QUARTZ RIDGE & BEAR CREEK FIRES

September 22, 2023                                                 

Type 3 Team, Incident Commander: Scotty Nilson

Updates will be produced every other day unless significant activity occurs.

Highlights: The return of drier air and strong winds will likely increase fire activity and smoke production on both the Quartz Ridge and Bear Creek fires. Firefighters are still actively engaged in observing the fires and will take action when needed and safe to do so. Smoke will likely be visible at times until a season ending event occurs.

As conditions permit, prescribed fire activity will be taking place at specific locations around the San Juan National Forest. For the most up to date and detailed information visit, https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/cosjf-san-juan-national-forest-prescribed-fire-program.

Quartz Ridge Fire:  2,850 acres | 25 personnel assigned

Last nights infrared flight showed heat signatures on the eastern flank of the fire. No heat was detected on the western half of the fire. Fire crews will continue to patrol and provide surveillance of the fire activity and report any movement towards the Management Action Points (MAP) that are in place. The MAPs are pre-identified areas where if the fire hits, then firefighters will take action where safe to do so. 

Bear Creek Fire:  1093 acres | 14 personnel assigned

Scattered heat was detected by last nights infrared flight within the interior of the Bear Creek fire. The highest concentration of heat signatures was in the northern half of the fire. Firefighters continue to patrol the Weminuche Valley ensuring that all the structure protection equipment is in place and operable in the case the fire moves west, and structure protection actions are needed. Smoke will likely be visible in the Weminuche Valley, west of Weminuche and south of Falls Creek. 

Weather: An upper-level low is moving into the area and will remain through Saturday bringing strong wind gusts through tonight. A few isolated showers are possible Saturday night followed by a warming and drying trend into next week.  

San Juan National Forest Temporary Closures: Closure orders remain in effect. Details can be found at Quartz Ridge Closure and Bear Creek Closure. Roads and trails within the Quartz Fire area are Quartz Meadows Rd (NFSR#684), Quartz Ridge Trail (NFST#570), Quartz Creek Trail (NFST#571). The trails within the Bear Creek Fire area are Little Sand Trail (NFST #591) and Shaw Creek Trail (NFST#584).

Anvil Fire

Size: 18,691 acres | Start Date:  August 25, 2023 | Location:  8 miles east of Port Orford, OR | Containment:  9% | Total personnel: 1,256 | Resources: 36 crews, 8 helicopters, 39 engines

Yesterday the Anvil Fire reached 9% containment due to the successful work of crews along the Elk River Road on the west side of the fire. Over 188,000 gallons of water were dropped by helicopters supporting crews on the ground. 

Crews continue fortifying containment lines on the north side of the fire from Grassy Knob to China Peak. Retardant was used on the north side to reinforce fireline crews are constructing.  The north side of the fire has been active due to the shifting winds. Winds from the south are expected to gust up to 40 mph on ridgetops on Friday. 

Another small fire was detected yesterday south of the Elk River after burning embers carried heat from the main fire a short distance away. Firefighters took swift action on the spot fire after it was located in steep rugged terrain while helicopters dropped 40,000 gallons of water to limit growth.  Crews will continue to work to contain the spot and utilize infrared devices to look for additional spots in this area. Crews throughout the fire area will remain hyper vigilant as weather conditions change over the next several shifts.

Additional firefighters are working on contingency containment lines around the perimeter of the fire that would be used as the fire continues to grow to the west and north. The east side of the fire that crossed Forest Road 5201 in the drainage is burning in steep, inaccessible terrain. Planning is underway to identify successful places where containment lines could be constructed in the Copper Salmon Wilderness.

Evacuations:  Curry County Sheriff’s Office has identified four evacuation zones around the Anvil Fire.  Zones 1 and 4 are in Level 3 “Go“ evacuation status.  Zones 2 and 3 are in Level 2 “Get Set“ status.  View the interactive evacuation map at https://bit.ly/45UIh2E. Sign up for Curry Co. emergency alerts at https://bit.ly/CurryCoEM. 

Area and Road Closures:  For the safety of firefighters and the public, the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest (RRSNF) and Coos Bay District Bureau of Land Management have issued closure orders for the Anvil Fire area.  Find maps and closure information at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-closures/orrsf-anvil-fire.

Flat Fire

Size:  34,242 acres | Start Date:  July 15, 2023 | Location:  2 miles southeast of Agness, OR | Containment:  75%  |  Total personnel:  12 | Resources: 3 engines 

The RRSNF closure remains in effect, https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-closures/xx1002-flat-fire.

