SUMMARY: This notice modifies the emergency closure of BLM-administered public lands in the Prineville District issued on August 1, 2024, near the Crazy Creek Fire. Pursuant to 43 CFR 8364, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) hereby provides notice that effective at 5 p.m. Pacific on August 14, 2024, the public lands bordering the Ochoco National Forest, Paulina Ranger District to the north and east are OPEN TO PUBLIC ACCESS, except for the following areas, which REMAIN CLOSED. The BLM is issuing this order as the emergency crews have completed active fire suppression in portions of these areas while other areas remain in active suppression status.

AFFECTED AREA: The following areas in Crook County REMAIN CLOSED:
All BLM-administered public lands on and around Big Summit Prairie, located in:

• T. 14 S., R. 20 E.
• T. 14 S., R. 21 E.

All BLM-administered public lands lying southerly of the Ochoco National Forest, easterly of Teaters Road, north of State Highway 380 and the Paulina Suplee Road, and westerly of the Crook County and Grant County line, located in:

• T. 15 S., Rgs. 21-25 E.
• T. 16 S., Rgs. 21-25 E.
• T. 17 S., Rgs. 21-25 E.

DATES: This closure is effective immediately and will remain in effect until such time as conditions allow for safe use of the public lands.

The Broom Canyon Fire made a significant run yesterday, doubling in size to 1,326 acres. The fire remains well within the Currant Mountain Wilderness and the planning area boundary. There is no threat to human life or property.

The fire is located on Currant Mountain high in the Currant Mountain Wilderness, about nine miles east of Duckwater or 60 miles southwest of Ely, Nevada. It is burning in steep, rugged and inaccessible terrain, consuming white fir and pinyon-pine and juniper.

The Ely Ranger District is managing the fire under a confine and contain strategy with a contingency plan in place should the fire move west and outside the wilderness boundary.

Smoke is visible to residents of Currant, Duckwater and surrounding areas as well as motorists on U.S. Highway 6. The lightning-ignited fire was first reported at approximately 8 p.m., Monday, July 29.

The Ely Ranger District is managing the estimated 245-acre Broom Canyon Fire under a confine and contain strategy. The fire is located on Currant Mountain in the Currant Mountain Wilderness, about nine miles east of Duckwater or 60 miles southwest of Ely, Nevada. The fire is burning primarily in white fir, and in some pinyon and juniper, in steep and rocky terrain at high elevations. Smoke is visible to residents of Currant, Duckwater, and surrounding areas as well as motorists on U.S. Highway 6. The naturally caused fire was first reported at approximately 8 p.m. on Monday, July 29.

Due to earlier successes, the larger closure order no. 06-07-02-24-01 on the Ochoco National Forest has been rescinded. In its place is Paulina Complex Fire Area Closure Order 06-07-02-24-02, enacted on August 14, which reduces the original closure order's coverage to only the eastern portion of the Paulina Ranger District. 

The Paulina Complex is the name given to encompass several fires within the vicinity of the Paulina Ranger District: the 0490 Fire, 4091 Fire, 0494 Fire, 0496 Fire, 0497 Fire, 0521 Fire, Pulley Creek Fire, Crazy Creek Fire, and Kitty Creek Fire.

The Ely Ranger District continues to manage the estimated 250-acre Broom Canyon Fire under a confine and contain strategy. There has been little to no growth in the fire over the last several days. The fire is currently burning in small interior pockets of vegetation.

The Broom Canyon Fire is located on Currant Mountain in the Currant Mountain Wilderness, about nine miles east of Duckwater or 60 miles southwest of Ely, Nevada. The fire is burning primarily in white fir, pinyon, and juniper in steep and rocky terrain at higher elevations.

Smoke is still occasionally visible to residents of Currant, Duckwater and surrounding areas as well as motorists on U.S. Highway 6. The naturally caused fire was first reported at approximately 8 p.m., Monday, July 29.

Incident Update

Borel Fire/SQF Lightning Fires

Thursday, August 15, 2024 

facebook.com/SequoiaNF/

x.com/SequoiaForest

Fire Information: 559-481-7849, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.          

