Highlights: Crews have made excellent progress securing containment line on the eastern edge of the fire to secure the Airport Flat area. Pockets of heat inside the containment lines and standing dead trees, also known as snags, still pose safety issues for firefighters. 

Operations: Crews worked on extinguishing hot spots along the east side of the fire to secure areas closest to values at risk. Contingency line (fire line constructed away from the fire’s edge in case of extreme fire activity) was completed along Little Deer Creek to the north of the fire. As visibility allowed during the day, aircraft dropping water supported firefighting efforts along the eastern half of the fire. On the southwest portion of the fire, professional falling teams began removing hazardous trees to allow crews safer access. The line now extends one half mile down the ridge near South Creek and the South Fork of the Rubicon River. 

Weather: The forecast for today remains similar to yesterday, and critical fire weather by the afternoon seems likely. Southwest winds at 10-15 mph are expected to increase over the ridges and through the Rubicon River drainage. Warm and dry conditions with poor humidity recovery will continue, leading to possible critical fire weather through Monday evening, when conditions are expected to cool slightly, bringing higher humidity to the fire area.   

Community Meeting: A virtual community meeting yesterday evening attracted over 270 participants viewing the live video. Recording of the meeting is available at https://facebook.com/EldoradoNF/. No account is required to view the video. The next virtual community meeting will be held tonight at 6 p.m. on the Eldorado National Forest’s Facebook page. We will monitor online Facebook questions during the meeting, or you can email your questions in advance to enfincident@gmail.com. A recording will be posted immediately following the live meeting.

Closures: No current evacuation orders are in place for the fire, although the Eldorado National Forest is still closed as part of a regional temporary emergency closure. Further information about this closure order can be found at www.fs.usda.gov/eldorado. A fire closure order for the fire area is expected soon. A TFR (temporary flight restriction) is in place over the fire area.

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7165/

Wildfire Cameras: http://www.alertwildfire.org/tahoe/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EldoradoNF

Facebook: Facebook.com/EldoradoNF/

Email: enfincident@gmail.com

Information Center Hours: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

Highlights: The incident meteorologist predicts southwest winds may increase over the ridges, potentially aligning in the Rubicon River drainage today and tomorrow. Combined with lower humidity, these conditions could lead to critical fire weather. If the smoke begins to lift out of the area, this is a strong indication of changing weather conditions.

Community Meeting: The Incident Management Team hosted a virtual community meeting yesterday evening, with over 300 participants viewing the live video. A recording of the meeting is now available at https://facebook.com/EldoradoNF/. No account is required to view the video. The next virtual community meeting will be held tonight at 6 p.m. on the Eldorado National Forest’s Facebook page. We will monitor online Facebook questions during the meeting, or you can email us your questions in advance at enfincident@gmail.com. A recording will be posted immediately following the live meeting.

Operations: Yesterday, crews focused on strengthening the lines east and south on the Fork Fire to prevent fire movement toward Gerle Creek and Airport Flat. Today, firefighters will shift their work toward the north and east where winds may push fire activity and test containment lines. Crews will continue to mop up and hold the south side of the fire area. Firefighters have identified a planned fire line near the southwest edge of the fire toward the South Fork of the Rubicon River. Crews continue to scout for safe containment options further west across the Rubicon River, although steep topography and weakened snags present many potential challenges. On the northeast side near Little Deer Creek, a containment line was established and improved. In preparation for the critical fire conditions, the crews will attempt to use helicopters and Super Scoopers to cool active fire spots along the northeast edge, if weather permits.

Weather: Southwest winds will increase over the ridges and through the Rubicon River drainage today and tomorrow. Warm and dry conditions with poor humidity recovery will continue, leading to near critical fire weather conditions each afternoon.

Closures: The Eldorado National Forest is closed until further notice as part of a regional temporary emergency closure. Further information about this closure order can be found at www.fs.usda.gov/eldorado. A temporary flight restriction is in place over the fire area.

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7165/

Wildfire Cameras: http://www.alertwildfire.org/tahoe/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EldoradoNF

Facebook: Facebook.com/EldoradoNF/

Email: enfincident@gmail.com

Information Center Hours: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

The Southwest Area Incident Management Team 4 will host a virtual community meeting tonight at 6:00PM on the Eldorado National Forest’s Facebook page. No account is required to view the video. We will monitor online Facebook questions during the meeting, or you can email us your questions in advance at enfincident@gmail.com. A recording will be posted immediately following the live meeting.

Highlights: In coordination with the Incident Management Team, the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office has downgraded the mandatory evacuation order to an evacuation warning. Residents of Quintette and Volcanoville may now return to their homes but are advised to remain alert to changing conditions. The Fork Fire continues to pose a potential threat and it is possible that residents could be requested to evacuate under a mandatory order, if conditions warrant. This does not supersede the temporary closure order that prohibits entering or using National Forest System lands, roads and trails on the Eldorado National Forest.

Community Meeting: The Incident Management Team hosted the first virtual community meeting yesterday evening, with over 270 participants viewing the live video. A recording of the meeting is now available at https://facebook.com/EldoradoNF/. No account is required to view the video. The next virtual community meeting will be held tonight at 6 p.m. on the Eldorado National Forest’s Facebook page. We will monitor online Facebook questions during the meeting, or you can email us your questions in advance at enfincident@gmail.com. A recording will be posted immediately following the live meeting.

