Salmon River Complex – Klamath National Forest
Today’s Update:
The community meeting in Sawyers Bar last night was well attended with approximately 70 local residents.
The fires were under a smoke inversion layer most of the day yesterday which limited the use of aircraft and the ability of fire managers to get an aerial view of the fires. An aircraft used infrared photography last night to aid in mapping the fire perimeter and intensity.
Firefighters will continue structure defense actions on private structures today in Little North Fork and Sawyers Bar. Contingency planning for the community of Sawyers Bar continues. Crews will continue looking for opportunities to construct direct and indirect fire line on the west side of the Boulder Fire and east side of the Shelly Fire throughout the day.
Fire Behavior and Smoke:
All communities near the fire should expect to be impacted by smoke. The high pressure over the fire area is predicted to continue for the next several days. For information on smoke conditions, visit this website http://www.co.siskiyou.ca.us/AG/apc.aspx
Public Safety:
Smoke can pose health concerns. Residents are encouraged to visit the “Protect Yourself from Smoke” website for smoke protection information at http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Wildfires/.
Evacuations:
Currently there are no evacuation orders.
Closures:
A portion of the Klamath National Forest near the fire area is closed to public entry. See their website for a description and map http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5430601.pdf
Sawyer’s Bar Road is closed to public traffic from Etna Summit to the Forks of the Salmon. Residents, with proof of residency, will be allowed through the closure. Residents may encounter one-way traffic control within the closure area. The Salmon River Road is closed west of the Siskiyou County Road yard.
For tips on how to prepare for a potential evacuation and what to do if you are evacuated, residents are encouraged to visit the “Ready, Set, Go” website at http://www.readyforwildfire.org/
Please make sure you do not park in tall grass or where your vehicle could start a fire. For fire prevention information visit “One Less Spark, One Less Wildfire” athttp://www.preventwildfireca.org
For information on the Orleans Complex (Butler Fire), please call 530-618-2101.
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Butler Wildfire
Basic Information
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
|---|---|
| Cause | Human Caused |
| Date of Origin | Wednesday July 31st, 2013 approx. 10:30 PM |
| Location | Sawyers Bar, CA |
| Incident Commander | Jerry Mcgowan |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 668 |
|---|---|
| Size | 3,827 acres |
| Percent Contained | 4% |
| Fuels Involved | Timber |
| Fire Behavior | Low intensity surface fire with single tree torching and short range spotting. |
| Significant Events | Continuing structure defense actions in the Little North Fork and Sawyers Bar communities. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Continue structure defense actions on private residents. Scouting direct and indirect contigency lines. |
|---|---|
| Growth Potential | High |
| Terrain Difficulty | Extreme |
| Remarks | Coordination between this incident and the Butler fire continues to achieve efficiency and mission success. Evacuation plans are being finalized for Sawyers Bar. |
Current Weather
| Wind Conditions | 2 mph W |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 68 degrees |
| Humidity | 25% |
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Aspen Fire – Sierra National Forest – 0700
Incident Statics
Acres Burned: 20,617 Structures Threatened: 3
Containment: 75% Structures Damaged: 0
Fire Start Date: 7/22/2013 Injuries: 3
Fire Cause: Lightning Total Personnel: 1,835
Cost to date: $21.5 million
Summary
The Fire is located within the Sierra National Forest in Fresno County and is approximately seven miles North of Big Creek. It is currently burning off Stump Springs Road, North of Aspen Springs. The South Central Sierra Interagency Incident Management Team is in command of the Aspen Fire.
- The inversion layer continues to cause smoke to accumulate in the low laying areas of the fire which hampers visibility of firefighters on the ground and in the air.
- Recreation and businesses remain open in the Shaver Lake, Big Creek, Huntington Lake, Lake Thomas Edison, Florence Lake and Mono Hot Springs on the Sierra National Forest. June Lake, Mammoth Lakes, and Rock Creek areas remain open on the Inyo National Forest.
Fire Update
- Firefighter and public safety remains the highest priority. Fire crews are being sensitive to environmental and cultural resources in and around the fire area.
- Last night, crews made good progress with indirect and direct attack fire line construction. Crews have also utilized firing operations to further strengthen these lines. Access and fire behavior are still a major safety concern for fire crews. The fire remained most active to the south, near Stump Springs Road and to the east, along and into the Kaiser Wilderness areas.
- Resource advisors are working with suppression crews on rehabilitation and fire suppression repair efforts of fire lines within the fires perimeter. The objective of fire suppression repair is to prevent the use of fire lines as trails which may cause confusion with correct route finding. Repair also helps minimize erosion and sediment movement on and around the fire line. As crews continue to gain containment of the Aspen Fire, rehabilitation will become a high priority.
- Smoke from the Aspen Fire continues to impact air quality in local communities. Crews will utilize firing operations over the next few days to assist with enforcing containment lines. Firing operations are actions taken to remove unburned fuels between the active fire line and the contingency lines which fire crews have been creating over the past several days. The operation will put additional smoke into the atmosphere.
An air quality monitoring device has been installed at the Huntington Lake Volunteer Fire Station. The device will provide smoke data from the Aspen Fire to the air resource advisor and the area air pollution control districts.
Individuals sensitive to smoke are advised to remain indoors and keep windows closed to minimize exposure to smoke. For more information regarding smoke visit: www.valleyair.org
Road and Trail Closures
Roads:
Stump Springs Road is closed to all traffic due to fire suppression activity. Minarets Road (4S81) from Fish Creek to Jackass Rock Organization Campground, Grizzly at Beasore Road to Minarets Road are closed to the public. Residents within the road closure are allowed into the area with valid identification.
Trails:
Per the U.S. Forest Service Closure Order Number 15-13-09, all trails within the Kaiser Wilderness are closed.
Closures
Campground closures within the Sierra National Forest are as follows:
Sample Meadow West Kaiser
Jackass Rock Organization Lower 
Chiquito
Little Jackass Soda Springs
Placer Sweet Water
China Bar Rock Creek
Mammoth Pool Wagner’s Mammoth Pool Resort
Fish Creek
The following campgrounds are closed to house firefighters for suppression efforts:
Midge Creek, Badger Flat and Rancheria.
Cooperating agencies include
The U.S. Forest Service, National Parks Service, U.S. Department of Defense, National Weather Service, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, Fresno County Sheriff, Madera County Sheriff, California Highway Patrol, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Southern California Edison, PG&E, California Conservation Corp.
For information, please contact Aspen Fire Information line at (559) 893-7018. Updated information can also be obtained at http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3552/ or by following the Sierra National Forest Twitter Account:@sierra_nf
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Source & Photography: inciweb.org
2013 The NW Fire Blog
NW Fire Blog 