POST SUMMARY | With a combination of recent rainfall, temps are predicted to be in the high 60’s and even 70’s in the Seattle area.  Things are beginning to dry out but fire starts are relatively down across the Nation.

 On Saturday, nationally there were only 31 new fires requiring light initial attack and on Sunday there was a report of 28 which means things are starting to cool off.   Today, there has been an increase up to 55 new wildfires reported and still 18 wildfires not contained.

Nationally speaking, there are 2 NIMOs, 2 Type 1 and 15 Type 2 IMTs still being committed to wildfire incidents.

In the NW region, today’s report was of 5 new fires and none of them being reported as new large incidents.  However, 12 of the 18 large fires are all burning in the NW with 1 NIMO, 2 Type 1 and 6 Type 2 IMTs committed. (Source:   NIFC)

Here is our recap on Monday, September 25, 2017.

 CHETCO BAR FIRE  (1)

Image may contain: one or more people, people standing, sky and outdoor

Rogue River – Siskiyou NF. 17 miles W of Selma and E/NE of Brookings, OR.  In the Kalmiopsis Wilderness.  Start 7/12/2017. Lightning caused.  Burning in the 2002 Biscuit Fire and 1987 Silver Fire burn scars.  Timber (litter/understory), medium logging slash and chaparral (6′).   #ChetcoBarFire

Incident Cooperators include the Red Cross, BLM, USDA Forest Service, Brookings Fire & Rescue, Coos FPA, Curry County, Harbor RFPD, Illinois Valley FD, Josephine County (JoCo), OR DOT – Trip Check, ODOF and the OR State FMO’s office. 

 191,067 acres.  97% contained.   730 personnel.  15 crews, 21 engines and 7 helos.  

30 structures destroyed.  $60,900,000 cost-to-date.

Sources: NIFC, NWCC, Facebook (made up of BLM, Coos Forest Protective Association, OR State FMO, Rogue River-Siskiyou NF, OR DOF and PNW Team 3 IMT)

DESOLATION FIRE (2)

Ochoco NF.  20 miles NE Prineville, OR in the Mill Creek Wilderness.  Started 9/9/2017. Lightning.  Burning in the 2000 Hash Rock Fire scar.  #DesolationFire

Moderate fire behavior with flanking and backing.  4,512 acres. 30% contained.

49 personnel. 2 crews. $1,300,000 cost-to-date.

(NIFC, Inciweb)

DIAMOND CREEK FIRE (3)

 Okanogan – Wenatchee NF.  11 miles NNW of Mazama, WA. Started 7/23/2017. Cause is unknown & under investigation. Fire still burning in the United States and in Canada where it crossed over.  #DiamondCreekFire

Image may contain: mountain, sky, cloud, grass, outdoor and nature
Hidden Lakes. (Photo Credit: Michael Liu, Methow Valley RD Ranger)

Minimal fire behavior with backing, smoldering and creeping. 127,498 acres. 79% contained.

Image may contain: sky, snow, mountain, cloud, outdoor and nature
Spanish Camp in 9/22/2017. (Photo Credit: Michael Liu, Methow Valley RD Ranger)

188 personnel. 6 crews, 1 engines, 1 helicopter. 

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A copter appears in the fire area. (Photo Credit: Diamond Creek Fire Facebook)

3 structures lost. $14,500,000 cost-to-date. 

(NIFC, NWCC, Facebook)

Lake with snow around it and trees surrounding the lake that are not all burned
Remmel Lake. Photo taken on September 22, 2017. (Photo Credit: Michael Liu, Methow Valley RD Ranger)

EAGLE CREEK FIRE (4) 

Point protection on Herman Creek Footbridge 9/11/17
Point protection on Herman Creek Footbridge. Photo taken on September 11, 2017

Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. 1 mile South from Cascade Locks, OR.  Started 9/2/2017 around 1600 hours PDT.  Timber (large trees), dense forest and open grass (1 foot tall). Human caused & under investigation. #EagleCreekFire

 

Minimal fire behavior. 48,668 acres. 46% contained.

156 personnel. 2 crews, 6 engines, 1 helicopter. 

4 structures lost. $15,200,000 cost-to-date.

HIGH CASCADE COMPLEX (5)  

Rogue River – Siskiyou NF.  9 miles NE of Prospect, OR.  3 fires. All 3 started by lightning.  Over 40 fires ignited west of Crater Lake after lightning storms hit the area in July and August.  #HighCascadesComplex

This complex is host to 5 fires. Minimal fire behavior with smoldering.  79,870 acres.  32% contained.

