PNW Incident Management Team #12 will be holding a virtual community meeting on the Gifford Pinchot Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/GiffordPinchot on Thursday September 17 at 5:00 PM. The meeting will be streamed via Facebook Live on the Gifford Pinchot Facebook page.

The team will be giving an update to the current situation of the fire, as well as the current and predicted weather, fire behavior, and the leader’s intent from the incident commanders. Questions can be left on this post as well as during the virtual meeting, and staff will try to answer them to the best of our ability at the end of the presentations.

The video will be saved and able to be viewed and shared for those that can’t attend during the live broadcast. Please share this message with all of those that would be interested in attending this meeting.

The Big Hollow Fire is 15 miles northwest of Carson and 7 miles southeast of Cougar, Washington. Some smoke and morning fog are forecast, with temperatures up to the mid-70s. Variable winds will be under 10 mph.

Yesterday’s Operations:

Firefighters suppressed a new start in the Trapper Creek Wilderness that could have threatened containment lines. Equipment and crew numbers continued to increase as crews held road 57 after resuming firing to consume fuels inside the control line; they also resumed firing along road 58. Crews used heavy equipment to continue clearing roads S1000 and S6000, and worked to limit fire spread south of Canyon Creek. Crews reduced fuels in the Wind River drainage, and burned a control line east of Road 64 and north of Road 201 to stem fire spread east of Wind River Hwy. Crews cleared and secured areas around structures at Government Mineral Springs.

Today’s Operations:

Crews will continue holding the fire along roads 57 and 58, and monitor and build fire lines to keep the fire from spreading south of Canyon Creek. Work will continue on roads S1000 and S6000 as crews monitor the fire to limit westerly spread. Crews will monitor fire in the Wind River drainage and reduce fuels as needed to stop fire spread. Crews will continue yesterday’s work of burning a control line east of Road 64 and north of Road 201. Crews will monitor around structures to the south and clear vegetation on Trapper Creek Trail to confine a planned burn of fuels inside the fire line.

Closures:

There is a level 3 evacuation order in effect for Government Mineral Springs. There is a level 1 evacuation order in effect north and west of the fire, including Yale, Cougar, Northwoods and parts of Amboy and Yacolt. Area closures include most developed campgrounds, dispersed camping, most forest roads and trails in southwest Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Closures for the Siouxon Block and Merrill Lake Natural Conservation Area also are in place. The Pacific Crest Trail is open.

Safety Message:

Please stay out of fire closure areas for your safety and that of the firefighters. Be cautious driving in low visibility. There is an air quality alert in place. Air quality information is available at http://wasmoke.blogspot.com/.   

SIZE: 22,153 acres
CONTAINMENT: 15%
PERSONNEL: 367
CAUSE: unknown
RESOURCES:
Hand Crews 10
Engines 13
Dozers 3
Water Tenders 1
AIRCRAFT:
Helicopters 1
Fixed Wing 0

El incendio de Big Hollow está a ubicado a 15 millas al noroeste de Carson y 7 millas al sureste de Cougar, Washington. Se pronostica humo, neblina y una pequeña posibilidad de lluvia. Las temperaturas estarán en los 60, con vientos de menos de 10 mph.  

Operaciones de ayer:

Las tripulaciones continuaron quemando en el oeste a lo largo de las carreteras 57 y 58, y prepararon las carreteras para quemar una línea cortafuego en el extremo sur del incendio. Las tripulaciones retiraron combustibles a lo largo de las carreteras S1000 y S6000 en el bloque Siouxon y construyeron líneas de contención. Las tripulaciones monitorearon el progreso del fuego por encima de la cresta oeste de Wind River Hwy. Mantuvieron el fuego en su lugar en la carretera 201 y exploraron hacia el noreste buscando oportunidades de contención. Continuaron protegiendo estructuras en Government Mineral Springs y se instalaron aspersores. Las tripulaciones prepararon el sendero Trapper Creek Trail como posible línea de contención en el sureste, pero no trabajaron en el Trapper Creek Wilderness.

Operaciones de hoy:

Las tripulaciones continuarán operaciones de quema a lo largo de las carreteras 57 y 58, y monitorearán e instalarán cortafuegos para limitar el progreso del fuego al sur de Canyon Creek. Al noroeste, las tripulaciones continuarán preparando las carreteras S1000 y S6000 y vigilando el fuego para limitar la propagación al oeste. Supervisarán el fuego en el drenaje River Wind y reducirán los combustibles según sea necesario para detener la propagación del fuego. Para limitar la propagación del fuego al este de Wind River Hwy, las tripulaciones quemarán una línea cortafuego al este de la carretera 64 y al norte de la carretera 201. Las tripulaciones vigilarán alrededor de las estructuras de Government Mineral Springs y continuarán removiendo la vegetación en Trapper Creek Trail.

