SIT REP 5: Saturday, July 8, 2023, 1300 hours PDT

TUNNEL 5 FIRE

A single-engine air tanker or commonly called a SEAT drops water over the fireline. | Photo Credit: USFS

A wildfire that has been burning 2.25 miles west of White Salmon, Washington is still showing moderate fire behavior and today it is backing, creeping and smoldering. The fire ignited on July 2, 2023, at 1119 hours, and destroyed about 559 acres of timber, litter understory, and hardwood litter. It is now 35% contained. The cause is unknown and under investigation.

The fire is broken up into multiple Divisions and Groups. Here is an update per Fire Officials’ presser given by the Fire Management Team:

Div A (Alpha): Crews continue to mop up and secure the perimeter line to keep the fire within the same footprint, south of Ashley Drive, due east to Wess Raod. Working on continuing to keep the fire south of Cook-Underwood Road to the Div A/D break. Additionally, they are working on damage assessments of area structures.

Div D (Delta): They will continue to monitor the fire while performing mop-up activities along division lines, as well as the fire’s edge from the ridge down to Hwy 14.

Photo (below) Credit | USFS

Div G (Golf): Continue efforts of mop-up around the old mill site and Spring Creek Hatchery. Patrolling for fallen trees in the area and strengthening containment lines with Div Z near Tunnel 4.

Div Z (Zulu): The Division will continue to monitor and patrol while conducting mop-up activities along division lines. Air resources will be utilized if the fire pushes against containment lines. The objective is to keep the fire east of Tunnel 4.

Structure Protection Group: Assess and prep for structure protection for those structures north and east of the fire.

Night Operations: Will work on holding the fire along established lines and secure direct fireline around the slopovers, while monitoring fire grown on all flanks.

Level 2 Evacuations are still in effect for a two-mile radius around the fire in Skamania County. For updated evacuation info from the County’s Sheriff Department, go to their Facebook page –> https://www.facebook.com/SkamaniaSheriff

There are a total of 485 personnel along with 10 crews and 55 engines, under the management of the NW Team 12, a Type 2 IMT with Incident Commander Bobby Shindelar at the helm. Incident Cooperators include those from WA DNR, Skamania County Sheriff’s Office,

The cost-to-date for fire suppression and containment efforts has reached $6.7 Million Dollars. Eight structures have been destroyed.

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