853 personnel. 21 crews, 21 engines and 5 helicopters.

1 structure lost. $60,500,000 cost-to-date.

Bessie's cabin wrapped in fire protective covering to protect from Blanket Creek fire.
A wrapped Bessie’s cabin.

HORSE CREEK COMPLEX (6) 

Willamette NF.  7 miles S of Belknap, OR.  IMT is also managing Rebel Fire.  Started 8/21/2017. Cause unknown and is being investigated.  Timber, litter and light logging slash.  Fire managers are also managing the Rebel Fire.  Transfer of command from a Type 1 IMT to the local unit will occur on 9/28/2017.  #HorseCreekComplex

Sept 15 - Firefighters use water pumps to protect buildings at Boy Scout Camp Malakwa. Angela Yost photo
Usage of water pumps are implementation of structure protection. (Photo Credit: Angela Yost)

Totals:  41,873 acres. (A more accurate reported acres due to an Infrared flight was conducted).  337 personnel,. 5 crews, 1 helicopter, 15 engines, 3 water tenders and 1 skidgen.

Firefighters have been busy pulling hose that was laid on fires in the Horse Creek Complex and Rebel Fire. So far, they have pulled approximately 15 miles of hose and they're not done yet. Tim Mowry/Alaska IMT
This is what 15 miles of hose looks like. This was just the beginning. (Photo Credit: Tim Mowry, AK IMT)

Horse Creek Complex:  Minimal fire behavior.  33,170 acres. 64% contained. 247 personnel. 5 crews, 1 engine and 1 helicopter. $9,200,000 cost-to-date.

Rebel Fire:  Minimal fire behavior. 8,703 acres. 88% contained. Crews are salvaging logging which is near being complete. 65 personnel. 1 crew, 3 engines. $7,200,000 cost-to-date.

Olallie Lookout Fire:  1,572 acres.  Being monitored.

Roney Fire:  3,548 acres.  Being monitored.

Coils of rolled up fire hose are piled on pallets at the Hoodoo Incident Command Post on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017. Tim Mowry/Alaska IMT
Hose rolling operation. (Photo Credit: Tim Mowry, AK IMT)

Avenue Fire:  3,398 acres.  Dozer and hand lines installed will continue to dry out this weekend. Repair work will continue next week.

Separation Fire:  17,914 acres.  Hand lines are being stabilized on the NW side of this fire. NE of the fire, chipping operations will be completed.

Michael Clendenen from Fagen Trees and Chips of Bend, Ore. operates a chipper along Forest Service Road 19 on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017. Tim Mowry/Alaska IMT
Chipping operations in effect. (Photo Credit: Tim Mowry, AK IMT)

Nash Fire:  6,738 acres.

HORSE PRAIRIE FIRE (7)

OR DOF – Central Unit.  15 miles NW of Canyonville, OR. Started 8/26/2017.  Cause unknown.  Timber (litter and understory) and medium logging slash.  #HorsePrairieFire

No known fire behavior. 16,436 acres. 95% contained.

48 personnel.  2 crews, 1 engine.

2 structures lost. $16,300,000.

JOLLY MOUNTAIN (8 )

13 miles NW of Cle Elum, WA on the Okanogan – Wenatchee NF.  #JollyMountanFire #JollyMtnFire

Video of Friday's (9/15/2017) burnout operation along Road 903 north of Cle Elum Lake. This was a key part of the fire strategy – to bring the fire's northwestern edge down to the road under favorable conditions.
Burnout operations on 9/15/2017.

Minimal fire behavior. 36,808 acres. 45% contained. 

119 personnel. 2 crews, 12 engines and 0 helicopters. 

$24,800,000 cost-to-date.

JONES FIRE, KELSEY CREEK FIRE (9,10) 

Siuslaw hand crew building fireline

Willamette NF. 11 miles E of Oakridge, OR.  Burning on the Middle Fork Ranger District. Timber. Reported on 9/9/2017. Lightning caused. #JonesFire #KelseyCreekFire

Jones Fire:  10 miles NE of Lowell, OR.  Minimal fire behavior. 10,220 acres. 80% contained. 85 personnel. 2 crews, 1 engine and 2 helicopters. 1 structure lost. $21,100,000 cost-to-date. 

Kelsey Creek Fire:  11 miles East of Oakridge, OR. Minimal fire behavior. 441 acres. 15% contained.  225 personnel. 6 crews, 5 engines and 1 helicopter. $2,200,000 cost-to-date.

