Story maps use Geographic Information System (GIS) tools to combine geospatial data with photos, video, audio, and text to visualize a theme or sequential events. Story maps are designed for nontechnical audiences with access to the Internet; users do not need experience with GIS software to read or use story maps.

The strategies used on the Middle Fire are explained with the use of photos, interactive maps and videos. Click on this link to view:
Middle Fire Story Map

The Middle Fire remains at 1,328 acres and line is 25% complete. Except for the southwest corner, very little heat remains on this fire. Two Type 1 hotshot crews were flown into the spot fires above Stuart Creek yesterday and have been securing this part of the fire and will be flown out at the end of the shift today. Additional crews are working on securing the southwest corner of the fire in Canyon Creek where there is still heat. A total of 189 personnel are currently assigned to the Middle Fire. The intent is to keep the fire within the current footprint.
In order to provide protection for the public and firefighters fighting the Middle Fire, a Closure Order has been issued for areas potentially affected by the Middle Fire, including Ripstein Campground, Canyon Creek Trailhead, Trail 10W03, Trail 10W06, and Trail 10W08 south of Canyon Creek Falls. The Middle Fire was started by lightning on September 5, 2019 and is located northeast of the Canyon Creek Trailhead in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. This fire is challenging because of the steep, rugged terrain. Firefighter and public safety continue to be our number one priority.

The Middle Fire received approximately an inch of rain over the last 24 hours and remains at 1,328 acres and is 15% complete. Planned activities for today include flying crews into the eastern side of the fire to build line around the spot fires, strengthen the line and mop up along Canyon Creek and Bear Creek, and improving access to the east side of the fire. A total of 189 personnel are currently assigned to the Middle Fire. The intent is to keep the fire east of Canyon Creek, west of the divide between Canyon Creek and Stuart Creek, north of the Fork Fire footprint (2017), and south of Bear Creek. In order to provide protection for the public and firefighters fighting the Middle Fire, a Closure Order has been issued for areas potentially affected by the Middle Fire, including Ripstein Campground, Canyon Creek Trailhead, Trail 10W03, Trail 10W06, and Trail 10W08 south of Canyon Creek Falls. The Middle Fire was started by lightning on September 5, 2019 and is located northeast of the Canyon Creek Trailhead in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. This fire is challenging because of the steep, rugged terrain. Firefighter and public safety continue to be our number one priority. For the most up to date Middle Fire information please visit our InciWeb page at https:// inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6588/ or call the Middle Fire information line at 1-530-628-0039. For up to date information regarding the South Fire, please visit the South Fire Inciweb page at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6577/ or call the South Fire information line at 1-530-852-8473. To learn how you can be better prepared in case of a wildfire, visit www.preventwildfireca.org.

The Middle Fire showed minimal fire activity yesterday, with only smoldering and no movement. Fog and/or rain was present on the fire for most of the day and it remains at 1,328 acres and is 15% complete. Planned activities for today include strengthening the line and mopping up along Canyon Creek and Bear Creek, and improving access to the east side of the fire. Crews will be developing plans to address the spot fires when weather permits and helicopters will continue to drop water in this area. A total of 151 personnel are currently assigned to the Middle Fire. In order to provide protection for the public and firefighters fighting the Middle Fire, a Closure Order has been issued for areas potentially affected by the Middle Fire, including Ripstein Campground, Canyon Creek Trailhead, Trail 10W03, Trail 10W06, and Trail 10W08 south of Canyon Creek Falls. The Middle Fire was started by lightning on September 5, 2019 and is located northeast of the Canyon Creek Trailhead in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. This fire is challenging because of the steep, rugged terrain. Two firefighters were injured on the Middle Fire during initial attack. Firefighter and public safety continue to be our number one priority. For the most up to date Middle Fire information please visit our InciWeb page at https:// inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6588/ or call the Middle Fire information line at 1-530-628-0039. For up to date information regarding the South Fire, please visit the South Fire Inciweb page at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6577/ or call the South Fire information line at 1-530-852-8473. To learn how you can be better prepared in case of a wildfire, visit www.preventwildfireca.org.

The Middle Fire showed minimal fire activity yesterday, with only smoldering and no movement. It also received periodic rain throughout the day on Monday. On Sunday the fire grew to 1,328 acres, burning out of the East Fork drainage and causing some short range spotting into the Stuart Fork drainage. Planned activities for today include strengthening the line and mopping up along Canyon Creek and Bear Creek and identifying the best way to access the east side of the fire. Crews will also be developing plans to address the spot fires when weather permits. A total of 109 personnel are currently assigned to the Middle Fire. Four helicopters are now assigned to the fire and dropped water on the east side of the fire all day Monday and will continue to do so until crews can get on the ground.