General Information

Weather: Friday, winds will turn westerly in the afternoon, with ridge gusts near 15 mph possible. As the weekend approaches, a cooler trend is expected and there is an increasing chance of rain. Winds will shift to the south with gusts up to 40 mph.  While it will take significant rain or snow to fully contain both fires, the rain would be a welcome relief and assist firefighters in their efforts.  A meteorologist is working closely with fire managers to monitor the weather and share information to support planning and adjustment of plans as necessary to ensure the safety of firefighters in all weather conditions, both those that cause increases in fire activity and those that may trigger runoff or flooding.

Smoke:  Visit https://bit.ly/SWORsmoke for current smoke and air quality updates. Smoke and the marine cloud layer are mingling and settling in the lower elevations overnight causing limited visibility along highways.  Please drive slowly and with headlights on through any fire area.  Heavy equipment and firefighter transportation vehicles are also using the area highways and roads.

Caltrans issued a schedule of road closures and lane restrictions on US-199 northeast from Crescent City. Local law enforcement cautions against any non-essential traffic along this route. For specific information on road access, please see the Caltrans QuickMap site at: https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ and Oregon Department of Transportation site at: https://www.tripcheck.com/.  Do not use forest roads for alternate routes.

Smith River Complex North, Daily Update, Friday, September 22, 2023

Size: 93,559 acres (12,460 ac. in Oregon); Location: Grants Pass, OR; Cause: Lightning 

Containment: 79%; Start date: August 15, 2023; Total personnel: 1,441 

Resources: 33 crews  6 helicopters  41 engines  8 dozers  29 water tenders  7 masticators  2 Skid Steer  
 

Yesterday: The last section of control line in the northwest corner of the fire in Division Golf (G) was completed. This means the entire fire perimeter managed by the Smith River Complex North Zone has control lines in place. For the two consecutive days , strong northeast winds kept helicopters on the ground which in turn prevented completion of remote area backhaul operations in Division G. However, ground-based backhaul operations and suppression repairs continued. Work continued with the construction of the secondary control line located northwest of the fire along the FS 1106 road.  

Today’s Activities: Now that the objective of establishing control lines around the fire perimeter has been met, the operational focus will shift fully to fire suppression repair and continuing with backhaul operations. Rain showers are forecasted to arrive on the fire around Saturday afternoon, with very heavy rain possible Sunday and Monday. Firefighters are preparing to manage the possible impacts from this significant rain event on their efforts to complete construction of the secondary control line along the FS 1106 road. Rain or shine, crews will continue to patrol and secure control lines along the entire perimeter of the fire. 

Evacuations: The Josephine County Sheriff has set the evacuation status to Level 1-BE READY. This level will remain until significant rainfall is received. This includes the area west of US-199 in Josephine County, including the community of O’Brien and to the Oregon-California border. If you have internet access, you can monitor the Rogue Valley Emergency Management site. You can also sign up for evacuation alerts, updates and see an interactive Fire First Response Map with evacuation areas here: https://rvem.org/. 

Smoke: North component winds will usher smoke south along the coast, and to some degree inland, through Thursday. Winds will diminish Friday, then become more onshore to southerly this weekend. Most impacted communities will be the Highway 101 corridor from south to Port Orford to Brookings, and communities along the Rogue and inland Sixes River drainages. Smoke levels can change rapidly depending on weather; check current conditions at: https://bit.ly/SWORsmoke  

Area Closures: A closure is in place on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest for Forest Road 1106 (South Elk Mountain Road), Forest Road 1205 (Lower Wheeler Road), and Forest Road 1983 (Mt. Emily Road) until October 31, 2023 or until rescinded. The closure allows for safe operations related to the Smith River Complex North. Closures on BLM land are in place as well. Visit bit.ly/RRSNFAlerts or https://www.blm.gov/orwafire for additional information. 

Road Closures and Delays: Caltrans in Del Norte County issued a schedule of road closures and lane restrictions on US-199. Weekdays will have a combination of road closure and lane restrictions. Over the weekend, the road will remain open, but with lane restrictions and pilot cars. Expect delays. For specific information on road access, please see the Caltrans QuickMap site https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ and Oregon Department of Transportation’s https://www.tripcheck.com/. Local law enforcement cautions against any non-essential traffic along this route. Navigation apps and mapping programs have been routing travelers into active fire areas. Do not use forest roads as alternate routes.  

