TOWNSEND, Mont. Sept. 28, 2021 — Following a large fire event, damaged soil can lead to mudslides, weakened root systems in trees, and erosion that can pose risk to human safety.  In response, a Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team built of hydrologists, soil scientists, engineers, invasive plant specialists and others is assembled to assess and mitigate hazards within the fire perimeter.  The BAER team responding to the Woods Creek Fire has already identified critical values at risk, evaluated those risks, and developed a response strategy.

“We are very grateful for the quick action of these scientists and specialists, many directly from our Forest, who are helping to identify and mitigate risks to human life and safety following the Woods Creek Fire,” said Townsend District Ranger Mike Welker.  “The BAER team did a fantastic job of gathering and analyzing data from the burned area to help determine risks to Forest Service values, as well as providing useful analysis products to our partners to assist in risk assessment and management on private lands.”

The BAER team focused on areas where visitors congregate, such as trailheads, campgrounds, and road systems.   Soil scientists developed a soil burn severity map from satellite imagery and ground truthing that helped hydrologists model potential risks following a storm.  The soil burn severity map, available on Inciweb, identifies areas of soil burn severity by categories of very low/unburned, low, moderate, and high which may correspond to a projected increase in watershed response. The higher the burn severity, the less the soil will be able to absorb water when it rains. Without absorption, there will be increased run-off with the potential of flooding. Response action timing is essential to ensure the emergency stabilization measures are effective.

Visit: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7845/ to learn more about the work taking place on the Woods Creek Fire by the BAER Team.  Visitors will also be able to find photos from within the perimeter of the fire, a soil burn severity map, as well as the final report of the BAER team.  

The USFS BAER team has completed their assessment and treatment recommendations for critical values at risk in the area burned by the Woods Creek Fire. The BAER team was comprised of experts in natural resource disciplines that assessed potential effects and risks to life and safety, soils, geology, hydrology, roads and bridges, recreation sites and trails, and native plant communities. These findings provide the information needed to prepare and protect against post-fire threats.

To access the report summary follow the link below.

 USGS Debris Flow Hazard Mapping Completed

TOWNSEND, MT – The Woods Creek Fire Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team coordinated with the US Geological Survey (USGS) during its evaluation of the burned area to assess potential post-fire hazards, including debris flows.

The USGS utilized the BAER team’s soil burn severity map to model potential debris flow hazards within the burned area. The resulting Debris Flow Hazard Map displays the combined relative debris flow hazard for areas burned by the Woods Creek Fires. The combined relative hazard metric is a combination of the likelihood of debris flow (in %) and potential volume of debris flow (in cubic meters).

Probabilities are calculated based on a typical storm for this area, which are described by both their intensity and volume. On the Woods Creek Fire burn area, in any given year, there’s a 50% probability of a storm occurring with a peak intensity of 40 mm/hour for 15 minutes. That means that over a 15-minute period, we could expect to receive 10 mm (~0.39 inches) of rain.

Many watersheds within the burned area have a relatively high probability of experiencing a debris flow. On the Woods Creek Fire, the headwaters of Slough Creek, Elk Creek, Moose Creek, Pickfoot Creek, Camas Creek, Big Birch Creek, Little Birch Creek, Hunter Gulch, and Clear Creek are at high risk (>60% probability) in response to expected storm intensity (see accompanying map).

This information is extremely important as we all need to improve our safety awareness of the areas, especially where there may be an increased risk of hillslope erosion, flooding sediment delivery to streams, and a higher probability of debris flows – all of which are potential risks to human life, safety, and property.

While the USGS delivers debris flow hazard potential to BAER teams for multiple storm events, their website only displays results using a standard storm for all fires across the country: 15 minutes at 24 mm/h intensity. Please be aware of the differences between their visualization and local implementation due to site-specific hydrological experience.

USGS debris flow combined hazard can be viewed and downloaded under the "Related Information" header below or the "Maps" tab of this InciWeb site. This data and more information on the model are available at https://landslides.usgs.gov/hazards/postfire_debrisflow/index.php.
  

 Townsend, Montana —Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) specialists recently completed data gathering and analysis for the area burned in the Woods Creek Fire to produce a soil burn severity map. Developing a postfire soil burn severity map is an important first step in the rapid assessment process. It enables BAER teams to prioritize field reviews and identify areas that may pose a risk to critical values within or downstream of the burned area. The map displays soil burn severity in four categories: areas of very low or unburned, low, moderate, or high.

The soil burn severity maps are available in PDF format and can be viewed and downloaded under the "Related Information" header below or the "Maps" tab of this InciWeb site. 

 
 
 

Soil Burn Severity

Very Low or Unburned – This category of soil burn severity indicates little to no observable change to the vegetation condition, particularly from overhead canopy perspective.

Low - The low category of soil burn severity indicates that there was only partial consumption of fine fuels and litter coverage still remains, to some extent, on the soil surface.  Fire residence time at the soil surface in low areas was short, leaving root systems and structure intact.  Recovery time in the low category will vary based on ecological community but is expected to be relatively short.