Media Line: 559-492-9967, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Email:2024.borel@firenet.gov 

Linktree: linktr.ee/2024sqflightning

Borel Fire: 59,288 Acres | 91% Contained                 Trout Fire: 23,597 Acres | 70% Contained 

Total Personnel: 886                      Long Fire: 9,204 | 98% Contained 

Borel Fire:         https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/casqf-borel-fire 

SQF Lightning: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-maps-gallery/casqf-2024-sqf-lightning 

Borel Fire: Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams continue to work to determine the need for stabilization and prescribe emergency treatments to stabilize and prevent unacceptable degradation to natural and cultural resources. We encourage residents re-entering the area to proceed with caution to avoid unseen hazards caused by the fire, and help maintain the safety of repair crews working in the area. “Backhaul” operations are underway to remove large amounts of equipment from the area, which were used during the fire. Crews remove the equipment from the area and then clean and repack it for use on future fires. Firefighters are still on high alert for potential new fires that start in the immediate area and are ready for a rapid response. 

Trout Fire: The fire continues to smolder and move slowly uphill in steep terrain. Crews are continuing to construct fire line to increase containment. Fire suppression repair operations continue in the fire area. 

Long Fire: This fire is 98% contained, and nearly all Long Fire personnel have been reassigned to Trout or Borel. The area is being monitored, there is no threat, and no changes are expected. 

Sequoia National Forest & BLM Closures & Restrictions: The Borel Fire Piute Mountains Area Closure begins at the northwest corner of Section 30, Township 27 South, Range 33 East, Mount Diablo Base and Meridian, then continues approximately 47 miles around the Sequoia National Forest Boundary to the starting point. All orders, maps, and accompanying appendices can be found on the Forest’s website: tinyurl.com/2en2d36k. 

The Bureau of Land Management Bakersfield Office is lifting the emergency closure of the Creek Campground, a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail, and Canebrake Road in Tulare County.  The closures were in place for public and firefighter safety in relation to the management of the SQF Lightning Complex Fire and are no longer necessary due to the lack of fire progression.  The closures are lifted as of Tuesday, August 13. Long Valley Campground and Long Valley Loop road remain closed. View the emergency closure order here: https://tinyurl.com/5n8rxcxh. 

Road Closures: Sherman Pass Road is closed from Mountain Highway 99 to Kennedy Meadows. Visit the Kern County Public Works Department website for the additional information on county road closures (tinyurl.com/z6crvp6t) 

Evacuations: All Borel Fire evacuations have been lifted. Everyone in areas of active fires should “Know Your Zone.” Go to Genasys Protect (tinyurl.com/jcdv55f9) to identify the zone you reside in. 

Incident Update

Borel Fire/SQF Lightning Fires

Thursday, August 15, 2024 

facebook.com/SequoiaNF/

x.com/SequoiaForest

Fire Information: 559-481-7849, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.          

Media Line: 559-492-9967, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Email:2024.borel@firenet.gov 

Linktree: linktr.ee/2024sqflightning

Borel Fire: 59,288 Acres | 91% Contained                 Trout Fire: 23,597 Acres | 70% Contained 

Total Personnel: 886                      Long Fire: 9,204 | 98% Contained 

Borel Fire:         https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/casqf-borel-fire 

SQF Lightning: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-maps-gallery/casqf-2024-sqf-lightning 

Borel Fire: Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams continue to work to determine the need for stabilization and prescribe emergency treatments to stabilize and prevent unacceptable degradation to natural and cultural resources. We encourage residents re-entering the area to proceed with caution to avoid unseen hazards caused by the fire, and help maintain the safety of repair crews working in the area. “Backhaul” operations are underway to remove large amounts of equipment from the area, which were used during the fire. Crews remove the equipment from the area and then clean and repack it for use on future fires. Firefighters are still on high alert for potential new fires that start in the immediate area and are ready for a rapid response. 

Trout Fire: The fire continues to smolder and move slowly uphill in steep terrain. Crews are continuing to construct fire line to increase containment. Fire suppression repair operations continue in the fire area. 

Long Fire: This fire is 98% contained, and nearly all Long Fire personnel have been reassigned to Trout or Borel. The area is being monitored, there is no threat, and no changes are expected. 

Sequoia National Forest & BLM Closures & Restrictions: The Borel Fire Piute Mountains Area Closure begins at the northwest corner of Section 30, Township 27 South, Range 33 East, Mount Diablo Base and Meridian, then continues approximately 47 miles around the Sequoia National Forest Boundary to the starting point. All orders, maps, and accompanying appendices can be found on the Forest’s website: tinyurl.com/2en2d36k. 