Operations: Crews are focusing their efforts on holding and securing existing containment lines around the fire area. On the south side of the fire, crews are improving containment lines to prevent southern movement toward Gerle Creek and Airport Flat. As additional resources join the firefighting efforts, crews are scouting options for new fireline construction to the west in the Rubicon drainage. Firefighters continue to face challenges with steep and rocky terrain, large snags in the 2014 King Fire burned area, and limited resources. Fire managers are using helicopters to perform reconnaissance flights and drop buckets of water to cool hot spots around the fire.

Weather: Warm and dry conditions with poor humidity recovery will continue, and nearby high pressure will lead to light upslope and downslope winds through Saturday night. Low pressure approaching the coast will produce increased southwest winds on Sunday and Monday, with critical fire weather conditions possible.  

Closures: The Eldorado National Forest is closed until further notice as part of a regional temporary emergency closure. Further information about this closure order can be found at www.fs.usda.gov/eldorado. A temporary flight restriction is in place over the fire area.

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7165/

Facebook: Facebook.com/EldoradoNF/

Email: enfincident@gmail.com

Twitter: @EldoradoNF

Wildfire Cameras: http://www.alertwildfire.org/tahoe/

Information Center Hours: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office has made the determination to downgrade the mandatory evacuation order to an evacuation warning: https://www.facebook.com/eldoradosheriff. You may now enter the closed areas of Quintette and Volcanoville but please be alert to changing conditions. Fork Fire continues to pose a potential threat and there is a possibility you could be requested to evacuate under a mandatory order. This does not supersede the temporary closure order that prohibits entering or using National Forest System lands, roads and trails on the Eldorado National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/eldorado.

The daily operational video update, provided by Buck Wickham, Operations Section Chief with the Southwest Area Incident Management Team 4, is now available on the Eldorado National Forest Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/eldoradonf/videos/?ref=page_internal

Highlights: The Southwest Area Type 2 Incident Management Team (IMT) 4, led by Incident Commander Carl Schwope, assumed command of the Fork Fire this morning, Friday, September 11, 2020, at 7:00 a.m.

Community Meeting: The incident management team will host a virtual community meeting tonight at 6 p.m. at https://facebook.com/EldoradoNF/. No account is required to view the video. If a pop-up box appears when you first navigate to the link, you can use the scroll bar on the right to scroll down to the view and/or click “not now” to minimize the login pop-up. We will monitor online Facebook questions during the meeting, or you can email us your questions in advance at enfincident@gmail.com. A recording will be posted immediately following the live meeting.

Operations: The Fork Fire is burning in the Rubicon River drainage and the King Fire burn scar. Initial fire resources have established an anchor point securing the heel of the fire. Firefighters are working to prevent the fire from spreading to private property, surrounding communities, and values at risk. Challenges will include steep topography, snags within the 2014 King Fire footprint, and lack of resources due to heightened fire activity throughout the western states. A full suppression strategy is being implemented on the Fork Fire. Values at risk include human safety, private residences, private industrial timber lands, Forest Service recreational and administrative facilities, recreational trail systems, hydroelectric power facilities, and transmission and distribution lines.

Weather: Warm and dry conditions will prevail today through Saturday. A nearby high pressure system will lead to light upslope and downslope winds through Saturday.

Closures: The Eldorado National Forest is closed until further notice as part of a regional temporary emergency closure. Further information about this closure order can be found at www.fs.usda.gov/eldorado. A temporary flight restriction is in place over the fire area.

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7165/

Wildfire Cameras: http://www.alertwildfire.org/tahoe/

Twitter: @EldoradoNF

Facebook: Facebook.com/EldoradoNF/

Email: enfincident@gmail.com

Information Center Hours: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

Please see link for El Dorado County For Fire Evacuation information:
http://pio.edso.org/press-release/2891/

// see related information file.

Fire Information Line: (530) 303-2455

Fire size estimate: 2,500 acres - Resources for mapping the fire, particularly aerial mapping with infrared (IR) technology was not available today. Aerial resources were limited due to poor visibility and inversions. IR flights were further limited by the number of wildfires needing this type of mapping support.

Current Situation: Fire is in Rubicon River drainage and the King Fire burn scar. Rubicon River is extremely steep and remote. Currently the fire is exhibiting rapid rates of fire spread, spotting, torching and running in dense timber. The Fork fire is established in the King fire burn scar where there are light flashy fuels and heavy dead/down from fire killed trees. Active burning is expected to continue through the night.

Immediate Concerns: Recreation and private residences, power and water facilities, recreation sites and private property in Stumpy Meadows, Quintette and Volcanoville. Hell Hole reservoir & campground, French Meadows reservoir & campground and Oxbow reservoir & campground.

Weather and Fuels: Easterly pressure gradients are forecast to weaken, which will diminish wind speeds. However, air mass will remain very dry with very poor humidity recovery until Thursday afternoon when winds should begin to turn upslope. Fuels are extremely dry due to prolonged heating trend.

Forest Closure: The Eldorado Forest is closed until further notice as part of a regional temporary emergency closure.

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7165/
Wildfire cameras: http://www.alertwildfire.org/tahoe/
Twitter: @EldoradoNF
Gmail: Enfincident@gmail.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/EldoradoNF/