In order to provide protection for the public and firefighters fighting the Middle Fire, a Closure Order has been issued for areas potentially affected by the Middle Fire, including Ripstein Campground, Canyon Creek Trailhead, Trail 10W03, Trail 10W06, and Trail 10W08 south of Canyon Creek Falls. The Middle Fire was started by lightning on September 5, 2019 and is located northeast of the Canyon Creek Trailhead in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. This fire is challenging because of the steep, rugged terrain. Two firefighters were injured on the Middle Fire during initial attack. Firefighter and public safety continue to be our number one priority.

The Middle Fire was very active yesterday, burning in the East Fork of Canyon Creek.Because of overnight rain across the fire, an infrared flight to accurately update maps and acreagewas not possible. Today’s fire behavior should be reduced because of the lower wind speed andhigher humidities from last night’s rain.
Planned activities for today include the construction of indirect fireline for protection of privateproperty and historic sites. A total of 109 personnel are currently assigned to the Middle Fire.
In order to provide protection for the public and firefighters fighting the Middle Fire, a ClosureOrder has been issued for areas potentially affected by the Middle Fire, including RipsteinCampground, Canyon Creek Trailhead, Trail 10W03, Trail 10W06, and Trail 10W08 south of CanyonCreek Falls. Expect more trail closures east of the existing closure area in the future.
It was started by lightning on September 5, 2019 and is located northeast of the Canyon CreekTrailhead in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. This fire is challenging because of the steep, ruggedterrain. Two firefighters were injured on the Middle Fire during initial attack. Firefighter andpublic safety continue to be our number one priority.

the Middle Fire has picked up activity this afternoon with the frontal passage. A large column is visible on the fire, but is no threat to any local communities. The fire is not doing anything that was not expected by fire managers.

The Middle Fire showed moderate fire behavior yesterday, adding 121 acres for a total size of 575 acres. It continues to move south towards the Little East Fork of Canyon Creek, burning actively in timbered areas. Because of higher moisture levels the fire is barely burning in the brushy areas. Planned activities for today include the construction of indirect fireline for protection of private property and historic sites. A total of 109 personnel are currently assigned to the Middle Fire. Cooler temperatures are predicted for today with the possibility of showers over the fire today.

A Closure Order has been issued for areas potentially affected by the Middle Fire, including Ripstein Campground, Canyon Creek Trailhead, Trail 10W03, Trail 10W06, and Trail 10W08 south of Canyon Creek Falls. It was started by lightning on September 5, 2019, and is located northeast of the Canyon Creek Trailhead in the Trinity Alps Wilderness.

This fire is challenging because of the steep, rugged terrain. Two firefighters were injured on the Middle Fire during initial attack and keeping firefighters and the public safe is our number one priority.

The Middle Fire showed low/moderate fire behavior yesterday with low rates of spread in timber litter and downed woody debris, adding 60 acres for a total size of 454 acres. Planned activities for today include the construction of indirect fireline for protection of private property and historic sites. A total of 64 personnel are currently assigned to the Middle Fire. Hot and dry weather will continue through Saturday.

A Closure Order has been issued for areas potentially affected by the Middle Fire, including Ripstein Campground, Canyon Creek Trailhead, Trail 10W03, Trail 10W06, and Trail 10W08 south of Canyon Creek Falls. It was started by lightning on September 5, 2019, and is located northeast of the Canyon Creek Trailhead in the Trinity Alps Wilderness.

This fire is challenging because of the steep, rugged terrain. Two firefighters were injured on the Middle Fire during initial attack and keeping firefighters and the public safe is our number one priority.

In the hot, dry summer of 1910, several wildfires in northern Idaho and western Montana were fanned by strong winds and produced fire behavior never experienced before. Waves of massive fire fronts washed through thousands of acres of prime timber and completely destroyed flourishing towns. This event became known as the Big Burn of 1910. By 1935, the still young agency known as the Forest Service adopted the “10 a.m. Policy”, which outlined a new strategy for wildfire suppression. The intent was that all wildfire ignitions were attacked immediately and aggressively to ensure the fire was controlled by 10 a.m. the next day. This strategy was successful for many decades, protecting several communities and valuable timber.

This policy caused portions of western forests to suffer to some extent, as most wildfires were removed from their natural occurrence cycles. Much of the wilderness and other remote areas adjacent to it have accumulated downed and decadent timber and brush, littering the landscape with heavy concentrations of easily combustible material. Such a densely packed forest is not healthy and allows for pest infestations to attack trees. Not only do these scenarios make fire behavior more intense and erratic, but it makes suppression efforts more complex, costly and a greater threat to life safety. A large amount of vegetation can be decimated from such high intensity fire and the landscape struggles with the natural recovery process. For thousands of years prior to wildfire suppression, the landscape benefited from regularly occurring wildfires. Without wildfire to aid in the thinning out of dense stands of younger trees, the ecosystem has lost its natural maintenance cycles of reducing the build-up of vegetation.

