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Slater and Devil Fires Morning Update September 15

Related Incident:
Publication Type: News

HAPPY CAMP, CALIFORNIA — East and northeast winds are predicted to clear smoke out of much of the fire area later today. Vegetation remains exceptionally dry and receptive to fire, and fire activity is expected to pick up with these winds.

 

On the southern end of the fire, the town of Happy Camp is beginning to repopulate as it has deemed safe for return. Residents can expect to see UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) flying in the Indian Creek area today, working on assessments of damaged or destroyed structures. 

 

The Slater Fire remained on the north side of control lines along Highway 96 between Happy Camp and Seiad overnight. Night shift firefighters watched carefully overnight for rolling material that could cause fire spread across the road. The fire is burning into patchy fuels]the 2012 Goff Fire footprint, with some heavier fuels and more intense burning along the northeast edge of this footprint. The fire is still two to three miles from Fort Goff and Thompson Creek areas along the Highway 96 Corridor.

 

Increased fire activity is anticipated around Seiad today. Firefighters in that area will focus on building indirect line along the north side of Seiad as the Devil Fire continues to slowly spread and the Slater Fire moves east. Incident Management Team 10 was able to dedicate some additional resources to help pick up the pace of this task. Meanwhile, direct line construction along the eastern flank of the Devil Fire will also begin today, tying into the Pacific Crest Trail.

 

On the Oregon side of the Slater Fire, a precipitous temperature rise and humidity drop occurred late in the day yesterday bumping fire northward in the Illinois Valley, east of Highway 199. Firefighting resources are beefing up primary, secondary, and contingency firelines today. Firefighting resources remained in Dwight Creek area to monitor fire activity and do some defensive firing as needed. Engines  patrolled south of Takilma[,] where communities saw some increased fire activity yesterday, but fire behavior decreased there overnight. No structures were lost during the flareup yesterday. Similar weather patterns and fire activity are predicted there today.

Near Gasquet, firelines are holding along Knopki Road, despite limited available resources there. Firefighters worked to strengthen control lines along Monkey Ridge and Oregon Mountain Road to prevent the fire’s spread into communities southwest of the fire. Repeaters on Monkey Ridge are threatened by the fire, according to operational reports. 

 

Incident Management Team 10 is readying to transfer command of the northern and western sides of the Slater Fire to an incoming Type 1 Team from the Northern Rocky Mountains, while retaining command of the south and east sides of the Slater Fire. The transfer of command for the north zone of the Slater Fire to the Northern Rockies Team occurs tomorrow at 6 a.m. Team 10 ordered additional radio communication repeater kits to ensure that the various sides of the fire can stay in good contact and coordination.

 

Due to extreme fire danger, all National Forests in California closed September 9, and remain closed. More details on these closure orders, along with fire restrictions orders, can be found on National Forest websites and on InciWeb.

 

As a result of extreme fire danger, the Bureau of Land Management Medford District has temporarily closed all Bureau of Land Management-administered public lands south of Grants Pass, Interstate 5, and U.S. Route 199 to the border of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. Maps of the closure areas are available on the Bureau of Land Management’s website:  https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions.

 

Highway 199 remains closed from O’Brien south almost to Gasquet. Highway 96 is now open to one-way controlled traffic. Drivers traveling this section of highway should expect delays and use caution due to poor visibility. Other highways in Oregon are also being impacted by the smoke.

 

EVACUATION INFORMATION:

 

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pict20200815-122424-0.pdf (159.26 KB)

Slater and Devil Fires Evening Update September 14

Related Incident:
Publication Type: News

FIRE SUMMARY 

Oregon area:  Bulldozers and fire engines worked to contain spots between primary and secondary containment lines on the north edge of the Slater Fire today. The Slater Fire activity picked up in late afternoon, with southeast winds moving it towards Takilma and pushing it back into Cedar Gulch. Residents in the north end of the fire can expect increased activity as winds continue and the inversion lifts. New Level 1 evacuations were issued in Josephine County due to these changing conditions. https://www.facebook.com/josephinecountyEM 

 

Gasquet Area: Firefighters continued to prepare and hold the Knopki Road to protect the town of Gasquet. Firefighters began to prep contingency lines to control the fire’s spread south and west, after the fire got established west of Highway 199 near the state line. 

