Plumtaw Fire Update
Monday, May 30, 2022, 8:00 a.m.
Type 3 Incident Management Team Ed LeBlanc, Incident Commander Memorial Day Tribute, Honoring Those Who Sacrificed
We honor and respectfully remember the fallen members of our armed forces. We are indebted to the family members of those who support this need of the highest calling and are unified in our gratitude and thank you.
Special Notes: A temporary flight restrictions (TFR) is back into effect immediately over the Plumtaw Fire. This restriction is necessitated as Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) will be used for intelligence gathering, surveillance, and reconnaissance today and over the next several days. UAS are tools allowing fire managers to get a full view of the fire situation on the ground and through multiple lenses.
Current Situation:
Yesterday firefighters continued patrol and mop-up operations maintaining the fire at its existing footprint. The bulk of firefighting resources were in the northeast corner, of the uncontained section of fireline, where they continued to secure the fire edge by extinguishing hotspots. Some firefighting resources, including the Type 3 helicopter, were released as fire managers remain confident in the work that has been accomplished. In preparation for continued fire management, the Unaweep Wildland Fire Module arrived at the fire yesterday. The module is a seven-person crew highly skilled in collecting and analyzing fire and fuels data for tactical operations. The crew will use an UAS for some of the data gathering. Today, a Red Flag Warning will present increased safety concerns for firefighters due to the higher potential for falling snags from the windy conditions. As a result, firefighters will be extra vigilant as they continue to implement work of the last several days: securing fireline, patrol and mop-up, and suppression repair. Safety of firefighters and the public remains the top priority guiding decisions and actions for both fire managers and firefighters. Weather and Fuel Conditions: A Red Flag Warning will be in effect today from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. These warnings are triggered when humidity is less than 15% combined with winds over 20 mph sustained over a period of three or more hours. Overnight possible thunderstorms will clear out this morning with high temperatures in the mid to high 50s, humidity in the mid-teens, and winds out of the southwest with gusts up to 30 mph in the afternoon. Closures and Advisories Areas around the fires are closed for public safety. Please respect the closure signs. A temporary flight restriction (TFRs) is in effect over the Plumtaw Fire. TFR violations can disrupt aerial firefighting operations and may fore fire managers to ground essential aircraft. Wildfire are a no-fly zone for unquthorized aircraft, including drones. If you fly, we can’t. http://knowbeforeyoufly.org Stage 1 fire restrictions remain in place for the San Juan National Forest. There is also a closure area for the Plumtaw fire. See: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sanjuan/alerts-notices