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Norton Fire Surpasses 1,000 acres, Woodtick Fire Sees Minimal Growth

Despite the monsoonal weather forecasted, the Woodtick fire area received little rain (0.03 in) and relative humidity stayed below 20%. The Woodtick Fire grew approximately 30 acres, with most of the creeping fire activity in the Martindale drainage.

The Norton Fire grew over 300 acres and is now at 1,020 acres. As the fire’s edge progresses south, it is beginning to move into previous fire scars, which will likely limit the spread in that direction. East winds are pushing the fire’s edge westward as well. Fire managers observing fire behavior by helicopter reported that the trees around the top of Norton Peak have burned. However, Norton Lookout appears untouched by fire. This burn scar may protect the Norton Lookout from future fires.

Monsoonal weather bringing showers and thunderstorms is predicted again for Saturday. On Saturday, there is a better chance for rainfall. However, the warm and dry weather returns on Sunday into Monday, with an increased chance of dry, isolated thunderstorms.

The Woodtick Fire (lightning-caused) started as two separate fires on July 14th, 2022, in a rugged and remote area in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. Since mid-July, the area has experienced multiple red flag warnings for gusty winds, high temperatures, low humidity, and thunderstorms.

The Norton Fire (lightning-caused) started on August 1st, 2022, approximately seven miles northwest of Lower Loon Creek in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. On August 10th, fire managers began using cameras mounted on two lookouts to observe fire activity in the inaccessible and rugged terrain of both the Woodtick and Norton fires. You can see images captured in the morning of August 19th here: https://bit.ly/Aug19Woodtick

Evacuations for Woodtick: Residents at Camas Creek can find information on the “Ready, Set, Go” status issued by the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office here: https://bit.ly/LemhiCountyEvacs

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Minimal Growth on Woodtick and Norton Fires

Hot and dry weather persists in the area. The Woodtick and Norton fires continue with minimal activity. Firefighters posted at peaks around the Woodtick Fire reported minimal fire activity yesterday in the Martindale drainage, an area that was more active earlier in the week. The Norton Fire grew approximately 200 acres yesterday, with fire movement mostly to the south. Yesterday, managers examined the condition of the Norton Fire Lookout area to assess any additional needs for structure protection.

Air quality has decreased in Custer County due to smoke from wildfires in western Idaho and eastern Washington.

Monsoonal moisture is expected in the area by Friday. Even though rain is forecasted for the weekend, this moisture will not be enough to completely extinguish the fires. For this to happen, it will take an extended period of low temperatures, increased relative humidity, and significant precipitation later in the year when the days are shorter.

On the Woodtick and Norton fires, managers are using a combination of "point protection" and "confine and contain" strategies. The incident management team uses many data points to decide what actions to implement. Check out this video to get a look at methods that firefighters use to collect fire behavior data and make informed strategic decisions: https://bit.ly/WoodtickVideo1

Evacuations for Woodtick: Residents at Camas Creek can find information on the evacuation status issued by the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office at this website: https://bit.ly/LemhiCountyEvacs

Closures: Two closures remain in effect on the Woodtick Fire. To view the orders in their entirety and other information regarding the fires, please refer to: https://bit.ly/WoodtickFireClosure

Hot & Dry Weather Produces Increased Fire Activity

Dry and warm conditions are expected through mid-week, as a ridge of high-pressure builds. Yesterday afternoon, fire managers monitoring the Norton Fire through remote cameras observed increased fire activity. Infrared mapping shows fire growth of about 30 acres. Much of this growth is to the south and west of the Norton Lookout. A few weeks ago, the lookout and outbuildings were covered with structure wrap, which reflects radiant heat and averts embers settling directly on the building. Fire managers will be monitoring conditions of this area via helicopter today.

Firefighters serving as temporary lookouts on peaks around the Woodtick Fire reported light smoke in the Woodtick drainage. The Woodtick Fire grew almost 100 acres yesterday and is now at 5,642 acres. Crews continue to monitor fire activity and are prepared to respond to new starts.

While rain is forecasted for the weekend, this moisture will not be enough to completely extinguish the fire. For this to happen, it will take an extended period of low temperatures, increased relative humidity, and significant precipitation later in the year when the days are shorter.

One team is now managing both the Woodtick and Norton fires. The Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) have been lifted. Aircraft operators are reminded that firefighting aircraft operations are still being conducted around the Woodtick and Norton fires. If there is an increase in fire activity, airspace restrictions will be re-assessed.

