Single Publication

Cougar Creek Fire Update for August 10, 2024

Incident Commander Jeff Dimke

Complex Incident Management Team Northwest 12

509-210-2928, staffed 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.  

2024.cougarcreek@firenet.gov 

Quick Facts:

Size: 21,477 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: 40%              

Personnel: 416                       

Fire Strategy: Full suppression                       

Resources Assigned: 6 crews, 3 helicopters, 31 engines, 13 water tenders, 27 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: Firefighters yesterday held and improved containment lines along FSR 40 near Saddle Butte. Fire crews had favorable winds yesterday on the western fire flank and initiated firing from Horrible Butte south to Little Saddle and north towards Cabin Saddle Campground. An aerial reconnaissance flight revealed no smoke at all from the spot fire crews finished securing yesterday. Last night, crews patrolled the recently burned lines on the fire's perimeter, mopped up, and secured areas as needed. Firefighting resources from the Cougar Creek Fire are also available to assist with initial attack on new area fires, if needed today. 

Given favorable conditions today, firefighters will continue moving firing operations both north and south toward Cabin Saddle, working to close that gap in containment lines with assistance from the UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System). The UAS team is continuing to utilize a PSD (plastic sphere dispenser) to initiate these precision firing operations. A helicopter-mounted PSD system will also be used today to add additional depth to lines previously burned and will begin the process of burning out the fire’s interior. Fire crews will continue to utilize drip torches to initiate firing in more accessible areas. Heavy and medium helicopters supported firing operations on the western and northwestern fire perimeter with water bucket drops yesterday and will do so again today as needed. Chippers and masticators continue to reduce activity fuels and large woody debris into finer material along accessible roads. A grader will be working on FSR 4039, repairing the road from impacts due to fire traffic.

Evacuations and Closures: Forest closure descriptions and maps are available online on the Umatilla National Forest closure website. In Washington, evacuation notices are posted on the Asotin County Sheriff website and Asotin County Emergency Management Facebook website. Grande Ronde Road is closed from Troy, Oregon, to the Highway 129 junction in Washington. A level 2 evacuation remains in effect for all of Grouse Flat. The TFR remains in effect: https://bit.ly/4duptei. Drone activity is prohibited under the TFR as firefighting aircraft cannot fly with unauthorized drones present. Please respect road and area closure orders and use extra caution while driving for your safety as well as our firefighters.

Weather and Smoke: There will be a chance for showers and thunderstorms today; passing thunderstorms in the area could lead to gusty outflow winds. Lightning from area thunderstorms may start new fires. Air quality in the region remains at Moderate quality. Learn more about smoke at http://wasmoke.blogspot.com/.