Wildland fires

Washington Wildfire | Cougar Creek Fire | 4

/ NW Fire Blog (TM)

UPDATE 4 – Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Collage of various men and women firefighters

Various photos of the men and women in the fire service. Credit: OK-WEN NF

The COUGAR CREEK FIRE is burning approximately 20 miles northwest of Entiat, about 12 miles northwest of Ardenvoir and 7.5 miles of Plain, Washington.  The fire started by lightning.

Along with the COUGAR CREEK FIRE, the IC is also managing the LOST FIRE and BANNOCK LAKES FIRE.

The LOST FIRE is located about 10 miles north of Plain, Washington.  The 80-acre fire has been fully contained and is being monitored by air.

The BANNOCK LAKES FIRE is located about 177 miles west of Stehekin in the Glacier Peaks Wilderness.  This fire is burning among large rocky outcroppings and isolated clusters of timber in steep and inaccessible terrain.  The fire is currently not staffed and is also being monitored by air.

The fires are burning on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Washington State Department of Natural Resources and private lands.

Sunrise over Cougar Creek ICP, located at Leavenworth Fish Hatchery, looking toward the southwest.

Sunrise over the Cougar Creek ICP. Credit: OK-WEN NF

There are currently 297 fire personnel assigned along with 7 crews and 13 engines.  The NW IMT Team 10 with IC Alan Lawson will relinquish command to all three wildfires to a local Type 3 Team at 1800 hours PDT this evening.

The Incident Command Post or also known as the ICP is located at the Leavenworth Fish Hatchery.

About 42,712 acres have been destroyed and crews have reached a 79% containment status.

Fire suppression and containment costs have exploded up to $42.3 Million.

(c) 2018 NW Fire Blog

Washington Wildfire | Cougar Creek Fire | 3

/ NW Fire Blog (TM)

UPDATE 3 – Sunday, September 9, 2018

Cougar Creek Fire is burning approximately 20 miles northwest of Entiat, about 12 miles northwest of Ardenvoir and 7.5 miles of Plain, Washington.  The fire was ignited by lightning.

Fire is visible within forested mountainside as smoke rises above.

Credit: USFS

There are currently 343 personnel assigned that include 8 crews, 3 helicopters and 14 engines.

There has been 42,687 acres of timber, slash ground litter and snags burned.  A 78% containment status has been reached.  Fire behavior has been reported as being active with short-crown runs, torching and flanking.

(c) 2018 NW Fire Blog

COLORADO | LAKE CHRISTINE FIRE | UPDATE 1

/ NW Fire Blog (TM)

ASPEN, Colo. – A small 100-acre was sparked on Tuesday, July 3, 2018, by two El Jebel residents while using tracer rounds at a shooting range during a Fire ban have been charged with 4-degree arson criminal charges.

They could face fines up to $1,000,000 for the cost of fire suppression efforts.

The fire would soon explode into several thousands of acres consumed, mandatory evacuations of both homes and businesses in Aspen and surrounding areas in the Eagle County, Colorado area.

We have heard of reports where downtown Basalt businesses are/have been evacuated.

INCIDENT COOPERATORS

FIRE:  Basalt FD, Greater Eagle FD, USFS Rocky Mtns, Carbondale FD,

LAW ENFORCEMENT:   Eagle County Sheriff Office.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT:  CO State Emergency Management Agency (Level 2 Fire Ops)

JULY 3, 2018

 FIRE OPERATIONS:  Fire starts on the shooting range near Basalt, Colorado around 1800 hours MDT.  A drone is seen in the area, all fire suppression aircraft forced to land and wait until the air is cleared. (2101 MDT)

LAW ENFORCEMENT:  An investigation goes into effect for the exact cause, by whom and where it all started.

JULY 4, 2018

FIRE STATUS:  2,377 acres. 0% contained.  500 homes evacuated.  0 structures reported as damaged or destroyed. 0 deaths or injuries reported. Air attack resuming. 2 people using tracer rounds started fire on July 3rd, @ 1800 hours MDT.

HELITACK:  Tanker 163 added to the existing 4 SEATs. (1225).

MANDATORY EVACUATIONS:  Homestead Trailer Park, Wilds (Promontory and Windsprings), Ridge Rd, Pinion, Cedar Drive. (1211)LEAVE NOW.

PRE-EVACUATION ORDERS:    E & W Supris Drive, E & W Homestead Drive, Curtis Lane, Longhorn Lane, Tucker Lane, Spur Lane and Hillside Drive. (1212 MDT) Hillcrest, Silverado, Original Pine Ridge, Sagewood (0818 MDT).

SHELTERS:  Basalt HS, 600 Southside Drive, Basalt, CO.

WEATHER REPORTS:  Fire shifted. Heading above Downtown Basalt (1245 MDT) Winds picking up from the north, heading up Basalt Mtn. (1138)

Smoke plume forecast for next 24 hours. Expect the Lake Christine fire to possibly be in the next run of this experimental model.  (Photo Credit:  USNWS – Grand Junction Colorado.)