 

Happy Camp: Mop-up continued today in Happy Camp, where firelines are secure and residents were allowed back into many parts of town earlier today.  Pacific Power continued to progress in restoring power to the town of Happy Camp, while cleanup there is ongoing. www.facebook.com/SiskiyouCountySheriff
 

Slater    131,601 acres, 10% contained

Devil      4,429 acres, 0% contained (fire is currently unstaffed)                                            

 

Crews:  13

Engines:  74

Dozers:  3

Water Tenders:  11

Helicopters:  7

 

EVACUATIONS 

California: EVACUATION ORDERS remain in effect for a few neighborhoods in Happy Camp where downed power lines and hazardous materials remain a concern. EVACUATION WARNINGS are still in place for most of Happy Camp including Elk Creek Road, and for Seiad along Highway 96, as well as for Gasquet, Hiouchi and Big Flat. 

 

Oregon:  Oregon, Level 3 “Go” orders are in effect in the O'Brien, and Takilma areas, Dick George Road (including most of Holland Loop) and Takilma Road areas, Brown Road, O'Brien and all areas south of Brown Road O'Brien. EVACUATION WARNINGS are in effect for Gasquet in California, while nearby communities of Hiouchi and Big Flat are on Level 1 “Get Ready” alert. Level 2 “Get Set” orders are in effect south of Kerby and Cave Junction areas in Oregon. 

 

MORE INFORMATION: 

Current evacuation orders are posted on Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SiskiyouCountySheriff/. 

For Del Norte County evacuation information, see www.facebook.com/DelNorteOfficeOfEmergencyServices or www.preparedelnorte.com/

Evacuation order/warning info and other resources for Josephine County can be found by calling Josephine County Fire Information Center 541-474-5305 (7am-10pm) or online at:  https://www.facebook.com/josephinecountyEM , https://www.co.josephine.or.us/fire  or www.rvem.org 

 

ROAD CLOSURES 

Highway 199 remains closed from Panther Flat (north of Gasquet) to the California/Oregon state line and from O’Brien south across the stateline into California. Some roads in Oregon are experiencing serious visibility impairments due to smoky conditions, however.

 

Highway 96 re-opened today to one-way controlled traffic. Expect delays and use caution when traveling. Air quality is currently classified as hazardous. If you have questions, please contact the Siskiyou Emergency Operations Center at (530) 643-3662.

 

PUBLIC LAND CLOSURES 

National Forest Closures, California: National Forests in California have been closed since September 9 and new closure orders have been issued to extend for 1 week. However, these orders are being assessed on a daily basis to consider cancelling or keeping open. More details on these closure orders, along with fire restrictions orders, can be found at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7173/

 

National Forest Closures, Oregon:  

The Wild Rivers and Siskiyou Mountains Ranger Districts are currently closed due to extreme fire danger. These closures cover all National Forest forested areas, developed campgrounds, dispersed camping, day use areas, wilderness areas, and all forest roads and trails within those two Districts. 

 

Bureau of Land Management Closures: As a result of extreme fire activity, the Bureau of Land Management Medford District has temporarily closed all Bureau of Land Management-administered public lands south of Grants Pass, Interstate 5, and U.S. Route 199 to the border of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. Maps of the closure areas are available on the Bureau of Land Management’s website.      

 

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pict20200814-225802-0.pdf (162.07 KB)

Slater and Devil Fires Morning Update September 14

Related Incident:
Publication Type: News

HAPPY CAMP, CALIFORNIA — The Slater Fire continued to back and flank at lower elevations in both California and Oregon yesterday. Fire activity remained relatively moderate in places that remained under the smoke inversion, but increased in places where the inversion lifted, especially on the Oregon side. Both the north and south edges of the fire experienced some spotting last night.  In Cedar Creek, Dwight Creek, and Elk Creek areas, fire-suppression efforts focused successfully protection around structures and utilities – no structures were damaged or destroyed overnight. The fire burned with less intensity around the Holland Loop area, so emphasis shifted to strengthening indirect firelines to increase community protection.