Restrictions: Please respect the temporary flight restriction (TFR) established for the Smith River Complex. Keep drones away from firefighting operations and the TFR. If you fly, we can’t. Don’t be the reason a firefighting air mission has to divert! For more information on the TFR, visit https://tfr.faa.gov/. 

On Thursday, September 21, 2023, a low-pressure system carrying light rain moved through the area, no burning took place.

Fuel Treatment plans for the weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) are outlined below. No heavy smoke is expected but plumes will be visible.

New Meadows District:
• Goose Creek - Burning projects are complete. Monitoring/Patrolling and checking roads for hazards continues.
• Cold - Most of the burning is complete. Crews will be in the area monitoring/patrolling and checking roads for hazards.
• Brush - Friday crews will be wrapping up some preparations to begin burning on Saturday and Sunday. Firefighters will be using hand ignitions to "outline" the planned treatment area with fire break lines.

Council/Weiser Districts:
•Robinson - Friday the plan is to burn an additional 75 acres.  Saturday and Sunday crews will hold line, patrol and monitor areas that were treated Friday.
•Weasel - Firefighters plan to begin burning on Saturday. Saturday will be hand ignition work and Sunday should see some helicopter ignitions being implemented.
 

While there are no closures in place, PLEASE be aware that firefighters will be working along roadways in these areas. 
 

Size: 5,902 acres

Start Date: August 16, 2023

Cause: Lightning

Completion: 70%

Total personnel: 158

Location: 11 miles northeast of Young, Arizona and 27 miles

east of Payson, Arizona

Fuels:Ponderosa Pine, Hardwood litterand timber

Highlights: Due to gusty winds, crews are monitoring the progression of the fire along the ridge lines and perimeters of the fire area.

Operations: Yesterday, due to the wind events, crews patrolled along the FSRD 411 and kept the fire’s edge even. More depth was added to FSRD 200 along with monitoring the edge. Today, crews will be patrolling and holding lines as the fire progresses toward the southern fire containment line. 

Fire Ecology: “Fire severity” is a term used to describe fire effects. ‘High severity’ describes where more than 75% of the dominant vegetation was consumed by the fire. High severity can be beneficial (as in grasslands or chaparral), or destructive (large areas of high severity in ponderosa pine or mixed conifer). ‘Low severity’ is when less than 25% of the dominant vegetation is consumed. For the most part, ponderosa pine and dry mixed conifer benefit from mostly low-severity fire effects, though small patches of high severity are fine.

Weather: Yesterday, gusty winds came out of the southwest along the ridge tops with increasing clouds overnight. Today will be dry with a chance of isolated showers and winds will decrease along the ridge tops.

Closures: An emergency closure order for the Valentine Fire has gone into effect as of 6 a.m. Sept. 5, 2023. The public is asked to avoid the fire area. The purpose of the closure order is to protect public health and safety during the Valentine Fire, and to protect assigned firefighting personnel engaging in wildland firefighting operations. Signs and gates will be in place to remind the public not to enter the fire area. Please visit the Alerts and Notices page for more information. https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters, and the public are always the highest priority. Members of the public are asked to avoid the fire area.

Smoke: The fire will produce considerable amounts of smoke due to excessive fuel accumulation. Smoke from the Valentine Fire may be visible in the surrounding areas for many days. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. An interactive smoke map available at, https://www.airnow.gov/wildfires/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Information Links and Contacts:

Tonto National Forest https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tonto/fire

InciWeb https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/aztnf-valentine-fire Fire Email 2023.valentine@firenet.gov

Fire Information Line (928)-421-4579 • Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/cowlitzcomplex/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/GPNF

Bosque Nacional Gifford Pinchot: https://www.fs.usda.gov/giffordpinchot

Actualización del Incendio del Complejo Cowlitz 

22 de septiembre de 2023

Situación actual: El Complejo Cowlitz está contenido en un 39% con un total de 723 acres y 265 personas.  Las cuadrillas siguen trabajando en la reparación de supresión en las líneas de dozer, líneas de mano, y helispots.  La detección de infrarrojos desde el aire mostró que todavía hay calor intenso en el incendio Grassy Mountain en el lado oeste y en el perímetro del fuego también. El fuego creció alrededor de tres acres, pero por lo demás no hubo ningún crecimiento significativo en el complejo.