Moderate - A moderate category of soil burn severity indicates consumption of litter and fine fuels at the soil surface.  In forested communities, the heat from moderate severity fire will result in water repellant conditions at the mineral soil surface.  The canopy in the moderate forested system is browning and it is expected that trees in this area will drop needles and leaves that can provide some litter cover at the soil surface.  In these systems, recovery can take longer for tree species to reestablish.

High - A high soil burn severity category is the result of higher intensity fire behavior or longer residence time at the soil surface.  This category is found in forested or dense woodland communities and the litter and fuels, including an overstory canopy, was consumed.  The soil structure is weakened, roots are charred, and water repellant soil conditions persist through the upper horizon of mineral soil.  Recovery time in the conifer systems can be significant.

Huff Fire Final Update
Location: Huff Road, Archer County, Texas
Status: Approximate 19 Acres
Containment: 100%

Fire was gps'ed at 19 acres, 100% containment. Locals had 1 direct save. 1 firefighter transported to hospital due to dehydration. Dozers loaded & all TAMFS resources clear, scene turned back to locals.

 Burns, OR – Northwest Incident Management Team 7 will transfer command of the Big Meadow Fire to a Type 4 organization managed by Incident Commander Darren Gunn today at 7:00 p.m. Cooperation between local agencies will continue towards reaching full containment of the fire. This will be Team 7’s last update. All future updates will be provided on the Burns Interagency Fire Zone Facebook page.  

Big Meadow Fire

September 18, 2021

Fire Information: 541-701-9097

E-mail: bigmeadowfire@gmail.com

Burns, OR – Firefighters made good progress on the fire yesterday completing a combination of dozer and hand line on the eastern and southern flanks. Firefighters conducted a successful burn operation on the southern flank, utilizing water drops from a heavy helicopter as support to keep fire from spotting. Helicopters also inserted portable water tanks to facilitate aggressive mop up on the southern flank.

On the northern flank near Upper Valley, crews patrolled and 

mopped up 100 feet inside the perimeter, completing about 75 percent of the mop up on that flank. On the eastern flank near Egypt Canyon, crews have established hose lays into the fire, into rugged terrain inaccessible to engines. About 5000 feet of hose has been installed.

Today on the southern flank near Dry Mountain, firefighters will work to fell hazardous trees killed or weakened by fire that pose a risk to firefighters and could threaten the fireline. Crews will continue a burn operation to clean up the line and will start to mop up the burn operation that took place yesterday.

Today the weather will be warmer, with low relative humidity and higher winds. A light helicopter will be used on the fire for aerial reconnaissance. On the southern flank, crews will work to clean up the fireline by chipping and dispersing fuels with a masticator. Work will continue with fireline construction improvement and mopping up around the fire perimeter.

Weather: A warmer day is forecasted with temperatures from the mid to upper 70’s with low relative humidity and high winds. There is moisture predicted to enter the area starting Saturday going into Sunday.

Hunting Season: It’s September and that means it’s also hunting season. We are asking the public to be aware of the elevated hunting and fire traffic in the area as well as the closures that may affect hunters.

Closures: There are closures in place around the fire area. These closures are on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management land and Forest Service. Please adhere to these closures for firefighter and public safety.

For more information about closures, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/4z9an48h

Prevention Message: Safety is our number one priority. Please continue to do all you can to prevent wildfires.

The Malheur National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management are in an IFPL level 3.

The Incident Command Post is located at the Harney County Fairgrounds in Hines, Oregon.

Burns, OR – The Big Meadow Fire did not grow measurably

during the past 24 hours. Firefighters made good progress on the fire yesterday, taking advantage of cooler weather and higher humidity to complete a combination of dozer and hand line on the eastern and southern flanks. 

Firefighters used helicopter water drops along the southern flank to suppress some hot spots. One spot fire was detected outside the perimeter which was successfully controlled. On the northern flank near Upper Valley, crews patrolled and 

mopped up 100 feet inside the perimeter. On the east near Egypt Canyon, crews have established hose lays into the fire, into rugged terrain inaccessible to engines. 

On the south near Dry Mountain, firefighters will work to fell hazardous trees killed or weakened by fire that pose a risk to firefighters and could threaten the fireline. Crews will work to install hoses on the southern flank.

Today the weather will be slightly cooler, slightly drier and the wind will be calm. A light helicopter will be used on the fire for aerial reconnaissance. On the southern flank, crews will work on a burning operation to improve containment lines with a heavy helicopter assisting with water drops. Work will continue with fireline construction, improvement and mopping up around the fire perimeter. 

Weather: A cooler day is forecasted with temperatures from the mid to upper 60’s and low relative humidity. There is moisture predicted to enter the area starting Friday going into Saturday.

Hunting Season: It’s September and that means it’s also hunting season. We are asking the public to be aware of the elevated hunting and fire traffic in the area as well as the closures that may affect hunters.

Closures: There are closures in place around the fire area. These closures are on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management land and Forest Service. Please adhere to these closures for firefighter and public safety.

For more information about closures, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/4z9an48h

Prevention Message: Safety is our number one priority. Please continue to do all you can to prevent wildfires.

The Malheur National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management are in an IFPL level 3.

The Incident Command Post is located at the Harney County Fairgrounds in Hines, Oregon.