News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fremont-Winema National Forest

www.fs.usda.gov/fremont-winema

 Cougar Peak Fire Update 

Northwest Incident Management Team 8, Incident Commander, Kevin Stock

Oregon State Fire Marshal Incident Management Blue Team, Incident Commander, Scott Magers

September 9, 2021 - 8:00 AM

News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 8, 2021

Media Contact:
Tamara Schmidt
Cell: 541-891-6758 
tamara.schmidt@usda.gov 

Cougar Peak Fire Morning Update

 LAKEVIEW, Ore. – The Cougar Peak Fire, burning approximately 15 miles northwest of Lakeview, is now estimated to be more than 3,200 acres with no containment.

Fire behavior overnight continued to be active, with running, torching and spotting in mixed conifer and brush.  The fire is burning primarily to the northeast on the Lakeview Ranger District of the Fremont-Winema National Forest and Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) protected lands.

There is a Red Flag Warning in effect from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. today for strong gusty winds with low relative humidity.  Winds are predicted to be 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 to 40 mph and 12 to 15 percent humidity.  This is likely to affect fire behavior this afternoon and evening.

Numerous wildland firefighting resources are assigned to the fire, with more on order.

The South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership (SCOFMP) Type 3 Incident Management Team is currently managing the fire.  A Type 2 Incident Management Team is expected to arrive in the area later today.

Smoke from the fire is highly visible along Oregon State Highway 140 between Lakeview and Quartz Mountain, as well as along U.S. Highway 395.   There are expected to be continued smoke impacts today to the communities in the Summer Lake area, including Paisley.

Drivers should use caution due to increased traffic from wildland firefighting equipment and possible reduced visibility from smoke.  Area residents and visitors are also asked to avoid traveling on Forest Roads near the Cougar Peak Fire, including Forest Road 28 and Forest Road 3870, also known as Cottonwood Road. 

Recreation sites in the area are closed, including Upper Cottonwood Campground and Cottonwood Creek Trailhead.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Management and the Incident Commander have identified areas for Level 3 (Go Now) and Level 1 (Be Ready) Evacuations in the fire area.

Lake County Evacuations

Level 3 Evacuation Notice (GO NOW – Residents should leave IMMEDIATELY.)

•  Lower Cottonwood Road north to Forest Road 3870-041.

Level 1 (GET READY – Residents should make preparations for potential evacuation.)

• Forest Road 28, from the Forest Boundary northwest to Cox Flat.

Area residents and visitors are reminded that Public Use Restrictions are still in effect on the Fremont-Winema National Forest, as well as fire restrictions in effect on neighboring landscapes.

Fire danger remains “Extreme” in Lake and Klamath counties.  Extremely dry fuels and seasonal winds can make even a small spark rapidly grow into a large wildfire.  These fires can be destructive, resulting in evacuations, damage to property and natural resources, and affects public and firefighter safety.

The public is responsible for ensuring that they have reviewed and are aware of the restrictions in place for the landscape they plan to recreate or work on.  For all agencies, violation of these prohibitions could result in citations, fines, and even imprisonment, depending on the agency and order. 

The latest restrictions and regulations, including for ODF and the federal agencies are available at https://scofmp.org/restrictions.shtml.

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Fremont-Winema National Forest

 
News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 7, 2021

Media Contact:
Tamara Schmidt
Cell: 541-891-6758 
tamara.schmidt@usda.gov 

Cougar Peak Fire Burning Northwest of Lakeview

LAKEVIEW, Ore. – The Cougar Peak Fire is currently burning approximately 15 miles northwest of Lakeview on the Fremont-Winema National Forest Lakeview Ranger District.

The fire was discovered at 1:45 p.m. and is estimated to be 60 acres and growing rapidly.  It is burning in mixed conifer and brush.  The fire is threatening Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) protected lands.

Cottonwood Campground is located approximately 1.5 miles west of the Cougar Peak Fire.  The campground was evacuated by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office this afternoon.  Recreation sites in the area are closed, including Upper Cottonwood, as well as Cottonwood Creek Trailhead, due to the fire.