(c) 2018 NW Fire Blog – Updated @ 1900 hours PDT / 2000 hours MDT

Washington Wildfire | Quincy Fire | 1

/ NW Fire Blog (TM)

ANCIENT LAKE, Wash. – This was wildfire number three that began on Sunday evening, July 2nd.  The fire is burning on Quincy Lake in Grant County, Washington.

Fire Status

The fire is burning in grass and brush and has consumed up to 500 acres.  At around 0608 hours, the Grant County Sheriff posted their last presser on this fire in stating firefighters worked into the early hours on Monday, bringing it under control.  They working to strengthen the containment lines.

On July 1st, some concerned residents contacted the Sheriff’s Office mistaking dust clouds for smoke near Soap Lake but was quickly addressed.  No other fire was determined to be burning in the area, other than at Quincy Lake.

Evacuations

Evacuations were in effect but have since been lifted by the Sheriff’s Office.

Resources

Fire resources were dispatched through the Central Washington Interagency Communications Center to the area.

At the time of the fire, WA DNR had 12 engines en route to this GCFDist 3 fire. Additional resources came in as mutual aid which included: Ephrata FD, Fire Districts 10, 13, Bureau of Land Management.

Cause

No word on the cause, but it is under investigation.

Injuries

No injuries to civilians or firefighters were reported.

(c) 2018 NW Fire Blog – Updated @ 0615 hours

 

New Mexico Wildfire | Pepper Spring Fire | 1

/ NW Fire Blog (TM)

CAMP WEHINAHPAY, New Mex. – A small wildfire is burning in Pepper Canyon, .5 mile south of Camp Wehinahpay, New Mexico on the Sacramento Ranger District in the Lincoln National Forest.

The fire was detected on Tuesday, June 26, 2018 around 1600 hours MST.

RESOURCES

There are currently three engines and one Interagency hotshot crew assigned with a total of 35 fire personnel.

CURRENT FIRE STATUS

Fire is burning in brush and dead standing trees.  It was ignited by lightning and crews have been successful in limited the rate of spread for this fire, holding it at three acres.

The fire is burning in the old scar  of the Scott Able Fire.

Behavior is very low intensity, creeping along the ground and burning dead and down logs as well as debris.   Rain fell over the fire ground and more is in the forecast in the upcoming days.

(c) 2018 NW Fire Blog – Updated @ 2110 hours PDT

Arizona Wildfire: #JuddFire Searing through Lands| 1

/ NW Fire Blog (TM)

BISBEE, Ariz. – A wildfire named the JUDD FIRE is located on Davis Road, about  2.5 miles north of Bisbee and  east of SR 80/90 junction on Mule Mountain in Chochise County, Arizona.

Judd Fire from Air Attack on Thursday, June 7th

Photo Credit | AZ DOF | Taken on Thursday, June 7

FIRE CAUSE

The fire started from a dry lightning storm passing over the area.   Another lightning storm is expected to hit the area, which is cause for alarm by Fire Managers.

RESOURCES

Incident Command is the Arizona State Forestry Department – State Office.  IC Contact is Tiffany Davila.

A SW Type 2 IMT (Short) ordered on Friday afternoon.

Photo Credit | AZ DOF

Original fire resources from the Arizona Dispatch Center were dispatched on June 7, 2018, around 1713 hours MST.  The fire incident is still active.

These resources include:

BN 3-3 DIV 7-1 DOUGLAS FT GRANT FUEL 3-8-1 LEWIS PHX CREW YUMA

Law Enforcement resources include:

Cochise County Sheriff’s Office.

CURRENT INCIDENT STATUS

Firefighters are being challenged by rough terrain, including scrub oak, brush and tall grasses fire fuels and windy conditions.

Active fire behavior is observed along with up-hill runs and flanking.  Fire has burned 8,000 acres.  There is a 0% containment status.

There 135 fire personnel assigned to this incident.

FIRE TACTICS

Fire Managers are working to stop the forward progression and reach the 100% containment status mark.

(c) 2018 NW Fire Blog – 0030 MST

 

* OOA * AZ Wildfire #PineryFire | 2

/ NW Fire Blog (TM)

DOUGLAS, Ariz. – A  wildfire named the Pinery Fire is burning approximately 32 miles southeast of Wilcox;  12 miles east of Douglas in Cochise County and about 60 miles northeast of Sierra Vista.

Location

The fire started on private land in Pinery  Canyon and moved on to the Chricahua National Monument (Pinery Canyon Chiricahua Mountains) and onto the Coronado National Forest lands.

Cause

It is a human-caused wildfire that started on Saturday, May 12, 2018 around 1330 hours MST.  The exact ignition is unknown and under current investigation.

Pinery Fire - Cochise County

Photo Credit: AZ State Forestry Division

Command

This incident is in a Unified Command with AZ DOF and Fire Management, the National Park Service (NPS) and the Coronado National Forest.

Staffing

Firefighters from the USFS (Coronado National Forest), AZ Department of Forestry and the National Park Service are under the Fire Command of a Type 1 IMT.

There are currently four crews, 15 engines assigned (per NIFC).

Fire resources were initially dispatched at 1338 hours MST with BN 3-2, CAP 3-2, DOUGLAS Engines 362 and 307.