 

Crews mopped up around hand and dozer lines down to Highway 96 along the fire’s eastern edge, reinforcing those control lines overnight. Fire burning near Highway 96 between Happy Camp and Seiad caused some rocks to roll onto the road. Firefighters are securing line west from China Point towards Happy Camp. Work to defend constructed fire lines around structures at Thompson Creek is ongoing as the Slater Fire approaches that neighborhood from the west and the Devil Fire burns to the northeast.

 

Operational priorities on the south side of the fire for today remain point protection around structures and utilities, and detecting and containing any spots across the highway or ahead of the main fire. Fire personnel are hiking into the Devil Fire again today looking for places to contain the fire along the Pacific Crest Trail, with the goal of keeping that fire west of Seiad Creek and out of the Applegate River.

 

Near Gasquet, crews focused on structure protection to the southwest along Knopki Creek. Firefighters worked to strengthen control lines along Monkey Ridge and Oregon Mountain Road to prevent the fire’s spread west. Since the fire crossed to the west side of Highway 199, fire managers are now adjusting their control strategy and falling back to employ different control points further to the northwest. A local crew, the Smith River Hotshots, have been assigned to the Slater Fire.

 

Along the west side of the fire, Siskiyou Mountain Ranger District initial attack firefighting resources have continued to prep the 1040 road in the event that the Devil Fire should work its way out of the Red Buttes Wilderness. Portions of the 1040 road were treated in 2017 during the Miller Complex. With increased humidity, the Miller Complex Fire scar should slow or stop fire spread towards the Applegate Valley. The Slater Fire has not made it into Steve’s Fork; fire personnel scouted the area several days ago and completed a full reconnaissance before the smoke settled in. The Slater Fire is currently eight to ten miles from Williams, Oregon. Firefighting resources are scouting for the best places to put in direct, indirect and contingency lines to protect communities in this area. Firefighters are preparing Oregon Caves National Monument to protect it from the Slater Fire.

 

Winds out of the east have caused smoke impacts from the Slater and Devil Fires that have extended to the coast. Smoke continues to impact most of the west coast due to multiple large fires. The cool, wet smoke inversion is likely to remain into this afternoon, forecasts say. The inversion could begin mixing up into the atmosphere later this afternoon or tomorrow. Meanwhile, winds today are blowing 15 miles per hour on ridgetops. This could affect fire behavior at higher elevations in the Slater Fire’s interior and on the Devil Fire.

 

Due to a record number of wildfires burning across the West and resulting resource drawdown, fire managers are moving resources around to respond to the highest threats to life and property on the Slater Fire. The Devil Fire is estimated at 4,429 acres, and is 0% contained. The Slater Fire is estimated at 131,601 acres, and is 5% contained.

 

Incident Management Team 10 is readying to transfer command of the northern and western sides of the Slater Fire to an incoming Type 1 Team, while retaining command of the south and east sides of the Slater Fire and all of the Devil Fire.

 

Due to extreme fire danger, all National Forests in California have been closed from September 9 through 14, 2020. More details on these closure orders, along with fire restrictions orders, can be found on National Forest websites and on InciWeb.

 

As a result of extreme fire activity, the Bureau of Land Management Medford District has temporarily closed all BLM-administered public lands south of Grants Pass, Interstate 5, and U.S. Route 199 to the border of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. Maps of the closure areas are available on the Bureau of Land Management’s website:  https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions.

 

Highway 199 remains closed from O’Brien south almost to Gasquet. Highway 96 remains closed from Portuguese Creek to Clear Creek.

 

EVACUATION INFORMATION:

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pict20200814-120136-0.pdf (159.54 KB)

Slater and Devil Fires Evening Update September 13

Related Incident:
Publication Type: News

FIRE SUMMARY

Oregon area: Today, firefighters established direct fire lines off the established indirect fire lines on the north side of the fire.  There was increased structure defense preparation in the Holland Corners area, and direct and indirect line construction continues in the Dwight Creek area where the Slater Fire has crossed Highway 199.

 

Gasquet Area: Firefighters continued to prepare and hold the Knopki Road to protect the town of Gasquet. They also identified additional contingency lines east of town

 

Happy Camp: Crews made good progress on constructing fire lines around structures in the Thompson Creek area and in Happy Camp. The Slater Fire is backing slowly to Highway 96, and crews are on scene to help ensure it doesn’t cross the road. Crews scouted the Devil Fire and found it stopped along the Pacific Crest Trail. The trail will likely become the eastern containment line.  Firefighters continued to improve dozer lines protecting Seiad.