En el incendio más pequeño de Jackpot, se encontró un punto caliente a 150 pies del borde del incendio. Los bomberos tuvieron que excavar 1,5 metros en la capa de arcilla para acercarse lo suficiente al punto caliente y apagarlo. Se necesitaron 300 galones de agua para extinguir el punto caliente. Este es un ejemplo de lo difícil que es para los bomberos luchar directamente contra estos incendios. Los focos profundos junto con un intenso fuego de superficie son peligrosos para los bomberos. Cavar líneas para evitar que el fuego se desplace por el borde del incendio es difícil, si no imposible. En este tipo de "quemas sucias" se hace hincapié en crear una "línea de contención" a cierta distancia del incendio. Esto se ha completado en el incendio Grassy Mountain en los lados oeste y norte para proteger a las comunidades de Randle y Packwood, Washington, en el improbable caso de que el fuego crezca.

Tiempo: Las temperaturas serán hoy unos grados más cálidas, con vientos flojos del suroeste. La probabilidad de chubascos es del 60% a partir del sábado por la tarde. Se esperan precipitaciones de ¼ a ½ pulgada cada 12 horas desde el domingo por la mañana hasta el miércoles.

Restricciones contra incendios: Siguen vigentes las restricciones sobre incendios. Las hogueras están prohibidas en todo el Bosque Nacional de Gifford Pinchot; sólo se permiten las hogueras de propano, las estufas y las linternas. Para más información, visite el sitio web del bosque en Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Fire Management (usda.gov). La decisión de levantar o mantener las restricciones contra incendios depende de factores como las condiciones meteorológicas actuales y previstas, la humedad del combustible, el nivel de actividad del incendio y la disponibilidad de recursos de extinción para responder a nuevas igniciones.

Cierres: Con la actividad del fuego en curso en las proximidades del Snagtooth Fire las siguientes carreteras y senderos están cerrados al público para reducir la exposición y ayudar a garantizar la seguridad pública y de los bomberos: Carreteras forestales 9300 y 9341, Boundary Trail #1 (desde Elk Pass hasta la intersección con Summit Prairie), Summit Prairie #2, Craggy Peak #3, Snagtooth #4, Quartz #5, Stabler Camp #17, Wright Meadows #80, Basin Camp #3A, Quartz #5B, Quartz #5C (French Creek), Snyder Pasture #80A. La carretera forestal 8410 está cerrada para los bomberos y la seguridad pública en las inmediaciones del incendio de Pothole, y la carretera forestal 78 está cerrada temporalmente entre el cruce de la 78 y la 22 debido a los escombros peligrosos que ruedan hacia la calzada.

Restricciones Temporales de Vuelo: Permanece en vigor un TFR durante las horas diurnas situado al norte de la US-12 hacia el Parque Nacional del Monte Rainier. La respuesta de la aviación contra incendios se detiene o retrasa si una aeronave no autorizada entra en el TFR. Las restricciones temporales de vuelo también se aplican a los sistemas de aeronaves no tripuladas o drones.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cowlitzcomplex Twitter: https://twitter.com/GPNF
Gifford Pinchot National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/giffordpinchot

Cowlitz Complex Fire Update 
September 22, 2023

Current Situation: The Cowlitz Complex is 39 % contained with a total of 723 acres and 265 personnel.  Crews continue to work suppression repair on dozer lines, hand lines, and helispots.  Infrared detection from the air showed that there is still intense heat on the Grassy Mountain Fire on the west side and in the fire perimeter as well. The fire grew about three acres but otherwise there was not any significant growth in the complex. 

On the smaller Jackpot Fire, a hot spot was found 150 feet off the fire’s edge. Firefighters had to dig 5 feet into the duff layer to get close enough to the hotspot to put it out. It took 300 gallons of water to extinguish the hotspot. This is an example of how challenging it is for firefighters to fight these fires directly. Deep hotspots along with intense surface fire is dangerous for fire crews. Digging lines to prevent the fire from moving at the fire’s edge is challenging, if not impossible. In these types of “dirty burns” emphasis is put on creating a “containment line” a distance from the fire. This has been completed on the Grassy Mountain Fire on the west and north sides to protect the communities of Randle and Packwood, Washington in the unlikely event the fire grows. 

Weather: Temperatures will be a few degrees warmer today, with light southwest winds. Chance of showers is 60% starting Saturday afternoon. Expect ¼ to ½ inch of rainfall every 12 hours from Sunday morning through Wednesday.

Fire Restrictions: Fire Restrictions remain in effect. Campfires are prohibited across the Gifford Pinchot National Forest – only propane-fueled fire pits, stoves and lanterns are allowed. Additional information is available on the forest’s website at Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Fire Management (usda.gov). The decision to lift or maintain fire restrictions depends on factors such as current and expected weather conditions, fuel moisture, the level of fire activity, and the availability of firefighting resources to respond to additional ignitions.

