Beach Fire Update 

Size: 3,780 acres (estimated)
Containment: 80%
Location: Southeast of Mono Lake
Fuels: Sagebrush
Cause: Lightning

Update: Today, fire activity was moderate as clouds and some rain were over the area. Fire crews made excellent progress and got initial containment lines around the entire fire perimeter, although some of these lines will need to be improved. Helicopters cooled some interior pockets of heat on the northeast flank. Firefighters continued mopping up hot spots along the fire perimeter. Crews will continue these efforts tonight.

Crew suppression efforts are focused on protecting the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve and sage grouse habitat. The helicopter work should help keep some interior islands of sage brush unburned to aid in sage brush habitat preservation where sage grouse nest.

Firefighters continue to patrol the forest looking for other fires associated with the significant lightning activity. The Butte Fire, north of Pumice Butte and south of Mammoth Mountain, has been detected and is .25 acres. Firefighters are hiking in to suppress this fire.  Other fires, which firefighters refer to as sleeper fires, may be detected when conditions dry and the fires become active.

Weather: Thunderstorms remain in the forecast as the monsoonal pattern continues. Gusty winds, low relative humidity, and excessive heat are significant concerns for fire behavior. Additional lightning fires are also possible.

Closures: Highway 120 E is closed from the junction of Highway 395 to the Benton Crossing Rd.

Assisting agencies include California Highway Patrol, Cal Trans, Bureau of Land Management, US Fish & Wildlife, and California State Parks. 

Resources: There are 104 personnel assigned to the incident. This includes six engines, two hand crews, two helicopters, one dozer, and a water tender.

Beach Fire Update

Size: 3,000 acres (estimated)
Containment: 80%
Location: Southeast of Mono Lake
Fuels: Sagebrush
Cause: Lightning

Update: Last night, fire activity was minimal and fire crews made excellent progress on containment line construction with their focus on the western flank that was active yesterday afternoon.

Today, crews will continue line construction and mop up along containment lines. Mop up is the slow and tedious work of extinguishing or remove burning material near containment lines. Firefighters look for smoke or hot spots and drown and stir (just like putting out a camp or warming fire) over many, many acres. This helps reduce the risk of fire escaping containment lines during wind events or other conditions that challenge containment lines.

Crew suppression efforts are focused on protecting the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve and sage grouse habitat.

Firefighters continue to patrol the forest looking for other fires associated with the significant lightning activity.

Weather: Thunderstorms remain in the forecast as the monsoonal pattern continues. Gusty winds, low relative humidity, and excessive heat are significant concerns for fire behavior. Additional lightning fires are also possible.

Closures: Highway 120 E is closed from the junction of Highway 395 to the Benton Crossing Rd.

Assisting agencies include California Highway Patrol, Cal Trans, Bureau of Land Management, US Fish & Wildlife, California State Parks, and CAL FIRE.

Resources: There are 145 personnel assigned to the incident. This includes eleven engines, four hand crews, two helicopters, two dozers, and a water tender. More resources have been ordered, but there has been a significant amount of new fire activity in California in the past several days.

-###-

Beach Fire Update

Size: 2,000 acres (estimated)
Containment: 60%
Location: Southeast of Mono Lake
Fuels: Sagebrush
Cause: Lightning

Fire crews are responding to and aggressively suppressing the Beach Fire, which was started by lightning yesterday evening.

Today, crews made good progress constructing containment lines around the fire. However, fire activity increased this afternoon with winds over the fire. The fire grew on the western flank and firefighters are working to re-establish the containment lines tonight. Fire behavior has moderated this evening.

Crew suppression efforts are focused on protecting the Mono Basin State Park, sage grouse habitat, and wild horses.

Firefighters continue to respond to other fires associated with the significant lightning activity that occurred throughout the forest, especially the northern portion of the forest.

Weather: Thunderstorms remain in the forecast as the monsoonal pattern continues. Gusty winds, low relative humidity, and excessive heat are significant concerns for fire behavior.

Closures: Highway 120 East is closed from the junction of Highway 395 to the Benton Crossing Rd.

Assisting agencies include California Highway Patrol, Cal Trans, Bureau of Land Management, US Fish & Wildlife, California State Parks, and CAL FIRE.

Resources: There are 116 personnel assigned to the incident. This includes six engines, three hand crews, two helicopters, a dozer, and a water tender. More resources have been ordered, but there has been a significant amount of new fire activity in California in the past several days.