There are multiple air and ground wildland firefighting resources fighting the fire this afternoon and evening, with more on order.  Air resources include three heavy air tankers and three helicopters.

Smoke from the fire is highly visible along Oregon State Highway 140 between Lakeview and Quartz Mountain, as well as along U.S. Highway 395.  Drivers should use caution in the area due to increased traffic from wildland firefighting equipment.

A Red Flag Warning remains in effect until 8 p.m. today for strong, gusty wind and low relative humidity.  Winds are predicted to be 15 to 20 mph with gusts of 25 to 35 mph and 5 to 10 percent humidity.

With ongoing extreme fire danger and fuel conditions, even a small spark can quickly grow to become a large wildfire.  Everyone is asked to be careful with anything that could spark a wildfire and to report suspected wildfires immediately by calling 911.

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Fremont-Winema National Forest

THIS WILL BE THE LAST DAILY UPDATE FOR THE JAKES GULCH FIRE

SUMMARY: The Jakes Gulch Fire was reported on Sunday, September 5, 2021. The fire is located 2 miles west of Vienna on the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The fire is burning in steep terrain with lodgepole pine and subalpine fir. Crews focused on hazardous fuel reduction and structure triage of private and Forest Service infrastructure around Alturas Lake.  Aerial resources attacked hotspots and worked the edges of the fire. A Forest Closure Order was placed in effect. Firefighter and public safety are the priority in this high recreation use area.

YESTERDAY: All the suppression efforts leading up to this point proved to be successful as containment lines now expand across the entire north, east and south sides of the fire and are continuing to grow. Minimal heat and good fuel consumption within the fire perimeter indicated containment lines held nicely under yesterday’s very gusty winds.  All the crews were pulled off the fireline as a safety precaution and utilized by the Sawtooth National Forest for new fire starts.  Structure group completed their mission to haul loads and chip brush from around structures in the Alturas Lake area. All pumps, hoses and communications equipment have been removed.  Resource advisors continued discussions to create a plan to identify suppression repair needs.  

TODAY:  The much-needed rain overnight and forecast throughout the day will give fire personnel a break.  Ongoing discussions of a suppression repair plan will continue. The Type 2 Eastern Area Incident Management Team will be transferring command of the fire back to the Sawtooth National Forest. Over the coming days, local crews and aerial resources will be patrolling and monitoring the fire for any lingering hotspots.     

WEATHER: Overnight, a cold front will be moving through bringing cooler temperatures and precipitation. Expect to see high temperatures near 37 degrees, low humidity of 65% and winds gusting up to 25 mph. Rain amounts (and possibly snow in the upper elevations) estimated at .75” to 1.00” Another dry stretch of weather will return next week.  

CLOSURE AREA: A Forest Closure Order is in effect around Alturas Lake.         This includes:

·        Perkins Lake

·        Alturas Lake

·        Cabin Creek Trailhead

·        Smokey Bear Alturas Campground

·        North Shore Alturas Campground

·        Alturas Inlet Group Picnic Area B

·        Cabin Creek Road

·        Alturas Creek Road

·        Beaver Creek Road

INCIDENT STATISTICS (as of Sunday, Sept. 19)

Location of Origin: 23 miles south of Stanley, ID

Start date: September 5, 2021

Size: 510 acres

 Percent Contained: 80%

 Cause: Human-caused

 Resources Assigned:

·        153 personnel

·        Engines: 1

·        Handcrews: 3

·        Helicopters: 5

·        Water tenders: 4

 CLOSURES: See closure notices: https://www.fs.usda.gov/ alerts/sawtooth/alerts-notices

 INTERACTIVE MAP: View an interactive map of the Jakes Gulch fire and the closure area: Bit.ly/JakesGulchFire

 SAFETY:

·        A temporary flight restriction is in place over the fire area.

·        Flying drones in the restricted area will shut down air operations.

·        Move to shore if planes or helicopters are refilling water tanks or buckets from lakes. Do not move toward operations.