Closures: With the ongoing fire activity in the vicinity of the Snagtooth Fire the following roads and trails are closed to the public to reduce exposure and help ensure public and firefighter safety: Forest Roads 9300 and 9341, Boundary Trail #1 (from Elk Pass to intersection with Summit Prairie), Summit Prairie #2, Craggy Peak #3, Snagtooth #4, Quartz #5, Stabler Camp #17, Wright Meadows #80, Basin Camp #3A, Quartz #5B, Quartz #5C (French Creek), Snyder Pasture #80A. Forest Road 8410 is closed for firefighter and public safety in the vicinity of the Pothole Fire, and Forest Road 78 is temporarily closed between the 78 and the 22 junction due to hazardous debris rolling out onto the roadway.

Temporary Flight Restrictions: One TFR remains in effect during daylight hours located north of US-12 to Mount Rainier National Park. Fire aviation response is halted or delayed if an unauthorized aircraft enters the TFR. Temporary flight restrictions also apply to unmanned aircraft systems or drones

Information: Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM               Phone: 318-239-9263                              Email: 2023.TigerIsland@firenet.gov

Louisiana Statewide Burn Ban:  The State Fire Marshal’s Office’s order prohibiting ALL private burning and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry ban on all agricultural burning, remain in effect. These are reevaluated weekly. Open burning with exposed flames is prohibited with no exceptions. The use of prescribed fires is also banned. More information is available at http://sfm.dps.louisiana.gov/doc/press/pr_2023-36.pdf

Highlights:  All four fires continue to have reburning in interior locations where needle cast continues to fall and hot spots remain due to heavier fuels. Hot spots persist in hardwood drainages and there is a potential for more active fire behavior and spread along these drainages. New hotspots are located daily as some are buried under sandy soil and infrared sensors may not detect them from one day to the next. Multiple helicopters are providing water drops to cool areas of reburn, and ground crews continue to clear needle cast from containment lines and work inward from fire area perimeters to suppress hot spots and reburn. Snag trees with weakened root systems are a major safety concern for crews as they work in the interior of the burn areas. The Southern Area Gold Team will shadow the Southern Area Blue Team today and assume command on Saturday morning.

Tiger Island Fire: 31,290 acres, no change | 84% containment| 115 personnel assigned 

              Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/lalas-tiger-island-fire

              Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TigerIslandFire

Hwy 113 Fire: 7,124 acres, no change | 95% containment | 38 personnel assigned 

              InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/lalas-hwy-113-fire

              Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TigerIslandFire

Lions Camp Road Fire: 785 acres, no change | 100% containment | 7 personnel assigned 

              InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/lalas-lions-camp-road-fire

              Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TigerIslandFire

Elizabeth Fire: 940 acres, no change | 100% containment | 5 personnel assigned 

              InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/lalas-elizabeth-fire

              Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TigerIslandFire

Equipment resources assigned to the fires include Type 6 Engines; Dozers; Tractor Plow Units; and Water Tenders. Aerial resources include helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Additional support is being provided by Parish authorities and departments; Sheriff’s Offices; and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

Weather & Fire Behavior:   High temperatures in the low to mid 90s and higher relative humidity of 40 to 45% are forecast for this afternoon. Light southeast winds of 5 to 10 mph with gusts into the teens are expected. Fuel moistures remains critically low for all fuel types with smaller fuels in the 6 to 9% range. Heavier fuels are very low with 10 to 15% fuel moisture due to the long-term EXCEPTIONAL /EXTREME drought conditions. The combination of weather and fuel moisture provides the potential for moderate to high fire behavior to continue.

Air Quality: Smoke may occur in areas of reburn. Air quality information is available at the EPA’s Fire and Smoke Map at: https://fire.airnow.gov/ .

Temporary Flight Restriction: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the Tiger Island Fire and Hwy 113 and Elizabeth Fire areas. If you fly, we can’t. Aircraft or drone intrusions into the restricted airspace endangers aircrews conducting fire operations and aerial resources are grounded for safety. This unnecessarily places aircrews and ground fire crews at risk in a dynamic and dangerous fire environment.