Acreage                              Containment
Slater     126,333                 5%      
Devil      4,149                       0%          *                                                         

Crews:  10 
Engines:  61     
Dozers:  11     
Water tenders:  3   
Helicopters:  5     
    

*Fire was scouted today but it is currently unstaffed.

 

EVACUATIONS

California: EVACUATION ORDERS remain in effect for most of Happy Camp. EVACUATION WARNINGS are in place for Elk Creek Road and Seiad along Highway 96, as well as for Gasquet.

 

Oregon:  Oregon, Level 3 “Go” orders are in effect in the O'Brien, and Takilma areas, Dick George Road (including most of Holland Loop) and Takilma Road areas, Brown Road, O'Brien and all areas south of Brown Road O'Brien. EVACUATION WARNINGS are in effect for Gasquet in California, while nearby communities of Hiouchi and Big Flat are on Level 1 “Get Ready” alert. Level 2 “Get Set” orders are in effect south of Kerby and Cave Junction areas in Oregon.

 

MORE INFORMATION:

www.rvem.org

 

ROAD CLOSURES

Highway 199 remains closed from Panther Flat (north of Gasquet) to the California/Oregon state line

Highway 96 remains closed from Clear Creek to Portuguese Creek

 

PUBLIC LAND CLOSURES

National Forest Closures, California: National Forests in California have been closed from September 9 through 14, 2020. More details on these closure orders, along with fire restrictions orders, can be found

 

National Forest Closures, Oregon:

The Wild Rivers and Siskiyou Mountains Ranger Districts are currently closed due to extreme fire danger. These closures cover all National Forest forested areas, developed campgrounds, dispersed camping, day use areas, wilderness areas, and all forest roads and trails within those two Districts.

 

BLM Closures: As a result of extreme fire activity, the Bureau of Land Management Medford District has temporarily closed all BLM-administered public lands south of Grants Pass, Interstate 5, and U.S. Route 199 to the border of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. Maps of the closure areas are available on the BLM’s website.     

 

MORE INFORMATION:

 

 

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pict20200814-103735-0.pdf (176.3 KB)

Slater and Devil Fires Morning Update September 13

Related Incident:
Publication Type: News

HAPPY CAMP, CALIFORNIA — The Slater Fire continues to slowly spread in all directions, moderated by cool, moist weather in low-lying areas. The Devil Fire remains unstaffed, but Team 10 is scouting containment opportunities. Additional firefighting resources are on order.

 

North side: A virtual public meeting will be held today, September 13, 2020 at 2:30 p.m.

Slater Fire North Area Virtual Community Meeting

Sunday, September 13, 2020, 2:30 p.m.

Facebook Live @SlaterAndDevilFireInformation

www.facebook.com/SlaterAndDevilFireInformation

 

South side: A virtual meeting public will be held today, September 13, 2020 at 4 p.m.

Slater Fire South Area Virtual Community Meeting

Sunday, September 13, 2020, 4 p.m.

Facebook Live @SlaterAndDevilFireInformation

www.facebook.com/SlaterAndDevilFireInformation

 

Fire activity around Happy Camp has now significantly moderated, with humidity damping down fire activity along the fire perimeter there. The town remains in mop-up and patrol status, with crews falling hazard trees and power companies working diligently to restore infrastructure so that displaced residents can return as soon as it’s safe.

 

The Slater Fire has now backed down to Highway 96 near Seattle Creek, where firefighters have built handline to limit fire growth potential and keep the fire north of the highway. A firing operation is planned to strengthen an indirect line protecting residences north of Happy Camp along the Highway 96 corridor, creating a solid containment line along the highway. Meanwhile, protection is underway around structures and utilities from Thompson Creek east (and downriver) to Fort Goff. Firefighters are also performing prep work from China Creek to Thompson Creek in case the fire arrives there.

 

Near Gasquet, crews focused on structure protection and scouting for areas to engage. The fire is

currently hung up at Oregon Mountain Road and backing into Knopki Creek, with not much movement

observed on the SW edge. A local crew, the Smith River Hotshots, have been assigned to the Slater Fire.