The Bureau of Land Management Bakersfield Office is lifting the emergency closure of the Creek Campground, a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail, and Canebrake Road in Tulare County.  The closures were in place for public and firefighter safety in relation to the management of the SQF Lightning Complex Fire and are no longer necessary due to the lack of fire progression.  The closures are lifted as of Tuesday, August 13. Long Valley Campground and Long Valley Loop road remain closed. View the emergency closure order here: https://tinyurl.com/5n8rxcxh. 

Road Closures: Sherman Pass Road is closed from Mountain Highway 99 to Kennedy Meadows. Visit the Kern County Public Works Department website for the additional information on county road closures (tinyurl.com/z6crvp6t) 

Evacuations: All Borel Fire evacuations have been lifted. Everyone in areas of active fires should “Know Your Zone.” Go to Genasys Protect (tinyurl.com/jcdv55f9) to identify the zone you reside in. 

Pioneer Fire Daily Update

August 15, 2024

Quick Facts

Size:  38,708 | Start Date: June 08, 2024    |    Location: 31 miles NW of Chelan, WA

Containment: 18 percent | Personnel: 635 | Cause: Human-caused, under investigation

Pacific Northwest Incident Management Team 3 has returned to the Pioneer Fire 

CURRENT SITUATION:  Pacific Northwest Incident Management Team 3 will shadow California Interagency Incident Management Team 15 today and take command of the Pioneer, Easy, and Flat Creek Fires at 6 am on Friday morning. Shadowing helps with a smooth transition from one team to another with the transfer of the current strategic situation that has taken place over the team’s tenure. The Level 3 Evacuations remain in place for the entire Stehekin Valley, at the north end of Lake Chelan, affecting 470 residential and commercial properties. 

TODAY’S ACTIVITIES: Initial attack crews and aviation resources will respond to all new fires with an aggressive initial attack strategy. Fire activity in the Boulder Creek area will increase with upslope fire spread toward Butte and Rennie creeks. Backing fire may spread into Rainbow Creek due to spotting. Continued isolated activity from scattered heat sources continue in the tributaries and forks of Little Boulder, Purple, Four Mile, and Fish creeks. Fire Crews continue to add structure protection measures around the community of Stehekin, patrol the fire area and look for opportunities to strengthen and increase containment of the Pioneer Fire. 

WEATHER AND SMOKE: Today the threat of showers and thunderstorms will be near 20 percent, increasing to 40 percent on Friday. Temperature will remain mild, topping out in the 70’s to 80’s each afternoon with humidity levels near 30 precent. Winds will be light in the afternoon driven by up lake and slope then switch to down slope, downlake in the evening hours with gusts up to 15 mph.

For smoke report: https://outlooks.airfire.org/outlook/f79a6d6d.

EVACUATIONS: Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuation levels remain in effect around the Pioneer Fire. Please contact Chelan County Emergency Management or visit https://t.ly/QoH9w  for more information.

FOREST CLOSURE: Closures for the North Cascades National Park: https://www.nps.gov/noca/index.htm 

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has a closure order in place for much of the fire area: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest - Alerts & Closures (usda.gov). Campfires are prohibited. There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in place over the fire: https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_6779.html . Unauthorized drone activity is prohibited under the TFR. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560760893080

Fire Information Line: 541-861-5808, 8 AM to 8 PM

Email: 2024.pioneer@firenet.gov

Easy Fire Daily Update

August 15, 2024 

Quick Facts

Size: 2130 acres | Start Date: July 17, 2024 | Location: 17 miles west of Mazama, WA 

Containment: 29% | Cause: Lightning | Resources Assigned: 300

Pacific Northwest Incident Management Team 3 has returned to the Easy Fire 

CURRENT SITUATION: Pacific Northwest Incident Management Team 3 will be shadowing California Incident Management Team 15 today and will be taking command of the Pioneer, Easy, and Flat Creek Fires at 06:00 A. M. on Friday morning. Shadowing helps with a smooth transition from one team to another with the transfer of all knowledge that has taken place over the team’s tenure. Due to previous and current fire activity, Hwy 20 remains in a hard closure due to trees and rocks falling on the highway. Several landslides occurred on August 11th, covering Hwy 20 in several areas. 

TODAY: Fire behavior will be low with smoldering, creeping and backing. Heavy fuels will continue to smolder and consume. Fire spread will be minimal on the fire today. Fuels on the north side of the fire will slowly start to dry and may promote limited fire spread. Fuel conditions on the south side of the fire along Swamp creek will continue to limit fire spread. 