-###-

Fire Crews Respond to Beach Fire;
 Other fires from lightning activity

Size: 1,650 (estimated)

Containment: 20%

Location: Southeast of Mono Lake

Fuels: Sagebrush

Cause: Lightning

Fire crews are responding to and aggressively suppressing the Beach Fire, which started by lightning yesterday evening. Fire growth was driven by the erratic and gusty winds associated with the thunderstorms in the area. Last night, the fire received some rain which moderated fire behavior and allowed firefighters to start establishing containment lines.

Today, crews will continue to construct containment line around the fire. Firefighters are also responding to other fires associated with the significant lightning activity that occurred throughout the forest, especially the northern portion of the forest.

Weather: Thunderstorms are in the forecast as the monsoonal pattern continues. Gusty winds from thunder cell down drafts could increase fire activity in the fire area, similar to what was experienced yesterday afternoon. 

Closures: Highway 120 is closed from south junction of 395 to Benton Crossing Rd.

Assisting agencies include California Highway Patrol, Cal Trans, Bureau of Land Management, US Fish & Wildlife, California State Parks, and CAL FIRE.

Resources: There are 100 personnel assigned to the incident, including seven engines, a type 2 hand crew, a water tender, a dozer, and a helicopter. More resources have been ordered, but there has been significant amount of new fire activity in California in the past several days. 

-###-

Buckley Fire: 110 acres, 100% contained
Location: approximately 30 miles southwest of Sonora, Texas

The Buckley Fire was GPS'd at 110 acres and is 100% contained. The fire received beneficial rainfall this afternoon. All state resources have been released from the fire for the day. A TFS engine will check the fire in the morning before turning control back over to the local fire departments.  

Buckley Fire: estimated 100 acres, 30% contained
Location: approximately 30 miles southwest of Sonora, Texas

Dozer crews are still actively engaged in constructing containment lines. Engine crews are patrolling and mopping up along containment lines, focusing on hot spots. Resources are monitoring thunderstorms in the area and the potential impact on fire behavior.  

Buckley Fire: estimated 100 acres, 10% contained
Location: approximately 30 miles southwest of Sonora, Texas

Overnight, active fire behavior with torching in juniper was reported. 

Planned actions for today are to work with state resources, local fire departments, and landowners to access the fire area. Ground crews will construct, improve, patrol, and mop up along containment lines.

Fire Weather: Surface winds will be a bit erratic early as a boundary pushed through overnight and winds are trying to return to a more typical east-southeast direction. Later in the day, the chances of showers and storms will increase, with best chances in the late afternoon and evening hours. Wind direction overnight will likely be north-northeast. Temperatures today are expected to reach mid to upper 90s.

The emergency fire closure area for the Crane Fire will be adjusted effective at 12:01 a.m. tomorrow on the Lakeview Ranger District of the Fremont-Winema National Forest.

The closure area will be reduced closer to the Crane Fire perimeter. 
 

It extends from the north fork of Cogswell Creek up the Forest Boundary to Forest Road 3900-016, locally known as Crane Creek Lane, and then onto Road 3915-281 to the junction with Forest Road 3915.  The boundary follows the western edge of Forest Road 3915 and then follows Roads 3915-013 and 3915-014 to Willow Creek, the Crane Mountain National Recreation Trail and then connects in the north fork Cogswell Creek drainage and the Forest boundary. The 3900-016, 3915-281, 3915-013 and 3915-014 Roads that make up sections of the closure area boundary are all closed.  Forest Road 3915 will remain open, although the area closure starts just west of the road.

The Crane Mountain National Recreation Trail is closed north of Forest Road 4011-015 to Forest Road 3915-281. 
 

Those biking the Oregon Timber Trail should be able to find a detour on open Forest Roads for this approximately 4-mile section.  Coming from the south, the 4011-015 to Forest Road 4011 and then north on Road 3915 to Rogger Meadow is suggested.  While it more than doubles the distance, it avoids the fire area.

The new closure reopens Twin Springs, Willow Creek and Deep Creek Campgrounds, Rogger Meadow and Crane Mountain Trailheads, much of the Crane Mountain Trail and the Crane Mountain Recreation Area. 
 

The Forest is still under Public Use Restrictions and in the extreme fire danger category.  Those recreating in the forest are asked to comply with current fire restrictions, which includes limiting campfires to fire-rings in approved sites. The new Crane Fire Emergency Closure Order is formally referenced as 06-02-02-20-02.  It is in effect until conditions allow or December 1, 2020, whichever occurs first.  There will be public notification when the closure order is lifted.