 

Along the west side of the fire, Siskiyou Mountain Ranger District initial attack firefighting resources have begun to prep the 1040 road in the event that the Devil Fire should work its way out of the Red Buttes Wilderness. Portions of the 1040 road were treated in 2017 during the Miller Complex. Along with increased humidity, the Miller Complex Fire scar should slow or stop fire spread towards the Applegate Valley. The Slater fire has not made it into Steve’s Fork; fire personnel scouted the area several days ago and completed a full reconnaissance before the smoke settled in. The Slater Fire is currently eight to ten miles from Williams, Oregon. Firefighting resources are scouting for the best places to put in direct, indirect and contingency lines to protect communities in this area. Firefighters are preparing Oregon Caves National Monument to protect it from the Slater Fire.

 

Winds out of the east have caused smoke impacts from the Slater and Devil Fires that have extended to the coast. Smoke continues to impact most of the west coast due to multiple large fires. The cool, wet smoke inversion is likely to remain into this afternoon, forecasts say. The inversion could begin mixing up into the atmosphere later this afternoon or tomorrow. Meanwhile, winds today are blowing 15 miles per hour on ridgetops. This could affect fire behavior at higher elevations in the Slater Fire’s interior and on the Devil Fire.

 

Both fires are still zero percent contained, burning mainly in timber, logging slash and brush. The Devil Fire is estimated at 4,149 acres. The Slater Fire is estimated at 126,333 acres, according to last night’s infrared flight.

 

Due to extreme fire danger, all National Forests in California have been closed from September 9 through 14, 2020. More details on these closure orders, along with fire restrictions orders, can be found on National Forest websites and on InciWeb. Highway 199 remains closed from O’Brien south almost to Gasquet. Highway 96 remains closed from Portuguese Creek to Clear Creek.

 

EVACUATION INFORMATION:

 

 

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pict20200813-121936-0.pdf (160.28 KB)

9122020 Medford BLM Closure Order

Related Incident:
Publication Type: Closures

Medford, Oregon – As a result of extreme fire activity, the Bureau of Land Management Medford District has temporarily closed all BLM-administered public lands south of Grants Pass, Interstate 5, and U.S. Route 199 to the border of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. Maps of the closure areas are available on the BLM’s  website.    

See the attached order and maps for more details.

 

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Slater and Devil Fires Evening Update September 12

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Publication Type: News

HAPPY CAMP, CALIFORNIA — On the north (Oregon) side of the Slater Fire, firefighting resources scouted opportunities to construct fireline to keep the wildfire out of populated areas. Dozer lines now surround the communities of Sunstar, Takilma, and Holland.

Siskiyou Mountain Ranger District initial attack firefighting resources have begun to prepare the 1040 road in the event that the Devil Fire should work its way out of the Red Buttes Wilderness. Portions of the 1040 road were treated in 2017 during the Miller Complex. Along with increased humidity, the Miller Complex Fire scar should slow or stop fire spread towards the Applegate Valley. Along its eastern edge, the fire has crossed into Sucker Creek and is burning in the Swan Mountain area, but is still far from structures. A public meeting will be held tomorrow, September 13, 2020 at 2:30 p.m.

Slater Fire North Area Virtual Community Meeting  

Sunday, September 13, 2020, 2:30 p.m. 

Facebook Live @SlaterAndDevilFireInformation 

https://www.facebook.com/SlaterAndDevilFireInformation

 

As of this evening, the Slater Fire has not made it into Steve’s Fork; fire personnel scouted out the area several days ago and completed a full reconnaissance before the smoke settled in. 

On the south (California) side, the leading southeastern edge of the fire continued to back downslope. By 6 p.m. the fire was 200 feet from Highway 96. Firefighters completed more than half of the prep work along the road between Happy Camp and Seiad in anticipation of the fire’s arrival there.

In Happy Camp, patrol and mopup around structures continued. Crews on the southwest side of Happy Camp attempted to burn out around structures to secure indirect fireline and create a buffer, but high humidity prevented effective burning.

While the Devil Fire continues to move mainly to the north and west, equipment and crews were able to pick up the pace building fireline to defend the town of Seiad, and so far that line has held.