Evacuations for Woodtick: Evacuation orders issued by the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office remain in effect for residents at Camas Creek.  For more information, go to : https://bit.ly/LemhiCountyEvacs

A virtual community meeting is planned for Tuesday August 23rd at 7:00pm and will be streamed live on the Cedar Creek Fire Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CedarCreekFire2022/
You can submit questions online during the meeting or email them in advance to: 2022.cedarcreek@firenet.gov. A recording of the meeting will also be posted to the fire's YouTube channel:  https://www.tinyurl.com/cedarcreekfireyoutube  

Current Situation: Late yesterday afternoon fire was carefully and deliberately introduced into an unburned area of the Waldo Lake Wilderness, between the lake and the eastern edge of the wildfire. This is being done so firefighters can enter the wilderness and create a fireline to stop the fire from spreading further to the south. In the coming days, firefighters will hike into the wilderness and create an “anchor” point for the line where the fire meets Waldo Lake. They will then engage the fire using Minimum Impact Suppression Tactics (MIST), including setting up pumps and hoses. These tactics also take advantage of natural barriers like lakes and marshy areas to balance suppression objectives with environment impacts. Waldo Lake will not be used as a water source for this operation. Also Saturday, firefighters successfully brought fire down to the primary line on Black Creek Road (FR 2421) west of the Joe Goddard Interpretive Site. Night shift personnel monitored that area overnight to keep fire north of the road.

Today’s Activities: Crews will use masticators, chippers, and other heavy equipment to fortify both primary and alternate firelines on roads throughout the fire area. While firefighters do not anticipate fire to pass the primary line, these alternate lines are being prepared as a precaution to protect the values at risk, including the community of Oakridge. On the small Slapjack Fire, near Hills Creek Reservoir, crews expect to have a line around the 3.5-acre fire by the end of today. Helicopters with water buckets are available to support firefighters on the ground on both fires.

Huckleberry OHV Park is open today but only via High Prairie Road, from the south. In the interest of public and firefighter safety, access will be closed at the Forest Service Rd. 19/Forest Service Rd. 1928 intersection, through the weekend. The OHV park will again be closed from both directions beginning tomorrow morning, August 22.

Virtual Community Meeting: A virtual community meeting is planned for Tuesday August 23rd at 7:00pm and will be streamed live on the Cedar Creek Fire Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CedarCreekFire2022/

Evacuations: Currently, there are no evacuations in place.

Weather: Today is expected to be increasingly hot sunny, and dry, with only light winds. The conditions may promote increased fire activity, especially at higher elevations.

Closures: An Area Closure is in place for the Cedar Creek Fire. This includes all trailheads and dispersed camping west and north of Waldo Lake. The lake itself, campgrounds, and trails (including the PCT) on the east side remain open. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place.

Restrictions: Fire restrictions are in place on the Willamette National Forest with the exception of the Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, Waldo Lake, and Diamond Peak Wilderness areas.

Smoke: Smoke Forecast Outlooks are available at https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook.

Fire Information: Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM | Phone: 541-201-2335 | Email: 2022.cedarcreek@firenet.gov | Online: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8307/ | https://www.facebook.com/CedarCreekFire2022/ | https://www.facebook.com/willamettenf | https://twitter.com/willametteNF | YouTube: https://www.tinyurl.com/cedarcreekfireyoutube  

Current Situation: Helicopters dropped water Friday to slow the spread of the eastern edge of the fire. Weather conditions also improved which assisted firefighters who are conducting a “burnout” operation above Black Creek Road (FR 2421). The 2421 Road has been prepared as a fireline and once the firefighters bring fire down to the road it will provide an “anchor point” for continuing strategic burning operations to reinforce the line. Night shift crews patrolled the area overnight to ensure the fire stays north of the road. Huckleberry Flats OHV Area will remain open through the weekend but will close on Monday. Please watch for fire traffic if entering that area.

Today’s Activities: Pacific Northwest Team 3 is now managing the Slapjack Fire, which is burning south of Hills Creek Reservoir. Slapjack is about 3.5 acres and the resources being used to contain it consist of hand crews, helicopters, and other specialized personnel and equipment. On the Cedar Creek Fire crews will use a drone and helicopters to continue bringing low-intensity fire closer to FR 2421, as conditions allow. Heavy helicopters are available to cool hotspots and slow the fires’ spread. Crews are working to prep a shaded fuel break east of Oakridge as a contingency line to protect Oakridge if wind pushes the fire west.

Evacuations: None.