 EVACUATIONS: None

 COOPERATORS: USDA Forest Service 

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2021 WILL BE THE LAST DAILY FIRE UPDATE

SUMMARY: The Jakes Gulch Fire was reported on Sunday, September 5, 2021. The fire is located 2 miles west of Vienna on the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The fire is burning in steep terrain with lodgepole pine and subalpine fir. Crews continue to focus on hazardous fuel reduction and structure triage of private and Forest Service infrastructure around Alturas Lake.  Aerial resources attacked hotspots and worked the edges of the fire. A Forest Closure Order was placed in effect. Firefighter and public safety are the priority in this high recreation use area.

YESTERDAY: All the suppression efforts leading up to this point proved to be successful as containment lines now expand across the entire north, east and south sides of the fire and are continuing to grow.  Operations staff flew the entire fire in the afternoon to conduct an assessment and confirm the hotspots identified by the infrared flight from earlier in the day.  Reports indicate very little heat where the crews were positioned; a few smoldering logs and snags were witnessed.  Structure group continued hauling loads and chipping brush from around structures in the Alturas Lake area. All pumps, hoses and communications equipment no longer needed have been removed.  Resource advisors continued discussions to create a plan to identify suppression repair needs.  

TODAY: Minimal heat and good fuel consumption within the fire perimeter indicates containment lines are holding nicely.  With a Red Flag Warning in effect, all crews will be pulled off the fireline as a safety precaution and utilized by the Sawtooth National Forest for any new fire starts. Before the strong winds set-in for the day, another aerial assessment will be conducted to look for any remaining pockets of heat or smoldering vegetation.  The structure group will be finishing up the hauling and chipping of remaining brush around Alturas Lake.  Ongoing discussions of a suppression repair plan will continue. The Type 2 Eastern Area Incident Management Team will formalize a transition plan to return the fire back to the Forest.   

WEATHER: A Red Flag Warning is in effect today.  Expect to see high temperatures near 65 degrees, low humidity of 20% and winds gusting up to 35 mph.  Overnight into Sunday, a cold front will be moving in bringing cooler temperatures and much-needed precipitation. Another dry stretch of weather will return next week.  

CLOSURE AREA: A Forest Closure Order is in effect around Alturas Lake.         This includes:

·        Perkins Lake

·        Alturas Lake

·        Cabin Creek Trailhead

·        Smokey Bear Alturas Campground

·        North Shore Alturas Campground

·        Alturas Inlet Group Picnic Area B

·        Cabin Creek Road

·        Alturas Creek Road

Location of Origin: 23 miles south of Stanley, ID

Start date: September 5, 2021

Size: 510 acres

Percent Contained: 80%

Cause: Human-caused
Resources Assigned:

·        223 personnel

·        Engines: 1

·        Handcrews: 6

·        Helicopters: 6

·        Water tenders: 5

CLOSURES:

See closure notices: https://www.fs.usda.gov/ alerts/sawtooth/alerts-notices

INTERACTIVE MAP: View an interactive map of the Jakes Gulch fire and the closure area: Bit.ly/JakesGulchFire

SAFETY:

·        A Red Flag Warning is in effect; fires can start and spread easily under these conditions. 

·        A temporary flight restriction is in place over the fire area.

·        Flying drones in the restricted area will shut down air operations.

·        Move to shore if planes or helicopters are refilling water tanks or buckets from lakes. Do not move toward operations.

EVACUATIONS: None

COOPERATORS: USDA Forest Service

SUMMARY: The Jakes Gulch Fire was reported on Sunday, September 5, 2021. The fire is located 2 miles west of Vienna on the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The fire is burning in steep terrain with lodgepole pine and subalpine fir.
 

Crews continue to focus on hazardous fuel reduction and structure triage of private and Forest Service infrastructure around Alturas Lake.  Aerial resources continue to attack hotspots and work the edge of the fire. A Forest Closure Order remains in effect. Firefighter and public safety are the priority in this high recreation use area.

YESTERDAY: All the suppression efforts leading up to this point proved to be successful as containment lines now expand across the entire east side of the fire and are continuing to grow.  Moderate weather conditions allowed for work on the ground to continue along the northwestern and southwestern edges of the fire. Crews monitored interior smoke resulting from pockets of unburned vegetation and cleaned up containment lines.  Structure group continued hauling loads and chipping brush from around structures in the Alturas Lake area. Resource advisors are beginning to shift efforts to address suppression repair.   