WEATHER AND SMOKE: Today’s weather be will similar to yesterday’s, with temperatures in the upper 70’s and minimum relative humidity getting down near 40 percent. The probability of a thunderstorm over the fire today is 20 percent with potential rain amounts from zero to ¼ inch. Thunderstorm potential may produce strong erratic winds. Tomorrow will be much cooler and damp as a marine layer returns to the fire area. Relative humidity over the fire tomorrow is unlikely to get below 50 percent.

Read full smoke report: https://outlooks.airfire.org/outlook/f79a6d6d

CLOSURES: Highway 20 is closed in both directions between Granite Creek (MP 148) and Rainy Pass (MP 157): https://wsdot.com/Travel/Real-time/Map/ Highway 20 will remain closed as crews continue working to mitigate hazards. 

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has closures in place for trails within the fire area: https://bit.ly/EasyFireClosures. This closure includes a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail. Campfires are prohibited. 

There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in place over the fire: https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_6779.html.  Unauthorized drone activity is prohibited under the TFR.  

EVACUATIONS: There are no evacuations in place for the Easy Fire. Visitors recreating in the area should be vigilant of surroundings and stay out of closed areas.   

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560760893080

Fire Information Line: 541-861-5808, 8 AM to 8 PM 

Email: 2024.easy@firenet.gov

Kachess Complex Fire Update

August 15th, 2024

Reported date: August 9th &10th, 2024

Cause: Lightning

Total complex size: ~22

Personnel: 192

Fuels: Timber, timber litter, timber understory

Strategy: Full Suppression

Fire behavior: Smoldering, creeping

CLE ELUM, Washington: The Kachess Complex, a group of three lightning-sparked fires, started in the Cle Elum Ranger District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest between August 9 and 10, 2024. Size and acreage have been revised due to more accurate mapping. However, the acreage for the Stave Creek fire remains approximate due to the challenging terrain that limits access.

The Kachess Complex Includes:

• Stave Creek Fire: Approximately 12 acres and 0% contained located on steep and rugged terrain. Firefighters are actively reinforcing the fire line along the eastern flank, while hot shot crews are assessing both direct and indirect tactics for the northern and northwestern sides. The western flank will maintain support through helicopter bucket drops to control the fire's spread. Given the remote location of the Stave Creek Fire, a dozer line is being constructed to facilitate firefighter transport in case of an emergency.
• Thomas Fire: Currently 9 acres and 50% contained. Firefighters have established a handline around the entire perimeter and are now concentrating on mop-up operations within a 50-foot interior zone. Additionally, hoses have been deployed around the perimeter to provide supplementary water for firefighting efforts. Access to the Thomas Fire is by helicopter only and all 48 personnel will anticipate extraction later this afternoon.
• Waptus: Currently ½ acre and 100% contained. Firefighters were able to complete a thorough grid of the fire yesterday and concluded it was out. All fire personnel were extracted via helicopter yesterday afternoon. 

Message from the Incident Commander, Lino Baca: “Ensuring the safety of firefighters is the top priority for handling these remote and hard-to-reach fires. The team is focused on controlling the spread of each blaze to ensure that, upon departure, the forest can safely move toward containment. For the Stave Creek fire, which is particularly challenging due to its steep and rugged terrain, various strategies are being assessed to manage and limit the fire's growth effectively and safely.”

Location: On the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest northwest of Cle Elum. The Stave Creek and Thomas fires are between Kachess and Cle Elum Lake. The Waptus fire is further north in the wilderness near Waptus Lake. 

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the top priority. Members of the public should avoid the Kachess Complex area. A new TFR (temporary flight restriction) is in effect around the fire otherwise noted. Unmanned aircraft such as drones pose a serious risk to firefighting and can cause air operations to cease. The public is reminded that 

“If you fly, we can’t!”. Temporary flight restriction: https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_8687.html 

Closures: There are no closures in place for the Kachess Complex, however, the public is encouraged to avoid the surrounding trails of the Stave Creek and Thomas Fires. Fire restrictions are in effect on the Cle Elum Ranger District, for additional information visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/okawen/alerts-notices/?cid=fsbdev3_053600. 

Smoke: Minimal smoke may be visible from the towns of Cle Elum, Roslyn, Easton, and Snoqualmie Pass area. Information on air quality can be found at https://fire.airnow.gov/ . 

 https://linktr.ee/KachessComplex