On the west side of the Slater Fire, crews and bulldozers worked to build fireline around the Almost Heaven area and Dwight Creek. Fire resources there also scouted Monkey Ridge and Oregon Mountain Road as control features that can help stop the fire’s spread across the state line. Fire operations also looked for ways to tie the western edge of the fire into where it’s burning along the southern perimeter in Happy Camp.

More resources have finally begun arriving at the incident. This means more staffing for day and night shifts, and increased ability to complete control lines and containment strategies.

 Winds out of the east have caused smoke impacts from the Slater and Devil Fires that have extended over to the coast. Smoke continues to impact most of the west coast due to multiple large fires. Incident meteorologists say that a cold front coming in could dissipate smoke and bring some precipitation Monday or Tuesday. Meanwhile, winds tomorrow could gust up to 20 miles per hour.

 Both fires are still zero percent contained. The Devil Fire is estimated at 3,888 acres. The Slater Fire is estimated at 122,006 acres, according to last night’s infrared flight.

Due to extreme fire danger, all National Forests in California have been closed from September 9 through 14, 2020. More details on these closure orders, along with fire restrictions orders, can be found on National Forest websites and on InciWeb. Highway 199 remains closed from O’Brien south almost to Gasquet. Highway 96 remains closed from Portuguese Creek to Clear Creek.

EVACUATION ORDERS remain in effect for most of Happy Camp. However, Elk Creek Road and Seiad were both downgraded to an EVACUATION WARNING. In Oregon, Level 3 “Go” orders are in effect in the O'Brien and Takilma areas, Dick George Road (including most of Holland Loop) and Takilma Road areas, Brown Road, O'Brien and all areas south of Brown Road O'Brien. EVACUATION WARNINGS are in effect for Gasquet in California, while nearby communities of Hiouchi and Big Flat are on Level 1 “Get Ready” alert. Level 2 “Get Set” orders are in effect south of Kerby and Cave Junction areas in Oregon.

For more specific evacuation information, including information on any potential evacuations, visit the following sites:

 

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pict20200812-234654-0.pdf (158.74 KB)

Slater and Devil Fires Morning Update September 12

Related Incident:
Publication Type: News

HAPPY CAMP, CALIFORNIA — Based on reduced fire activity, fire suppression strategy on the Slater and Devil Fires yesterday changed from structure and utility protection only to a larger perimeter containment strategy. After an infrared heat detection flight last night, Team 10 was able to confirm that the total footprint of the fire was smaller than first estimated using satellite and data from ground troops.

 

Along the Slater Fire’s northwestern side in Del Norte County, the focus remained on point protection yesterday, primarily along Highway 199 from Gasquet to the Collier Tunnel. The fire is currently hung up at Oregon Mountain Road and backing into Knopki Creek, so there is currently little movement along the southwestern edge in this area. The Gasquet Ranger District’s (Six Rivers National Forest) Smith River Hotshots have been assigned to the Slater Fire.

 

On the south end of the Slater Fire, favorable weather conditions slowed fire activity significantly yesterday and overnight. However, the initially hot and fast-moving fire weakened trees in the burn area. Falling snags along Highway 96, some of them very large, pose a risk to firefighters and anyone else nearby.

 

Firing operations will begin today along the Slater Fire’s eastern edge to protect structures in the Thompson Creek area, while scouts look for opportunities to contain and control fire spread down river where the fire is approaching Highway 96. Firefighters are working to assess and implement structure protection in the Highway 96 corridor, and to protect road access on the highway.

 

Further up the eastern flank of the Slater Fire, crews continued to make good progress constructing fireline between the town of Seiad and the Devil Fire, which is likely to soon merge with the Slater Fire burning to its west. Fire managers have also continued scouting to determine where best to hold the fire to prevent it from threatening communities and structures to the north, east, and west.

 

Meanwhile, on the north side of the Slater Fire, crews and equipment continue to make headway along the west side of Highway 199, with hopes of buttoning up both sides of that highway with fireline and turn the northwest corner of the fire to connect with containment efforts along the fire’s northern edge. The Wild Rivers Ranger District (Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest) currently has 150 local firefighters assigned to the Slater Fire that are working along the Highway 199 corridor.