Forest visitors are asked to avoid the fire area and related roads while suppression activities continue.  Anyone driving in the area should watch for increased traffic and vehicles associated with wildland firefighting.

Violations of the closure order are punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment of not more than 6 months or both.

For more information on the Fremont-Winema National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/fremont-winema, follow the Forest on Twitter @FremontWinemaNF or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/R6FWNF.

Incident Commander: Jeff Dimke
August 26, 2020

Thank you to the Lake County Fairgrounds, Lakeview High School, Lakeview Fire Department and the entire Lake County community for hosting and housing Northwest Incident Management Team 12!

Firefighters are wrapping up suppression repairs as they continue making headway in containing the Crane Fire about 10 miles southeast of Lakeview, Oregon. There is a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon, otherwise it will be dry with temperatures in the high 70s to low 80s. Afternoon winds will be about 10 mph. Possible storm winds could cause spotting near control lines. There will be patchy smoke and an air-quality alert is in effect through tonight. A transfer of command to the Fremont-Winema National Forest will take place at 0600 on Thursday, August 27.

Operations:

Firefighters continue to mop-up and patrol north, east, and west of the fire, and prep southeastern contingency lines. Crews will hold the control line around a contained spot to the south, mop up and improve control lines. Suppression repairs will continue around the fire perimeter, including chipping vegetation debris on roads prepped to be contingency lines.

Closures:

The Fremont-Winema National Forest emergency fire closure order 06-02-02-20-01 is still in effect today for the area between Hwy 140 and the Oregon/California Stateline, and from the forest boundary on the west to Forest Roads 3610, 3910, 3910-019 to the forest boundary and Road 3915 to the Stateline. Recreation sited in the area remain closed.  A new emergency fire closure order, reducing the closure area boundary closer to the Crane Fire, is expected to go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Thursday. More detailed information about this closure will be release later today.

Safety Message:

There will continue to be significant traffic around the fire area and on local roads as suppression and repair activities continue.  Please use caution driving in the area.

EQUIPO 12 DEL MANEJO DE INCIDENTES DEL NOROESTEComandante del Incidente: Jeff Dimke 25 de agosto de 2020
Los bomberos continúan progresando respecto del incendio de Crane a aproximadamente 10 millas al sureste de Lakeview, Oregon. Algunos problemas climáticos leves afectarán la región hoy, con posibles lluvias y pocas probabilidades de tormentas durante la tarde. La temperatura oscilará entre los 75 y los 85 grados, con vientos mucho más leves que en los últimos días y mayor humedad. Se mantiene la alerta sobre la calidad del aire hasta el miércoles por la noche, debido al humo de los incendios de California.
Operaciones del día de ayer:Los bomberos finalizaron las líneas de control alrededor del perímetro del incendio. Las cuadrillas se encargaron de patrullar, proteger y contener el perímetro sureste, mientras que las operaciones de neutralización continuaron hacia al norte, el oeste y el este del incendio. Además, prepararon líneas de contingencia hacia el sureste. El equipo colaboró con la realización de las dos reuniones virtuales comunitarias con socios locales en inglés y español.
Operaciones del día de hoy:Las cuadrillas continuarán las tareas de neutralización y patrullaje al norte, oeste y este del incendio, y prepararán líneas de contingencia hacia el sureste. En el perímetro sureste, las cuadrillas se esforzarán por contener una línea de control recientemente construida alrededor de un lugar controlado, así como de neutralizar y mejorar las líneas de control. La reparación de la extinción continúa alrededor del perímetro del incendio. El traslado del control del incendio al Bosque Nacional Fremont-Winema se llevará a cabo el jueves. 
CierresLa orden de cierre de emergencia por incendio 06-02-02-20-01 del Bosque Nacional Fremont-Winema permanece vigente entre la autopista 140 y la frontera entre los estados de Oregon/California; y desde el límite del bosque en el oeste hacia las carreteras forestales 3610, 3910, 3910-019 hasta el límite forestal y la carretera 3915 hasta la frontera entre los estados. Esta orden de emergencia cierra Twin Springs, Willow Creek y Deep Creek Campgrounds; Crane Mountain y los senderos Rogger Meadow; el sendero de Crane Mountain y el de Oregon Timber, desde el norte de la frontera de los estados hasta Camas Sno-Park.
Mensaje de seguridadLa carretera 140 sigue abierta. Tenga presente el aumento en el tráfico de bomberos en el área del incendio y en las comunidades vecinas. El equipo está trabajando con el Departamento de Salud del distrito de Lake para proteger a la comunidad de la amenaza de la COVID-19.