Cierres:

The Big Hollow Fire is 15 miles northwest of Carson and 7 miles southeast of Cougar, Washington. Smoke, fog and a slight chance rain are forecast. Temperatures will be in the high 60s, with winds under 10 mph.

Please stay out of fire closure areas for your safety and that of the firefighters. Be cautious driving in low visibility. There is an air quality alert in place for unhealthy and hazardous conditions. Air quality information is available at http://wasmoke.blogspot.com/. 
 
 

SIZE: 20,805 acres

CONTAINMENT: 10%

PERSONNEL: 284

CAUSE: unknown

PNW Incident Management Team #12 will be holding a virtual community meeting on the Gifford Pinchot Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/GiffordPinchot on Tuesday September 15 at 5:00 PM. The meeting will be streamed via Facebook Live on the Gifford Pinchot Facebook page.

The team will be giving an update to the current situation of the fire, as well as the current and predicted weather, fire behavior, and the leader’s intent from the incident commanders. Questions can be left on this post as well as during the virtual meeting, and staff will try to answer them to the best of our ability at the end of the presentations.

The video will be saved and able to be viewed and shared for those that can’t attend during the live broadcast. Please share this message with all of those that would be interested in attending this meeting.

The Big Hollow Fire is located approximately 15 miles northwest of Carson and 7 miles southeast of Cougar, Washington. Temperatures will cool by a few degrees from yesterday, with light winds out of the southwest.

Yesterday’s Operations:

The layer of smoke continued to reduce at higher elevations. This resulted in higher temperatures and drier weather at high elevations of the fire. Crews continued firing operations in the southwest area of the fire, moving east along the 57 and 58 roads to secure the fire edge. Containment lines along the 1000 road in the Siouxon block were near completion. Road systems along the eastern edge of the fire were scouted for potential containment opportunities. Crews continued installing sprinklers around the cabins at Government Mineral Springs and conducted some fuel reduction around the structures. The team held a virtual community meeting, which is available for viewing at https://www.facebook.com/GiffordPinchot.

Today’s Operations:

In the west, crews will continue firing operations along the 57 and 58 roads. Road prep will occur ahead of the firing operations in order to implement a direct control line along the southern edge of the fire. Crews will continue to construct indirect containment lines and clear fuels north along the 1000 and 6000 roads in the Siouxon block. In the east, crews will monitor fire progress on the ridge west of Wind River Hwy, hold fire on the 201 road, and scout for possible containment opportunities in the northeast. Structure protection work will continue at Government Mineral Springs. Crews will begin to prep the Trapper Creek Trail as a possible containment line should the fire progress southeast. No work will be conducted in the Trapper Creek Wilderness.

Closures & Evacuations:

The cabins at Government Mineral Springs are under a Level 3 evacuation order. Carson Fish Hatchery is not under an evacuation order. Areas north and west of the fire are under a Level 1 evacuation order, including Yale, Cougar, Northwoods and portions of the towns of Amboy and Yacolt. The Forest Service has issued area closures in the SW portion of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest that include most developed campgrounds, dispersed camping, and most forest roads and trails. The Department of Natural Resources has issued closures for the Siouxon Block and Merrill Lake Natural Conservation Area. The Pacific Crest Trail is open.

Safety Message:

Please stay out of fire closure areas for your safety and that of the firefighters. Be cautious driving in low visibility. There is an air quality alert in place for unhealthy and hazardous conditions. Some areas are also under dense smoke and dense fog advisories for low visibility. Air quality information is available at http://wasmoke.blogspot.com/.

 
SIZE: 20,805 acres

COMPLETION OF

OBJECTIVES: 15%

CONTAINMENT: 10%

PERSONNEL: 262

CAUSE: unknown

RESOURCES:

Hand Crews 8

Engines 9

Masticator 1

Water Tenders 2

 
 

PNW Incident Management Team #12 will be holding a virtual community meeting on the Gifford Pinchot Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/GiffordPinchot on Sunday September 13 at 5:00 PM. The meeting will be streamed via Facebook Live on the Gifford Pinchot Facebook page.

The team will be giving an update to the current situation of the fire, as well as the current and predicted weather, fire behavior, and the leader’s intent from the incident commanders. Questions can be left on this post as well as during the virtual meeting, and staff will try to answer them to the best of our ability at the end of the presentations.

The video will be saved and able to be viewed and shared for those that can’t attend during the live broadcast. Please share this message with all of those that would be interested in attending this meeting.