 

Meanwhile, aircraft are standing by to assist in firefighting and intelligence gathering if the air clears enough. Smoky conditions have dampened fire activity over the past few days, but also hampered the use of aircraft due to poor visibility.

 

Moisture recovery rose overnight and is expected to go up even more today, with probability of ignition dropping to 40 to 50 percent for today. A low-pressure system from the coast could scour smoke out of the fire area starting tomorrow, but could also result in increased wind speeds. Relative humidity is expected to continue climbing, aiding fire managers in suppression efforts. With higher fuel moistures and light variable winds, the fire is anticipated to be more terrain driven tomorrow. Winds out of the east have caused smoke impacts from the Slater and Devil Fires that have extended over to the coast. Smoke continues to impact most of the west coast due to multiple large fires.

  

Both fires are still zero percent contained. The Devil Fire is estimated at 3,888 acres. The Slater Fire is estimated at 122,006 acres, according to last night’s infrared flight.

 

Due to extreme fire danger, all National Forests in California have been closed from September 9 through 14, 2020. More details on these closure orders, along with fire restrictions orders, can be found on National Forest websites and on InciWeb. Highway 199 remains closed from O’Brien south almost to Gasquet. Highway 96 remains closed from Portuguese Creek to Clear Creek.

 

EVACUATION ORDERS remain in effect for most of Happy Camp. However, Elk Creek Road and Seiad were both downgraded to an EVACUATION WARNING. In Oregon, Level 3 orders are in effect in the O'Brien and Takilma areas, Dick George Road (including most of Holland Loop) and Takilma Road areas, Brown Road, O'Brien and all areas south of Brown Road O'Brien. EVACUATION WARNINGS are in effect for Gasquet in California and Level 2 orders are in effect south of Kerby and Cave Junction areas in Oregon.

 

For more specific evacuation information, including information on any potential evacuations, visit the following sites:

 

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pict20200812-114110-0.pdf (156.85 KB)

Slater and Devil Fires Evening Update September 11

Related Incident:
Publication Type: News

HAPPY CAMP, CALIFORNIA —Humidity levels bumped up slightly today under the heavy smoke inversion. Fire managers were able to establish good line around Happy Camp and focus on mopping up and securing structures. Firefighters also made progress assessing and building fireline along the west edge of the fire. Crews constructed fireline down from Cade Mountain toward Highway 96, which the active fire’s edge is expected to reach. Incident Management Team 10 asks that drivers exercise extra caution and watch for falling or rolling material on the roadway, as well as firefighters and equipment working along the road. Evacuation orders (mandatory) were downgraded to warnings (advisory) on the Elk Creek Road. Happy Camp remains under and evacuation order (mandatory.)

 

A bulldozer continued today to reopen an old line from the 2012 Goff Fire on the south side of the Devil Fire to protect the community of Seiad. Evacuation orders (mandatory) were downgraded to Evacuation warnings (advisory) here for residents along Highway 96 between Scott Bar Road and Portuguese Flat. Crews were still unable to fly due to smoke conditions, but were able to scout opportunities for containment to the north.

 

In the Gasquet area, the fire is backing slowly downhill in the area of Washington Peak. Crews worked to identify places to build primary and contingency fire lines, and will begin working on those lines as soon as resources become available.

 

Equipment and crews have been able to build approximately 18 miles of direct and indirect line along the northwestern edges of the Slater Fire. In the Holland Loop area, dozer line has been constructed to protect the structures, and the fire is still some distance from those structures. Fireline has been completed around the community of O’Brien, and the area has suffered no additional structure losses today. In the northwest portion of the fire near Waldo, crews were able to get out in front of it to begin building containment lines. The Wild Rivers Ranger District (Rogue-Siskiyou National Forest) currently has 150 local firefighters assigned to the Slater Fire that are working along the Highway 199 corridor.

  

Both fires are still zero percent contained. The Devil Fire is estimated at 4,488 acres. The Slater Fire is estimated at 136,310 acres.

 

Relative humidity is expected to continue climbing, aiding fire managers in suppression efforts. With higher fuel moistures and light variable winds, the fire is anticipated to be more terrain driven tomorrow. Winds out of the east have caused smoke impacts from the Slater and Devil Fires that have extended over to the coast. Smoke continues to impact most of the west coast due to multiple large fires.