TODAY: With a Red Flag Warning in effect, crews will be keeping an eye on the weather conditions to see how well containment lines hold today and into Saturday.  Several resources, including aircraft, personnel, hoses and pumps, are being released today to assist with the Boundary Fire.  The Boise and Bonneville Hotshots will be expanding containment lines on the northwest and southwest edges.  The structure group will be finishing up the hauling and chipping of remaining brush around Alturas Lake, in addition to starting to backhaul pumps and hoses no longer needed. 

WEATHER: A Red Flag Warning is in effect this afternoon through Saturday evening.  Expect to see high temperatures near 66 degrees, low humidity of 18% and winds gusting up to 25 mph.  Similar conditions forecast for Saturday but with stronger winds.  On Sunday, a cold front will be moving in bringing cooler temperatures and much-needed precipitation. 

INTERACTIVE MAP: For the most current fire situation, view an interactive map of the Jakes Gulch fire and the closure area: Bit.ly/JakesGulchFire

   CLOSURE AREA: A Forest Closure Order is in effect around Alturas Lake. This includes the following lakes, trailheads,      campgrounds and roads:

·        Perkins Lake

·        Alturas Lake

·        Cabin Creek Trailhead

·        Smokey Bear Alturas Campground

·        North Shore Alturas Campground

·        Alturas Inlet Group Picnic Area B

·        Cabin Creek Road

·        Alturas Creek Road

·        Beaver Creek Road

INCIDENT STATISTICS

Location of Origin: 
 23 miles south of Stanley, ID

Start date: September 5, 2021

Size: 510 acres

Percent Contained: 60%

Cause: Human-caused

Resources Assigned:

·        232 personnel

·        Engines: 1

·        Hand crews: 6

·        Helicopters: 4

·        Water tenders: 5

 CLOSURES:
See closure notices: https://www.fs.usda.gov/ alerts/sawtooth/alerts-notices

SAFETY:
·        A temporary flight restriction is in place over the fire area.

·        Flying drones in the restricted area will shut down air operations. 
 
 ·        Move to shore if planes or helicopters are refilling water tanks or buckets from lakes. Do not move
          toward operations.

EVACUATIONS: None

COOPERATORS: USDA Forest Service

SUMMARY: The Jakes Gulch Fire was reported on Sunday, September 5, 2021. The fire is located 2 miles west of Vienna on the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The fire is burning in steep terrain with lodgepole pine and subalpine fir. Crews continue to be focused on hazardous fuel reduction and structure triage of private and Forest Service infrastructure around Alturas Lake.  Aerial resources continued to attack hotspots and work the edge of the fire. A Forest Closure Order remains in effect. Firefighter and public safety are the priority in this high recreation use areaa.

YESTERDAY: All the strategically placed water by aircraft and ground support efforts leading up to this point proved to be successful as containment lines now expand across the entire east side of the fire.  Late in the afternoon, an aerial assessment was conducted to see how well the current fire control lines stood up to the gusty winds throughout the day. Ground resources worked along the northwestern edge of the fire and observed interior smoke resulting from pockets of unburned vegetation, reinforcing containment lines. Several crews continued the removal of chipped brush generated in the construction of defensible space around structures in the Alturas Lake area.

TODAY: Moderating weather should allow for more progress of containment lines to occur from the air and on the ground today.  The Boise Hotshots will continue to work along the north end of the fire, expanding contingency lines and putting out any hotspots.  The Bonneville Hotshots arrived and took over for the Sawtooth Hotshots along the southern edge of the fire. The structure group will be finishing up any remaining assessments around Alturas Lake.  Crews will continue to lay hose and sprinklers around threatened structures and in areas where they thinned the trees.

WEATHER: Expect to see lighter winds and cooler temperatures today.  Winds will be 10-14 mph with gusts up to 22 mph coupled with a high temperature of 62 degrees. Elevated fire conditions to return on Saturday.  No precipitation is predicted until Sunday.

