area receives significant rain or snow, residents and visitors can expect to see smoke from fires in the complex, as interior islands of fuel continue to burn.

Canyon 7,557 acres 100% Patrol by air. Rehabilitation completed.

Byrd 14,119 acres 100% Patrol by air. Rehabilitation in progress.

Poison Canyon 5,909 acres 100% Patrol by ground. Rehabilitation in progress. Chipping of brush likely to be completed today.

Peavine Canyon 19,307 acres 60% Mop up and hold on west side. Patrol on north. Continue carrying out firing operations, along the 9712 Road, when conditions permit.

First Creek 1,402 acres 100% Patrol by air. Rehabilitation in progress.

Pyramid 1,463 acres 0% Patrol by air

Klone 1,389 acres 15% Patrol by ground. Continue chipping of brush

Cashmere Mountain 2,163 acres 20% Control lines secure on south flank. Fine-tune structure protection plan.

Basalt Creek 1,009 acres 0% Patrol by air. Fire is backing on south flank.

Bears Creek 477 acres 40% Patrol by ground. Continue structure protection. Current control lines holding.

Maverick 21 acres 100% Patrol by air. Possible line rehabilitation
Ingalls Creek 3 acres 100% No fire activity. May need rehabilitation.

Mule 0.3 acres 0% Air attack monitored. No significant change

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Air Quality Improved – Tuesday 10/02 8 Am

Wenatchee “Good”

Leavenworth “Good”

Chelan “Good”

Cashmere “Good”

Entiat “Good”

For more information please visit http://www.cdhd.wa.gov Ecology: https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/enviwa/ or http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/smoke.pl

Forest Service: http://www.inciweb.org/

REPOST

Source: InciWeb