Incident Cooperators

Incident Cooperators include the Green Valley Fire, Fry Fire District, Cochise County Sheriff Office, Coronado National Forest, National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service.

Photo Courtesy: Coronado NF

Current Conditions

Fire behavior is active, however it is currently being held at 1200 acres of dry vegetation, grasses, timber and brush with 0% containment status.

Firefighters are working challenges today including higher winds and warm temps.

Around 2200 hours MST on Saturday night, the Sheriff’s Office ordered pre-evacuations for the White Tail Canyon area for about eight homes.  The fire was said to still be burning in very steep and rugged terrain making it challenging for wildland firefighters.

Cost-To-Date

Costs-to-Date have reached $100,000 for fire suppression and containment expenses.

 

Social Media

We are using the following hashtags for this incident.  #AZwildfire2018 #PineryFire

(c) 2018 NW Fire Blog

 

 

 

* OOA * AZ Wildfire #PineryFire | 1

/ NW Fire Blog (TM)

DOUGLAS, Ariz. – A  wildfire named the Pinery Fire is burning approximately 32 miles southeast of Wilcox and 12 miles east of Douglas in Cochise County.  The fire started on private land in Pinery  Canyon and moved on to the Chricahua National Monument (Pinery Canyon Chiricahua Mountains) and onto the Coronado National Forest lands.

Fire resources were initially dispatched at 1338 hours MST with BN 3-2, CAP 3-2, DOUGLAS Engines 362 and 307.

It is a human-caused wildfire that started on Saturday, May 12, 2018 around 1330 hours MST.  The exact ignition is unknown and under current investigation.

Pinery Fire - Cochise County

Photo Credit: AZ State Forestry Division

Resources

Firefighters from the USFS (Coronado National Forest), AZ Department of Forestry and the National Park Service are assigned to this incident.

This incident is in a Unified Command with AZ DOF and Fire Management, the National Park Service (NPS) and the Coronado National Forest.

Equipment and additional resources include:  five SEATS (Single-engine Airtankers), four heavies, three helicopters, an AA and a lead plan.  There are seven engines, two IA crews and two hotshot crews.   Four more hotshot crews are on order.

Incident Cooperators include the Cochise County Sheriff Office, Coronado National Forest, National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service.

 

Current Conditions

The fire has burned 1200 acres of dry vegetation, grasses and brush with a 0% containment status.  Evacuations have been completed of the Chiricahua National Monument.

The campgrounds in the area have been evacuated and area road closures are in effect. This also includes Onion Saddle.

The current fire weather as of 2135 MST on Saturday, May 12, 2018 is a clear night with winds at 11 mph and a RH of 24%.  Temps are expected to be on Sunday, May 13 at a high of 88*F and a low of 56*F in the evening.  Temps are due to rise by next week in the low to high 90’s.

Social Media

We are using the following hashtags for this incident.  #AZwildfire2018 #PineryFire

(c) 2018 NW Fire Blog

 

 

 

Out of the Area | CA Wildfire #SchoolHouseFire | 1

/ NW Fire Blog (TM)

INCIDENT SUMMARY | A small wildfire is burning off of County Road (CR) 339 near Buena Vista (Chaffee County) in Colorado, ignited on Sunday, April 1, 2018.

Image may contain: mountain, sky, cloud, outdoor and nature

Photo Credit | Chaffee County Fire Protection District

Incident Cooperators |  Firefighters from Chaffee County Fire Protection District, Salida Fire, Buena Vista Fire, Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, Chaffee EMS and Chaffee OEM are currently working together.

Resources | Resources included multiple units from the skies to the ground, including this DFPC Engine 3161 alongside Swift Buena Vista.

Photo Credit | CO Div of Fire Prevention and Control

Size Up | The small fire wildfire was listed at 26.7 acres and had a 60% containment status on Monday.  No cause was known at the time of a presser released at 2015 hours on Sunday night.

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

Photo Credit | CO Div of Fire Prevention and Control

Photo Credit | Photo Credits are given to those that are listed and to the best of our ability. We do not lay claim to any of the fire images, just the content.

Social Media | #SchoolHouseFire #COwildfire2018

(c) 2018 NW Fire Blog

South Carolina’s #GreenwoodFire Almost Contained | 2

/ NW Fire Blog (TM)

SOUTH CAROLINA | A wildfire broke out on Thursday, March 15, 2018, around 1700 hours from an unknown ignition.  The fire is located in compartment 16 off of Highway 17A.

Francis Marion Fire personnel work after sundown

Fire crews work after sundown. Photo Credit | Francis Marion Fire via Inciweb

Fire Fuels | Hardwoods.

Size Up | The fire is remains at the same containment status with a total of 130 acres burned.  Expectation is to have a 100% containment by tonight.  Crews are still patrol and mop-up operations.

Containment Status | 75%.

Resources |   A reduction of personnel has been changed from 10 to four.

Significant Events |  Fire fuels found with downed trees next to power lines.

Fire Weather | Cloudy, light rain.

Social Media | We are using the hashtags #GreenwoodFire #SCwildfire2018

(c) NW Fire Blog – Updated 1650  PDT