INTERACTIVE MAP: For the most current fire situation, view an interactive map of the Jakes Gulch fire and the closure area: Bit.ly/JakesGulchFire

CLOSURE AREA: A Forest Closure Order is in effect for the area around Alturas Lake. This includes the following lakes, trailheads, campgrounds and roads: ·        Perkins Lake ·        Alturas Lake ·        Cabin Creek Trailhead ·        Smokey Bear Alturas Campground ·        North Shore Alturas Campground ·        Alturas Inlet Group Picnic Area B ·        Cabin Creek Road ·        Alturas Creek Road ·        Beaver Creek Road 

INCIDENT STATISTICS  
Location of Origin: 23 miles south of Stanley, ID  
Start date: September 5, 2021
Size: 510 acres
Percent Contained: 60%
Cause: Human-caused
Resources Assigned: ·        247 personnel ·        Engines: 1 ·        Handcrews: 7 ·        Helicopters: 7 ·        Aircraft: 2 ·        Water tenders: 4  

CLOSURES: See closure notices: https://www.fs.usda.gov/ alerts/sawtooth/alerts-notices    

SAFETY:
   ·        A temporary flight restriction is in place over the fire area.
  ·        Flying drones in the restricted area will shut down air operations.
  ·        Move to shore if planes or helicopters are refilling water tanks or buckets from lakes. Do not move toward operations.  

EVACUATIONS: None  

COOPERATORS: USDA Forest Service

SUMMARY: Crews continue to be focused on hazardous fuel reduction and structure triage of private and Forest Service infrastructure around the Alturas Lake campground.  Fire protection efforts have been expanded which includes pumps and additional hose lays.  Aerial resources continued to attack hotspots.  The Forest closure order remains in effect. Firefighter and public safety are the priority in this high recreation use area. 

YESTERDAY: The strategy of continued, timed placement of water in specific locations was again used yesterday with continued success.  This strategy involved both hand crews and air resources and were critical in keeping the fire in check on the southern edge. Additional ground resources worked along the Northern edge of the fire.  Crews continue the removal and chipping of brush generated in the construction of defensible space in the Alturas Lake area.

TODAY: Air resources will continue to play a critical role in fire suppression. The Boise Hot Shots will still be working along the north end and southern end shoring up the contingency line. The structure group will be laying hose and sprinklers in the areas where they thinned the trees. Sawtooth Hotshots have finished the assigned fire-line detail on the southern edge of the fire and will be redeployed to the Boundary Fire. 

WEATHER: The forecast continues to indicate a likelihood of winds at 10-15 mph with gusts of 25 mph with low RH late this afternoon. Decreased winds are forecast for Thursday with a return of moderate winds Friday.  No moisture is predicted until the weekend.

INTERACTIVE MAP:  An interactive map of the Jakes Gulch fire and closure area is available at this link Bit.ly/JakesGulchFire

CLOSED ROADS: • Cabin Creek Rd • Alturas Creek Rd • Beaver Creek Rd 

CAMPSITE CLOSURES: A friendly reminder that a closure order is in effect for several areas around Alturas Lake.  This includes:  • Cabin Creek Trailhead • Perkins Lake • Alturas Lake • Pettit Lake Areas • Smokey Bear Alturas Campground • North Shore Alturas Campground • Alturas Inlet Group Picnic Area B.  

INCIDENT STATISTICS  Location of Origin:  23 miles south of Stanley, ID.
Start date:  September 5, 2021
Size: 509
Percent Contained: 20%
Cause: Human Caused 
Resources Assigned: 214 personnel • Engines: 1 • Hand crews: 5 • Helicopters: 6 • Aircraft: 2 • Water tenders: 1

CLOSURES: See closure Info at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sawtooth/alerts-notices 
SAFETY: 1. A temporary flight restriction is in place over the fire area.  2. Flying drones in the restricted area will shut down air operations.  3. Move to shore if planes or helicopters are refilling water tanks or buckets from lakes. Do not move toward operations.

EVACUATIONS: None 
COOPERATORS: USDA Forest Service