San Gabriel Fire Update 3:30 07/26/22

Size: 451

Containment: 90%

Cause: Under Investigation

The San Gabriel Fire is 451 acres and 90% contained. Crews are still finding hot spots in heavy fuel in the fire interior during the heat of the day. Crews are continuing mop-up operations to mitigate these hotspots, and are using a helicopter from Smithville to drop water on difficult to access areas. The fire is staffed today with 2 Texas Interstate Fire Mutual Aid (TIFMAS) engine strike teams, 3 bulldozers, Liberty Hill Fire Department, USFWS, USFS Mt. Taylor Hotshots, and TAMFS task forces that are available to respond to any new fires in the area if needed. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Closures and Evacuations

No evacuations are in place. Continue to expect to see emergency vehicle traffic, aircraft, and smoke in the fire vicinity. Travel with excessive caution. Initially 65 homes were evacuated on Saturday, all residents were allowed to return Saturday night. 

Damages and Injuries

No injuries or damages have been reported at this time. 

San Gabriel Fire Update 7:00am 07/24/22

Size: 500

Containment: 25%

Cause: Under Investigation

The San Gabriel Fire is currently estimated at 500 acres and 25% contained. Forward progress of the fire has been stopped. Crews made good progress constructing dozer line into the early morning hours of Sunday. Due to heavy fuels and topography heavy mop up and continue building and improvement of containment lines will continue on Sunday. The fire will be staffed by the San Angelo Strike Team Alpha, and Bravo, and TIFMAS engine strike team 177. Texas A&M Forest Service remains in unified command with the local incident commander. 

Closures and Evacuations

The voluntary two mile radius evacuation was lifted by Williamson County officials on Saturday night after 10pm. Residents are encouraged to travel with extreme caution in the area of the fire as responders will be in the area and heavy equipment, and smoke may be in the roadway. Updates on evacuation information can be found at https://www.wilco.org/Departments/Emergency-Management

Damages and Injuries

No injuries or damages have been reported at this time.

The Dodge Springs Fire is now almost totally contained and most of the firefighting resources are being sent home or released to other fires today and tomorrow. Containment went up to 98% Thursday and while some hot spots may continue to smolder, fire managers say it would take many days of continuous sunny weather bring it back to life. The hot spots that have been found are inside the perimeter and not a threat to containment. Showers are in the forecast again today. One hot shot crew will remain to work on the fire and monitor conditions this weekend and into next week. In addition to completing containment, the crews will work to repair damage to the land caused during the initial firefight last week.

“We want to thank the community of St. George for hosting our incident management team this week,” says Incident Commander Chris Delaney, “as well as the BLM district personnel in Nevada and Utah and our local partners, for their support and cooperation.” A helicopter base at Gunlock Reservoir has been relocated and the management team will be leaving the Dixie Center after today.

Containment is now 90% on the Dodge Springs Fire and the entire fire area received significant rain Wednesday afternoon and evening. Rain was so heavy that roads leading to the base camp near Motoqua were damaged. Firefighters were warned of the approaching bad weather and two crews were flown out of the most remote area before the storms arrived. While it is unlikely that many areas of heat remain, firefighters will continue to work the area, as weather permits, today and tomorrow. They are repairing bulldozer lines and other suppression efforts to prevent erosion and help these public lands to recover from the fire. The incident management team that has been organizing the firefighting efforts this week will relinquish command of the fire back to the local BLM units Saturday.

“Nature certainly gave us a lot of help on this one,” says Incident Commander Jeremy Kiesling, “but I can’t understate the hard work that has been done by the crews, in very challenging conditions and difficult terrain, in order to contain the fire.”

Firefighters made great progress Tuesday after the fire received good moisture on Monday and containment has increased to 51%. “We still have half the fire to get around but we’re feeling good about the safe, steady progress made by our firefighters,” said Chris Delaney, Incident Commander Trainee. The fire area did not get much rain on Tuesday but significant precipitation is possible over the fire this afternoon. As conditions allow, firefighters will be working on the fire’s edge to further increase containment and eliminate any further threat. A plane with an infrared camera has not been able to fly over the fire for the past two nights because of the weather so there is no updated acreage. The camera not only measures fire growth but also helps detect remaining hot spots. Some smoldering fuel, such as stumps and roots, is common, even after heavy rain. Renewed fire activity remains possible if the area dries out and there is no additional moisture. Temperatures are forecast to be in the mid-90’s all this week.

Because of the progress and favorable weather, some resources are beginning to be released from the fire. Two large, “heavy” helicopters and four crews were released at the end of the day Tuesday. This makes these valuable resources available to other fires or gives personnel a chance to return home for rest. Four smaller helicopters will continue to work out of a base at Gunlock Reservoir. Two excavators will start work on the southern part of the fire to help prevent erosion along the fire lines that were put in last week.

Up to one-half inch of rain fell over much of the fire area Monday and, as a result, there was little fire activity yesterday. More thunderstorms and rain are possible late this afternoon. Fire managers say there are still areas of heat across the fire footprint and that yesterday’s rain has not extinguished all of those. A plane with an infrared camera that tracks the fire’s growth was unable to fly last night so the acreage has not been updated today.