In recent years, the western United States has experienced irregular shifts in in climatologic cycles. Years of prolonged drought has affected the moisture content and retention in the vegetation, potentially allowing wildfire ignitions to grow to catastrophic outcome. Additionally, the ever-growing population and desire to live close to nature has spread homes and infrastructure to areas that were originally void of human lives and other values.

The 2006 publication “Cooperating Across Boundaries” (Reference link listed below) addresses this issue and provides case studies that included mitigation for land conservation. In its introduction it states, “Increasingly, national forests and other public lands are becoming islands of wild and semi-wild lands embedded in a matrix of developed lands. Private lands in rural areas are developing because people are attracted to the amenities of public lands. Yet, many of these public land amenities are connected to open spaces on private lands. Water flows across borders. Wildlife migrates. Fires that maintain healthy forests and grasslands need room to burn without endangering people and their homes. Conserving open space is not a private land or a public land issue, but a common challenge to be addressed at local, regional, and national levels.”

Seasoned wildfire professionals are consistently saying that they have never witnessed the type of fire behavior in their careers as they have seen in the last few fire seasons. In addition to this erratic fire behavior has been greater fire spread, and all together, larger wildfires. In extreme cases, we have even seen loss of homes and lives – some of which have been the very lives we send to the fireline – the first responders themselves.

Wildfire agencies have taken a hard look at how to reduce the exposure to firefighters and recently began changing their tactics on wildfires that pose significant risks. Specific examples of risk include areas where the terrain is very steep and rugged and may pose a constant threat of large rocks or debris rolling downhill towards fire personnel. Another example is areas where the timber has suffered from long term drought and/or pest infestation. These pose a severe risk of falling onto fire personnel, whether they are burning or not. Between 2007 and 2016, 12 firefighter fatalities were caused by being struck from a falling tree or rolling rocks. (Reference listed below)

The days of quickly and aggressively inserting firefighters are not necessarily gone, but there is a shift in the culture on how firefighters engage. Shasta-Trinity National Forest Fire Prevention Technician, Anna Wright stated, “Fire managers analyze the appropriate management response to wildfire incidents by implementing a strategy that protects life and property. These strategies and tactics are in alignment with the Land Resource Management Plan (LRMP) and chosen with a precise analysis of the complexity of the incident, current and expected weather conditions, resource availability and the values at risk.” In addition to full suppression (typically a “direct attack” on the fire), there are alternate strategies that are referred to as “indirect attack”. Examples include “point protection” and “confine and contain”. Indirect strategies employee tactics, such as creating breaks in the vegetation at greater distances from the fire’s edge, so that fire personnel are not directly under or adjacent to rolling material and dangerous standing dead timber, known as “snags”. It may allow for slightly larger fire perimeter by the time it meets the outlying fuel breaks, but it can greatly reduce the risk to fire personnel.

The confine and contain strategy uses areas that are naturally void of burnable vegetation to be used to help contain the fire. Areas such as streams, rocky ridges, boulder fields, trails, etc., can be used in conjunction with control lines that the firefighters and bulldozers can construct. Once again, reducing the direct or more frequent exposure to fire personnel. Though this is a less common strategy, it is extremely effective, as it allows naturally ignited fire to burn within pre-defined parameters.

This confine and contain strategy is not widely used in California and the public may not be aware of the benefits - reduced risk to fire personnel, the decreased suppression costs, and the tremendous long term ecological benefits. Specific conditions have to be met for this strategy to be successful. For example, it would never be used in an area that is populated with infrastructure or homes; not only due to the adjacent threat of wildfire, but because the communities could be adversely affected by smoke. Typically, a wilderness area or a location that is very remote would be an excellent choice. Especially when we consider that the vegetation in these areas has had naturally ignited fires burning within them for centuries prior to wildfire suppression.

In addition to land management and conservation benefits, it adds acres of breaks in the thick and decadent vegetation and timber, which will ultimately aid in slowing fire progress or creating points to “catch” a future wildfire. If this strategy is regularly used when conditions are appropriate, large scale areas of defense can be created to protect the foothills and low lying areas that are home to communities and other valuable resources.

To the layperson, these strategies may seem complacent and as if nothing is being done in a timely manner. Wildfire agencies may get accused of not considering the welfare of the surrounding communities, being blamed for the prolonged exposure to smoke and threat of fire escape. But if fire agencies ensure good communication with the public and community stakeholders, it will provide education to what type of strategy is taking place and why. The ultimate goal would be putting public concerns to rest if the realize that a few extra days of meticulous and deliberate suppression tactics may save a firefighter’s life, protect communities, and make the landscape more fire resilient.

Written By: Seneca Smith

Information Officer - USDA Forest Service

Reference:

USDA “Cooperating Across Boundaries – Partnerships to Conserve Open Space in America” (2006)

https://www.fs.fed.us/openspace/coop_across_boudaries.html

NWCG Report on Wildland Firefighter Fatalities in the US: 2007-2016 (2017)

https://www.nwcg.gov/sites/default/files/publications/pms841.pdf