Special Notice: There will be a virtual community fire information meeting on Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at 6:00 p.m., PDT. An update on the status of the fire may be provided by fire managers and cooperating agencies. The meeting can be viewed via Fecebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/LionsheadFire/ or Zoom at https://usfs.zoomgov.com/j/1606494587

Current Situation:  Approximately 400 additional firefighters and support personnel arrived at the incident yesterday. The fire gained some acreage, but containment increased to 15%. Low fire behavior is expected today even with stronger winds leading up to a predicted rain event. Southwest winds will build over the ridges prior to rain in early evening.

Increasing winds are posing a hazard along road corridors and the fireline due to the possibility of falling snags and fire damaged trees. Hazardous tree removal work along roads and constructed fireline will also be affected by increasing winds. Wind can also reveal smokes that need more attention along the fire edge.

Air quality has improved due to the rain and cooler temperatures over the past few days. Good to excellent humidity recovery at night may also be helpful. The shorter days may have an impact on fire spread as the burning period decreases. Predicted rain (as much as 1 inch in some areas) should have a positive impact on firefighting efforts.

Firefighting Efforts by Division: (Refer to the map for division breakdown.)

The Contingency Groups are improving indirect fireline. The south contingency group is working along County Road 12 to County Road 20, improving fuel breaks along the road. The north contingency group is working in close coordination with Riverside Fire managers to identify opportunities to connect existing roads that both fires could use in the event these indirect lines are needed.

Air operations flew 14 hours yesterday and will continue similar efforts today as weather and flight conditions allow.

Closures and Evacuations: Evacuation Notices remain in place for the Lionshead Fire. Level 3 “Go!” evacuation notices were issued for the communities of Detroit, Idanha, and Breitenbush. There are no longer any evacuation notices for the Sid Walter/Miller flats area.

The events of the past few days and months are difficult to put into words. We are in the midst of two historic wide-scale disasters: the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfires, the extent of which none of us has experienced in our lifetimes. As a community, our resilience will be challenged by this disaster and its aftermath for many weeks and months to come...
 
More in the attached article. 

Special Notice: There will be a virtual community fire information meeting on Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at 6:00 p.m., PDT. An update on the status of the fire may be provided by fire managers and cooperating agencies. The meeting can be viewed via Zoom at this link: https://usfs.zoomgov.com/j/1606494587. 

 
Current Situation: Increasing winds are posing a hazard along road corridors and the fireline due to the possibility of falling snags and fire damaged trees. Hazardous tree removal work along roads and constructed fireline will also be affected by increasing winds. 

Even though a rain event is approaching, active burning may occur today due to warmer, drier conditions and stronger winds. Smoke may increase as interior green islands burn, but little expansion of the fire’s perimeter is expected. The wind may reveal areas that need more attention along the fire edge. Structure protection personnel continue assessments of structures impacted by the fire. Structure protection work is ongoing in Sidwalter, Idanha, New Idanha, and Detroit.

Air quality has improved due to the rain and cooler temperatures over the past few days. Good to excellent humidity recovery at night may also be helpful. The shorter days may have an impact on fire spread as the burning period decreases. Predicted rain (as much as 1 inch in some areas) should have a positive impact on firefighting efforts.

In Division E, patrol and chipping operations continue.

Divisions G, I, K, and N have been quiet for several days and continue to be secure. Firefighters are monitoring and patrolling this area. Most of the road system has been prepped and is now being reinforced in these divisions.

On the southeast perimeter, working west from the Division N/R break (north of Jefferson Lake), the fireline has been secured west to the lava rock area.

Much of the perimeter in Division S has checked along the road system. There hasn’t been any significant fire movement or spread in this division for several days. 

The fire in Division T has mostly been checked on existing roads. Canadian crews assisting in this division have been a great asset. Crew work is primarily patrol and cold trail along those roads. Cold trailing is a method of controlling a partly dead fire edge by carefully inspecting and feeling with the hands for heat to detect any fire, digging out every live spot, and trenching any live fire edge. In particular, firefighters are looking for any spread across roadways. Spot fires in this division have been contained.

Division W has no crews assigned due to higher priorities elsewhere, but supervisors continue to assess needs for future work.

In Divisions Y and Z, the focus is patrol for spot fires and mop up. In Division Z, an indirect line is being prepped and improved. Heavy equipment work continues along the 46 Road as it is prepped for possible use in indirect attack. The 46 Road remains closed due to the large amount of heavy equipment required for this effort. This road may remain closed until snag hazards are cleared and the road is deemed safe for public travel.

Weather and Fuels Conditions:  Today may be mostly cloudy with winds on the increase as a low-pressure system approaches. Winds from the southwest will increase with sustained winds around 8-12 mph and gusts to 20 mph along ridgetops and drainages that run southwest-northeast. Wet and windy conditions are predicted Wednesday through Friday. Rain may develop over the fire late Wednesday afternoon and increase through the night. Rainfall accumulations of 1.25-1.5 inches are expected west of the Cascade crest and 0.5-0.6 inches for the east side of the fire.

Closures and Evacuations: Evacuation Notices remain in place for the Lionshead Fire. Level 3 “Go!” evacuation notices were issued for the communities of Detroit, Idanha, and Breitenbush. There are no longer any evacuation notices for the Sid Walter/Miller flats area.