 

Due to extreme fire danger, all National Forests in California have been closed from September 9 through 14, 2020. More details on these closure orders, along with fire restrictions orders, can be found on National Forest websites and on InciWeb. Highway 199 remains closed from O’Brien south almost to Gasquet.

 

EVACUATION ORDERS remain in effect for most of Happy Camp. However, Elk Creek Road and Seiad were both downgraded to an EVACUATION WARNING. In Oregon, Level 3 orders are in effect in the O'Brien and Takilma areas, Dick George Road (including most of Holland Loop) and Takilma Road areas, Brown Road, O'Brien and all areas south of Brown Road O'Brien.

 

EVACUATION WARNINGS are in effect for Gasquet in California and Level 2 orders are in effect south of Kerby and Cave Junction areas in Oregon.

 

For the additional information, including information on any potential evacuations, visit the following sites:

 

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Slater and Devil Morning Update September 11

Related Incident:
Publication Type: News

 HAPPY CAMP, CALIFORNIA — 9 a.m. Today, firefighting forces on the Slater Fire are focused on protection of buildings and utilities, development of a perimeter containment strategy, and supporting local fire units in initial attack on both sides of the state line as needed. Reports from the field indicate that no additional structures were lost yesterday.    

In and around Happy Camp, crews completed 50 feet of mop up around structures and looked for opportunities to build direct fireline to protect structures and neighborhoods. Some small pockets of fuel around homes remained a concern, and crews are looking at utilizing firing tactics to clean up these pockets and secure indirect lines. A power company will be in Happy Camp today to fall hazard trees around homes and power lines. There are still areas of active fire in the Happy Camp area, and fire-weakened trees and down powerlines make the area unsafe. It remains under a mandatory evacuation order. There is no active fire edge along Highway 96 at this point. Firefighters are scouting opportunities to keep the fire from reaching the highway. To do that, firefighters plan to build a fireline up to Cade Mountain and directly along the current fire perimeter.  Meanwhile, in Gasquet and surrounding towns, crews stayed focused on protecting and mopping up around structures.    An old bulldozer line (from the Goff Fire in 2012) up Seiad Creek Road is being reopened to protect the town of Seiad from the Devil Fire, which is primarily burning to the north at this time. More resources are needed to complete this line.     On the Oregon side of the Slater Fire, firefighters made good progress in protecting private land and diverting the fire northeast from Highway 199, away from the towns of Cave Junction and Kerby. Dozers were used to construct almost 20 miles of fireline to protect private property from O’Brien to Holland. Fire personnel continue to seek opportune places to control the fire along Highway199.      Smoke yesterday moderated fire activity, but it also prevented the Team’s ability to fly over the fire area. Smoky conditions may moderate fire behavior today as well. Weather conditions are expected to remain very dry today, with light winds. Forecasts suggest that the fire could spot ahead of itself about a third of a mile, and warns that probability of ignition is at 80 to 90 percent. Smoke transport winds are predicted to come from the south and southeast.     The Slater and Devil Fires are still zero percent contained. The Devils Fire was estimated at 4,488 acres as of this morning, and remains unstaffed. The Slater Fire is estimated at 136,310 acres.     Due to extreme fire danger, all National Forests in California have been closed from September 9 through 14, 2020. More details on these closure orders, along with fire restrictions orders, can be found on National Forest websites and on InciWeb. Highway 199 remains closed from O’Brien south almost to Gasquet.     The Wild Rivers and Siskiyou Mountains Ranger Districts on the Rogue River-Siskiyou NF are now closed to public entry. The exception is Bear Camp Road (Forest Road 23), which remains open at this time. Forest Closures in their entirety can be seen here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/rogue-siskiyou/alerts-notices    EVACUATION ORDERS remain in effect for Happy Camp and Seiad Valley in California. In Oregon, Level 3 orders are in effect in the O'Brien and Takilma areas, Dick George Road (including most of Holland Loop) and Takilma Road areas, Brown Road, O'Brien and all areas south of Brown Road O'Brien.    EVACUATION WARNINGS are in effect for Gasquet, California and Level 2 orders are in effect south of Kerby and Cave Junction areas in Oregon.    For the additional information, including information on any potential evacuations, visit the following sites:  
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