Falls Wildfire Update

News Release

(For Immediate release)

August 6, 2013

State Highway 74 to be opened to residents only via CHP Escort

Lake Elsinore, Ca– Incident commanders from the Falls Fire and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will be re-opening State Hwy 74 to residents only beginning at 5:00pm this evening. The CHP will be escorting local residents only; utilizing the following daily schedule until the roadway is repaired and fully open to traffic:

5:00pm to 630pm (daily)

7:30pm to 8:30pm (daily)

5:30am to 7:30am (daily)

These escorts are necessary to provide residents safe travel through the fire area and to provide for the safety of firefighters working around the clock on the fire lines. Incident commanders and the CHP would like to thank the local residents for their patience and understanding as we implement this vital safety measure.

Additionally, the evacuation order for the Decker Canyon Area has been lifted and residents may return to their homes via the aforementioned escort schedule.

 

Additionally, the evacuation order for the Decker Canyon Area has been lifted and residents may return to their homes via the aforementioned escort schedule.

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The fire is burning in the San Jacinto Mountains below the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. The fire was first reported near the upper parking lot of the tram and went uphill into the adjacent slopes containing light fuels. Winds are none to light at the upper portions of the fire but there are higher winds at the lower portions of the canyon. Due to the steep terrain, this fire will mostly be handled by hand crews and helicopter water drops. The fire is being managed under a unified command between the City of the Palm Springs Fire Department and the San Bernardino National Forest. The City of Palm Springs Fire Dept is heading up the investigation into the cause of the fire.

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is currently closed due to this fire. For updates on the status of the Tramway please call 760-325-1391 or visit their website at: http://pstramway.com/

 

Basic Information

Incident Type Wildfire
Cause Under Investigation
Date of Origin Thursday December 06th, 2012 approx. 01:39 PM
Incident Commander Fogle

Current Situation

Total Personnel 200
Size 60 acres
Percent Contained 20%
Fuels Involved

light

Outlook

Terrain Difficulty

steep
Remarks

Currently assigned resources: 7 engines, 4 airtankers, 1 air attack, 2 helicopters, and 6 handcrews.

 

 

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Salmon River Complex Fire 

New Closure Update

A new closure order has been enacted beginning Aug. 6, 2013 pertaining to Forest Service lands around the Salmon River Complex and Butler Fire on the Klamath and Six Rivers National Forests. Please see http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5430601.pdf for the full closure order and associated map.

Safety

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 athttp://www.inciweb.org/incident/article/3052/15480/.

Forest visitors are urged to be careful with anything that can cause a spark and start a wildfire. Shorten towing safety chains to be sure they do not drag on the roadway. Check tire pressure, wheel bearings, break and make sure no metal parts are dragging underneath the vehicle. Carry a small fire extinguisher in case an accident starts a fire. More fire safety information is available athttp://www.preventwildfireca.org. Please report all fires or any suspicious activity by calling 9-1-1.

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Power Fire

Power Fire is near Beardsley Lake east of Hells Half Acre Rd. and parallel to Hwy 108.

During the day up canyon winds are typically 12 to 18 mph and change directions in the late afternoon to down canyon. Residence near Beardsley and in the lower elevation will notice a significant amount of smoke. We are transitioning to a type two team today at 1800. The Team from Southern California will be setting up the Incident Command Post at Dodge Ridge ski Area. They will be the main source for information at that time.At this moment we are at 500 acres with 10% containment. The fire is burning upslope and up canyon. The steep terrain is difficulty for fire fighters and their safety is our primary concern.

The fire started at the river and has been kept to the SE side of the canyon. The elevation change is 3800 ft. at the river and 6000 ft. at HWY 108. No closures. We ask that people be cautious and aware that fire equipment will be in the area. Please drive slowly and be aware that heavy smoke could cause temporary road delays.

Resources include 3 strike teams, one hand crew, three helicopter, 7 engines, 1 dozer, 5 helitak, 7 fixed wing, and 25 management overhead personnel. The total count of personnel is currently unavailable.

There was an incident at 1000 yesterday morning where a 40 inch oak tree burned through a rotten core and fell onto and engine severely damaging the engine. No one was hurt as the crew was away from the engine laying out hose. A safety team will be looking into the incident, but it appears it was caused by the burn through and gravity. A Forest Law Enforcement officer is investigating the cause of the fire with no determination at this time.

 

Basic Information

Incident Type Wildfire
Cause Under Investigation
Date of Origin Monday August 05th, 2013 approx. 06:00 AM
Location Near Beardsley Reservoir east of Hells Half Acre Rd.
Incident Commander Greg Marfil

Current Situation

Size 500 acres
Percent Contained 10%
Fuels Involved

Brush and Timber
Fire Behavior

Moderate growth

Outlook

Planned Actions

Continue dozer lines on ridge tops, handcrews continue building lines out of the river canyon, protection of structure and infrastructure.
Terrain Difficulty

Extreme
Remarks

Highway 108 is open.

 

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Incident: Aspen Fire Wildfire
Released: 11 hrs. ago

Aspen Wildfire

Update #25

Release for Tuesday, August 6, 2013/Time: 7:00 AM

 

Incident Statics

Acres Burned: 21,381 Structures Threatened: 3

Containment: 75% Structures Damaged: 0

Fire Start Date: 7/22/2013 Injuries: 3

Fire Cause: Lightning Total Personnel: 1,673

Cost to date: $23.4 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.
  • Clouds moved into the fire area last night which caused good relative humidity recovery. These recoveries assisted with the fire suppression, but the inversion layer increased smoke accumulation in the low laying areas and especially, in the Huntington Lake area.
  • 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.
  • Last night, crews successfully utilized firing operations near Stump Springs Road to strengthen the southernmost edge of the fire, between Stump Springs Road and the San Joaquin River. The large column of smoke, seen near Huntington Lake, was from the firing operation. Crews continued mopping up 100 to 200 feet along the fires perimeter, where it is safe to do so. Fire crews are using Minimal Impact Suppression Tactics (MIST) along the fires edge, burning in the Kaiser Wilderness.
  • 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. Fire crews are also being sensitive to environmental and cultural resources in and around the fire area.

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 Wagners 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,http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3552/ or by following the Sierra National Forest Twitter Account:@sierra_nf

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Incident: Orleans Complex Wildfire
Released: 10 hrs. ago

Closures:

The following closures are in effect:

Going into or being upon National Forest System lands in the area beginning at the intersection of Wooley creek and Highway 93 (county Road 2B01), then continuing northeast along Wooley creek to the intersection with Timothy Gulch, then continuing southeast along Timothy Gulch to the intersection with the Pacific crest Trail, then continuing southeast along but not including the Pacific Crest Trail to the intersection with the Russian Wilderness boundary, then continuing south/southwest along the Russian Wilderness boundary to the intersection with Forest Route 39, then continuing west/northwest along but not including Forest Route 39 to the intersection with Highway 93 (county Road 2B01), then continuing northwest along Highway 93(county Road 2B01) to the starting point, as shown on the attached map.

Oak Bottom Campground

Highway 93 (Forks of Salmon Road) is closed from the east at the Highway 96 intersection and from the west at the Siskiyou County Road yard.

Nordheimer Campground is closed.

The land around the Salmon River is closed 300 feet from the high watermark between the confluence of Wooley Creek and the confluence of Nordheimer Creek.

 

Source: inciweb.org

 

2013 The NW Fire Blog