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Size: 24,091 acres                Start Date: July 15, 2024        Cause: Under investigation

Location: SW of Clarkston, 1 mile west of Hwy 129 and Grand Ronde River intersection

Containment: 60%              Personnel: 262                       Fire Strategy: Full suppression                       

Resources Assigned: 3 crews, 1 helicopter, 25 engines, 10 water tenders, 3 heavy equipment

The Cougar Creek Fire is burning within a mountainous and remote area on the Umatilla National Forest bordering the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness. 

Operations: At 7 pm on Tuesday evening, command of the Cougar Creek fire was transitioned over to Northeast Washington Type 3 Team 1 from Interagency Incident Management Team Northwest 12. NW12 completed a full operational period with the new team to ensure all communication and logistical needs were met for operational success and demobilized. 

Yesterday, crews working the fire line in Division G to the north along the 43 road worked to reinforce the control line by identifying hazards and mitigating hotspots. This area is in mixed topography with steep incised canyons creating challenging obstacles for fire crews.  However, the control lines remain secure with minimal growth. 

On the western flank in Division D, hand crews working 40 road continued fire line hazard mitigation within the fire perimeter, as engines and tankers are unable to access the area due to terrain. 

Divisions A (southern line) and Division P (eastern line) unified as heavy equipment crews’ continued suppression repair work on the non- primary fire line. 

Reconnaissance flights were performed, and no additional areas of concern were identified. Data collected from the flight coincided with the information being reported by ground crews.

Today, firefighters will continue mop-up operations along the west and northwest portions of the fire. On the south and east sides of the fire, crews will continue to backhaul remaining equipment and supplies. Fire managers will also continue to assess fire suppression repair work to help mitigate long-term impacts to natural resources from fire suppression activities. 

Evacuations and Closures: All evacuation orders have been lifted. Forest closure descriptions and maps are available online on the Umatilla National Forest closure website. Please respect area closure orders and use extra caution while driving for your safety as well as our firefighters. 

Weather and Smoke:  High 75/Low 64: Sunny this morning turning partly clouding this afternoon. Increasing chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon into the evening hours. Smoke from the Cougar creek fire will be visible on the west northern and western flanks.  Air quality in the region is moderate. Learn more about smoke at http://wasmoke.blogspot.com/. 

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/wases-cougar-creek-fire 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CougarCreekFire2024 

Fire Information Line: 509-210-2928, 8 AM to 6 PM

Email: 2024.cougarcreek@firenet.gov