Firefighter working Kelsey Fire
Working on the Kelsey Fire. (Credit: Gina Troy via Inciweb)

 MILLER COMPLEX (11)

 Rogue River – Siskiyou NF. 17 miles E of Cave Junction and 20 miles West of Ashland, OR.  Started 8/14/2017 around 1400 hours PDT with 25 wildfires.   Timber, mixed conifer understory with Shasta Red Dir dominance and numerous snags.  Lightning caused. Type 3 IMT assumed command on Friday, September 22, 2017.  Due to fire behavior decreased, a Type 3 IMT has been moved into place.  #MillerComplex

Incident Cooperators include Harbor Rural Fire Protection Dept., OR State Fire Marshal, OR DOT, OR DOF, RRSNF.  

Totals: 36,496 acres. 70% contained. 167 personnel.  Fire behavior moderate in some areas, limited to creeping, smoldering and backing in others.

Abney Fire:  Fire crews to identify ways to limit fire spread and improve existing contingency lines.

Burnt Peak Fire: Being monitored.

Creedence Fire:  Being monitored.

Knox Fire:  Being monitored by air and showing little fire activity.

Fire behavior is minimal on the Miller Complex after this week's cool, wet weather. However, the fire is not out. Photo credit: Jacob Welsh
A fire smolders after a big rainfall on the Miller Complex.

MILLI FIRE (12 )

9 miles West of Sisters, OR on the Deschutes NF.  #MilliFire

Minimal fire behavior.  24,025 acres. 85% contained.

7 personnel. 0 resources.  

$16,800,000 cost-to-date.

NORSE PEAK FIRE (13) 

Okanogan – Wenatchee NF.  11 miles W of Cliffdell, WA. 3 fires.  Fire has been broken into 2 different zones (North and South). Started 8/11/2017. Lightning. Timber (litter and understory), heavy dead and down materials.

Fire Managers are also managing the American Fire.  Total personnel. 135 and included in totals are 4 crews and 5 engines.  Under SE of fire, a Naches Ranger District Type 4 is in Command. NW side of fire is a Type 3 IMT located at the Expo Center in Enumclaw.

Norse Peak Fire:  52,056 acres. 80% contained.  NW side:  cleanup and fire suppression restoration in progress. Under a monitoring phase: an active portion of fire near SR 410.  All Level 3 evacuations have been lifted.

American Fire:  3,853 acres. 99% contained.  Minimal fire growth is expected.  All Level 3 evacuations have been lifted.

Clearing Area Around Cabin at Goose Prairie
Clearing around a Goose Prairie cabin.

UMPQUA NORTH COMPLEX (14)

Umpqua NF.  50 miles East of Roseburg, OR.   (6 fires) Started 8/11/2017. Lightning caused.  Timber, forest litter, grass and shrubs are fire fuels. Great Basin IMT 3, a Type 2 IMT team assumed command on 9/15/2017 @ 1900 hours PDT. #UmpquaNorthComplex

This complex is host to 6 fires.   Minimal fire behavior.  43,140 acres. 60% contained.

456 personnel. 17 crews, 9 engines and 2 helicopters. 

1 structure lost. $38,200,000 cost-to-date.

Working the hose roller
Hose rolling operation.

WHITEWATER FIRE (15)

The Whitewater Fire includes reporting of Little Devil Fire, Scorpion Fire, Clagett Lake, Slideout Fire, Section Line Fire, French Fire and Potato Hill Fire. Located on the Willamette NF and 10 miles East of Idanha, OR. Closed timber, timber (litter and understory), light logging slash and snags are throughout the area.  #WhitewaterFire

Minimal behavior.  14,451 acres. 47% contained. 

September 22, 2017 photo of a westerly view from Heli-spot 4 on the Whitewater Fire
View from the Heli-spot 4 on the Whitewater Fire. Photo taken on 9/22/2017.

372 personnel. 7 crews, 5 engines. 

$36,600,000 cost-to-date.

SOURCES.  NIFC, NWCC, Inciweb, Facebook.

FIRE IMAGES.  All fire images have been given appropriate Photo Credit respectively and to the best of our ability.  We do not lie claim to any of them. 

If a Photo Credit is not listed for the fire image, it is implied that it is a Courtesy/Credit Photo from Inciweb.  Inciweb is an interagency that gleans information  from various Fire Departments, Districts, Forest Service and other Agencies working together. 

Photos are uploaded from various Firefighters, Strike Teams, IMTs, Incident Command, etc.  We respect their roles in where they play in obtaining these photos.  They often give us a great front row seat in looking through their eyes and under what conditions lie before them.

(c) 2017 NW Fire Blog – Updated 9/23/2017 – 1830 hours PDT