The Big Hollow Fire is located approximately 15 miles northwest of Carson and 7 miles southeast of Cougar, Washington. Temperatures will be similar or slightly cooler than yesterday. Winds will shift to the southwest and help to alleviate smoke at high elevations.

Yesterday’s Operations:

Thick smoke diminished fire behavior but also decreased visibility. There was some reduction in smoke at higher elevations, resulting higher temperatures. In the southwest, crews conducted firing operations along the 57 road to secure the fire edge. In the Siouxon block, crews made progress constructing control lines using heavy equipment. The fire grew in the east, burning down the ridge west of Wind River Hwy and Middle Butte. Crews continued to prep the cabins at Government Mineral Springs for fire protection. Residents of the cabins were escorted in to retrieve belongings.

Today’s Operations:

Acreage has incrementally increased over the past three days while updated maps were unavailable. Current size is approximated at 18,110 acres. In the southwest, crews will hold the area where firing operations occurred and prep control lines. Crews will continue to construct lines in the Siouxon block using heavy equipment and focusing on the 1000 road. Firefighters will resume assessing structures in Chelatchie Prairie, Yale, and Northwood. Crews will finish setting sprinklers at Government Mineral Springs, scout trails for potential containment lines, and begin clearing lines.

Closures & Evacuations:

The 42 cabins at Government Mineral Springs are under a Level 3 evacuation. Carson Fish Hatchery is not under an evacuation order. The areas SE and NW of Yale Lake, including the communities of Yale and Cougar, are under a Level 2 evacuation. The areas NE and SW of the Level 2 evacuation area, including the community of Northwoods and portions of the towns of Amboy and Yacolt, are under a Level 1 evacuation. The Forest Service has issued area closures in the SW portion of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest that include most developed campgrounds, dispersed camping, and most forest roads and trails within the closure area. The Department of Natural Resources has issued closures for the Siouxon Block and Merrill Lake Natural Conservation Area. The Pacific Crest Trail is open.

Safety Message:

Please stay out of fire closure areas for your safety and that of the firefighters. There is an air quality alert in place for southwest Washington and northwest Oregon for unhealthy and hazardous conditions. Some areas are also under a dense smoke advisory for low visibility. Air quality information is available at http://wasmoke.blogspot.com/.

Resources:

Hand Crews 7

Engines 9

Masticator 1

Closure of Siouxon Block

The Big Hollow Fire is located approximately 15 miles northwest of Carson and 7 miles southeast of Cougar, Washington. Temperatures will be slightly warmer today with the high around 70. Light winds and smoke are expected.

Yesterday’s Operations:

Growth occurred in all areas of the fire. The region filled with thick smoke from west coast fires, which diminished fire behavior but also decreased visibility. Crews continued to construct control lines using heavy equipment in the DNR Siouxon block. The northeast was scouted for potential containment line locations. Crews began to prep the cabins at Government Mineral Springs for fire protection. Crews conducted firing operations along the 57 road to slow fire spread south. Structures near Yale Lake and Swift Reservoir were assessed for risk. A live public meeting was held via Facebook and is available for viewing at https://www.facebook.com/GiffordPinchot.

Today’s Operations:

Acreage remains the same due to smoke preventing completion of the mapping mission. Scouting for potential containment lines will continue to the northeast and east. Firing operations will be evaluated and implemented along the Wind River Hwy. A sprinkler system will be set up around the cabins at Government Mineral Springs. Indirect line construction will continue to the west. Structures will be assessed for risk in Chelatchie Prairie, Yale, and Northwood. More resources will be arriving in support of the fire.

Closures & Evacuations:

The 42 cabins at Government Mineral Springs are under a Level 3 evacuation order. The areas SE and NW of Yale Lake, including the communities of Yale and Cougar, are under a Level 2 evacuation order. The areas northeast and southwest of the Level 2 evacuation area, including the community of Northwoods and portions of the towns of Amboy and Yacolt, are under a Level 1 evacuation order. The Forest Service has issued area closures in the southwest portion of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest that include most developed campgrounds, dispersed camping, trails, and most forest roads and trails within the closure area. The Washington State Department of Natural Resources has issued closures for the Siouxon Block and recreation sites within the Merrill Lake Conservation Area. The Pacific Crest Trail remains open. 

Safety Message:

Please stay out of fire closure areas for your safety and that of the firefighters. There is an air quality alert in place for southwest Washington and northwest Oregon for unhealthy and hazardous conditions. Some areas are also under a dense smoke advisory for low visibility. Air quality information is available at http://wasmoke.blogspot.com/.

Resources: 
Hand Crews 6 
Engines 9 
Masticator 1