The stormy weather can pose a threat to firefighters, both from lightning and the possibility of flash flooding. “The rain can slow our progress,” said Incident Commander Jeremy Kiesling, “because we have to bring firefighters off the line for safety reasons.” Kiesling added that while fire growth has been slow, there is still a lot of rugged ground for firefighters to work across to complete containment. Firefighters are working around the entire perimeter to ensure the edge is secure and to prevent further new growth. Some firefighters are being flown in by helicopter to the more remote areas on the northern and eastern ends of the perimeter.

An incident meteorologist is now assigned to the fire and she says the best chance for more rain will be late this afternoon but there is a chance for scattered showers and lightning throughout the week.

Firefighters will be helped by higher humidity and the likelihood of more moisture over the fire area today. There was minimal activity on Sunday with only 23 acres of new growth detected by a flight over the fire last night. The growth Sunday was in an area southeast of Bull Mountain. Additional fire crews arrived yesterday, including more hotshot crews. They will work today to increase containment by working the fire’s edge to put out hot spots that could cause further new fire growth. Aircraft are available to support the firefighters on the ground.

A Type 2 Incident Management Team, Great Basin Team 6, Jeremy Kiesling Incident Commander, took command of the fire this morning. The team was brought to provide additional logistical and operational support for the firefighters, who are working in extreme heat in remote and rugged terrain north of Mesquite, Nevada.

The fire area includes portions of the Docs Pass Wilderness in Utah. Firefighters are working to fully contain the fire to protect the wilderness, wildlife habitat and to prevent the further spread of invasive species such as cheatgrass.

GRAND CANYON, Ariz – As of July 22, the Dragon Fire grew to approximately 733 acres and has 47 personnel assigned. The fire spread across the planning area with low to moderate fire behavior. The lightning-caused fire began July 17 and is being allowed to fulfill its natural role in a fire-dependent ecosystem.

Fire personnel moved along the W-1/Point Sublime Road and Tiyo Point Trail to remove downed fuels ahead of the advancing fire. Removing this excess vegetation from the forest floor reduces the amount of fuel available to the advancing fire which helps to keep fire behavior at low to moderate intensity. Crews will continue to patrol the fire perimeter, improve line, and remove hazard trees.
  
The weather will continue to be hotter and drier than normal with chances of precipitation and monsoonal weather beginning Sunday, July 24. Light winds are expected out of the northwest/southwest at 15 mph. The Dragon Fire poses no danger to structures or local infrastructure on the North Rim. Smoke from the Dragon Fire will be visible from the North Rim developed area and along the South Rim.

On Monday, July 25, the Northern Arizona Type 3 Incident Management Team (Shelby Erickson, Incident Commander) will assume command of the Dragon Fire.

Closures remain in effect for the Tiyo Point Trail and 1.5 miles east and west of the trail within Grand Canyon National Park. 

Please visit https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/management/firemanagement.htm for additional information about wildland fire at Grand Canyon National Park or call 928-638-7688 for recorded fire information.

The following areas of Grand Canyon National Park will be closed to all visitor use:

• North Rim Tiyo Point Trail (closed as of July 20, 2022)
• Widforss Trail
• Widforss Forest Trail
• NG9 Outlet Canyon Use Area
• NF9 Widforss Use Area
• All NPS lands above the Coconino Sandstone between Dragon Creek and Transept Canyon that are south of the W-1 Point Sublime Road. 

The closure will begin on July 25th, 2022 and will extend to August 25th, 2022, or as soon as the area is safe, whichever is first. This closure is in response to the Dragon Fire and is necessary to protect the health, safety, and well being of fire fighting personnel and equipment in addition to the public.

Visitors travelling in the area should additionally expect short-term closures of the W1 Road between Highway 67 and the Point Sublime Road. These closures may be expanded at a future date as the incident evolves.

 The Dragon Fire, located on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park is approximately 85 acres in size. The lightning-caused fire began July 17 and is being allowed to fulfill its natural role in a fire-dependent ecosystem.

Located 5 miles west of the North Rim Lodge, the Dragon Fire is burning in continuous ponderosa pine forest. Fire managers plan to continue monitoring fire activity while buffering containment lines to the north and east of the fire. All actions are being based on firefighter and public safety as well as current and expected fire weather and environmental conditions.

As of this morning, the Tiyo Point Trail is closed and motorists driving along the W-1/Point Sublime Road should be aware of fire personnel and equipment in the vicinity. Motorists should watch out for snags across the roadway and slow down for emergency response vehicles. Southwest-west winds may move smoke east towards the North Rim Grand Canyon Lodge and smoke may also be seen from the South Rim.  

Wildfire is a natural process within the fire adapted ecosystem on the North Rim. By allowing the Dragon Fire to carry out this natural process, a variety of resource objectives will be met including reduction of hazardous fuels, promoting forest regeneration, improving wildlife habitat, and restoring a more open forest understory.

Resources assigned to the fire are 2 wildland fire engines, 2 wildland fire modules, a 20-person hand crew, 1 helicopter, and local resource specialists.  

Please visit https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/management/firemanagement.htm for additional information about wildland fire at Grand Canyon National Park.