Weather: Conditions are expected to be warmer and drier than yesterday, especially at elevations above four thousand feet. Cloud cover is expected to burn off by the afternoon, allowing aviation resources to assist firefighting efforts. Light westerly winds are anticipated to continue with stronger winds along the ridgelines.

Closures: An Area Closure is in place for the Cedar Creek Fire. This includes all trailheads and dispersed camping west and north of Waldo Lake. The lake itself, campgrounds, and trails (including the PCT) on the east side remain open. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place.

Restrictions: Fire restrictions are in place on the Willamette National Forest with the exception of the Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, Waldo Lake, and Diamond Peak Wilderness areas. All campfires, charcoal or briquette fires, pellet fires, or any other fires will be prohibited, except in designated campgrounds. Portable cooking stoves, lanterns, and heaters using liquefied or bottled fuel are still allowed if they can be switched on and off. Motorized vehicles may operate only on designated trails and roads, including within the Huckleberry Flats and Santiam Pass OHV areas.

Smoke: Smoke Forecast Outlooks are available at https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook.

Fire Information: Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM | Phone: 541-201-2335 | Email: 2022.cedarcreek@firenet.gov | Online: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8307/ | https://www.facebook.com/CedarCreekFire2022/ | https://www.facebook.com/willamettenf | https://twitter.com/willametteNF | YouTube: https://www.tinyurl.com/cedarcreekfireyoutube  

Current Situation: Pacific Northwest Incident Management Team 3 assumed management of the Cedar Creek Fire this morning at 6:00 am. There was additional growth on the fire yesterday as outflow winds from a thundercell passing over the fire pushed the fire towards Waldo Lake. However, fire behavior is expected to be minimal today, with cooler temperatures and higher relative humidity from layers of fog settling into the drainages. Crews from Cedar Creek Fire assisted the Willamette National Forest with responding to two new fires in the area. Firefighters assigned to the incident will continue to assist the Willamette National Forest in responding to new fire starts. Huckleberry Flats will remain open this weekend, but in the interest of completing roadside prep work and the safety of the public and firefighters, it will close again on Monday. Access to Huckleberry Flats OHV area will be from the south from High Prairie Road only. Access from the north remains closed.

Today’s Activities: Fire personnel will continue to assess opportunities to build fire line to stop fire spread towards Waldo Lake. Crews will also continue work from previous days to prepare roads and trails to be used as fire line north of the fire. South of the fire, in the Black Creek drainage, line prep is nearly complete, and crews will continue burning operations aimed at reinforcing the line as conditions allow. Road prep on the shaded fuel break west of the fire will continue as well. Night crews will work this evening to patrol the entire fire line, looking for embers or fire that may have crossed the lines. Teams will also be continuing vegetation removal along Waldo Lake Road.

Evacuations: There are no evacuations in place.

Weather: Light westerly winds are forecast which will result in cooler temperatures typical for the area this time of year. Today's forecast is mixed clouds with stray showers and thunderstorms as a possibility. The low is anticipated to be near sixty degrees and the high near eighty with light and variable northwest winds.

Closures: An Area Closure is in place for the Cedar Creek Fire. This includes all trailheads and dispersed camping west and north of Waldo Lake. The lake itself, campgrounds, and trails (including the PCT) on the east side remain open. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place.

Restrictions: Fire restrictions are in place on the Willamette National Forest with the exception of the Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, Waldo Lake, and Diamond Peak Wilderness areas. All campfires, charcoal or briquette fires, pellet fires, or any other fires will be prohibited, except in designated campgrounds. Portable cooking stoves, lanterns, and heaters using liquefied or bottled fuel are still allowed if they can be switched on and off. Motorized vehicles may operate only on designated trails and roads, including within the Huckleberry Flats and Santiam Pass OHV areas.

Smoke: Smoke Forecast Outlooks are available at https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook.

Fire Information: Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM | Phone: 541-201-2335 | Email: 2022.cedarcreek@firenet.gov | Online: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8307/ | https://www.facebook.com/CedarCreekFire2022/ | https://www.facebook.com/willamettenf | https://twitter.com/willametteNF | YouTube: https://www.tinyurl.com/cedarcreekfireyoutube  

Cedar Creek Fire Update, August 18, 8:00 a.m.Acres: 4,836

Cedar Creek Fire Update, August 17
Acres: 4,836
Containment: 0%  

*There will be a virtual public meeting tonight at 7:00 p.m. on Facebook*
https://www.facebook.com/CedarCreekFire2022/