Information: Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM               Phone: 318-239-9263                              Email: 2023.TigerIsland@firenet.gov

Louisiana Statewide Burn Ban:  The State Fire Marshal’s Office’s order prohibiting ALL private burning and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry ban on all agricultural burning, remain in effect. These are reevaluated weekly. Open burning with exposed flames is prohibited with no exceptions. The use of prescribed fires is also banned. More information is available at http://sfm.dps.louisiana.gov/doc/press/pr_2023-36.pdf

Highlights:  All four fires continue to have reburning in interior locations where needle cast continues to fall and hot spots remain due to heavier fuels. Hot spots persist in hardwood drainages and there is a potential for more active fire behavior and spread along these drainages. New hotspots are located daily as some are buried under sandy soil and infrared sensors may not detect them from one day to the next. Multiple helicopters are providing water drops to cool areas of reburn, and ground crews continue to clear needle cast from containment lines and work inward from fire area perimeters to suppress hot spots and reburn. Snag trees with weakened root systems are a major safety concern for crews as they work in the interior of the burn areas. The Southern Area Gold Team will shadow the Southern Area Blue Team today and assume command on Saturday morning.

Tiger Island Fire: 31,290 acres, no change | 84% containment| 115 personnel assigned 

              Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/lalas-tiger-island-fire

              Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TigerIslandFire

Hwy 113 Fire: 7,124 acres, no change | 95% containment | 38 personnel assigned 

              InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/lalas-hwy-113-fire

              Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TigerIslandFire

Lions Camp Road Fire: 785 acres, no change | 100% containment | 7 personnel assigned 

              InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/lalas-lions-camp-road-fire

              Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TigerIslandFire

Elizabeth Fire: 940 acres, no change | 100% containment | 5 personnel assigned 

              InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/lalas-elizabeth-fire

              Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TigerIslandFire

Equipment resources assigned to the fires include Type 6 Engines; Dozers; Tractor Plow Units; and Water Tenders. Aerial resources include helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Additional support is being provided by Parish authorities and departments; Sheriff’s Offices; and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

Weather & Fire Behavior:   High temperatures in the low to mid 90s and higher relative humidity of 40 to 45% are forecast for this afternoon. Light southeast winds of 5 to 10 mph with gusts into the teens are expected. Fuel moistures remains critically low for all fuel types with smaller fuels in the 6 to 9% range. Heavier fuels are very low with 10 to 15% fuel moisture due to the long-term EXCEPTIONAL /EXTREME drought conditions. The combination of weather and fuel moisture provides the potential for moderate to high fire behavior to continue.

Air Quality: Smoke may occur in areas of reburn. Air quality information is available at the EPA’s Fire and Smoke Map at: https://fire.airnow.gov/ .

Temporary Flight Restriction: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the Tiger Island Fire and Hwy 113 and Elizabeth Fire areas. If you fly, we can’t. Aircraft or drone intrusions into the restricted airspace endangers aircrews conducting fire operations and aerial resources are grounded for safety. This unnecessarily places aircrews and ground fire crews at risk in a dynamic and dangerous fire environment.

Information: Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM               Phone: 318-239-9263                              Email: 2023.TigerIsland@firenet.gov

Louisiana Statewide Burn Ban:  The State Fire Marshal’s Office’s order prohibiting ALL private burning and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry ban on all agricultural burning, remain in effect. These are reevaluated weekly. Open burning with exposed flames is prohibited with no exceptions. The use of prescribed fires is also banned. More information is available at http://sfm.dps.louisiana.gov/doc/press/pr_2023-36.pdf

Highlights:  All four fires continue to have reburning in interior locations where needle cast continues to fall and hot spots remain due to heavier fuels. Hot spots persist in hardwood drainages and there is a potential for more active fire behavior and spread along these drainages. New hotspots are located daily as some are buried under sandy soil and infrared sensors may not detect them from one day to the next. Multiple helicopters are providing water drops to cool areas of reburn, and ground crews continue to clear needle cast from containment lines and work inward from fire area perimeters to suppress hot spots and reburn. Snag trees with weakened root systems are a major safety concern for crews as they work in the interior of the burn areas. The Southern Area Gold Team will shadow the Southern Area Blue Team today and assume command on Saturday morning.

Tiger Island Fire: 31,290 acres, no change | 84% containment| 115 personnel assigned 

              Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/lalas-tiger-island-fire

              Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TigerIslandFire

Hwy 113 Fire: 7,124 acres, no change | 95% containment | 38 personnel assigned 

              InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/lalas-hwy-113-fire

              Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TigerIslandFire

Lions Camp Road Fire: 785 acres, no change | 100% containment | 7 personnel assigned 

              InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/lalas-lions-camp-road-fire

              Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TigerIslandFire

Elizabeth Fire: 940 acres, no change | 100% containment | 5 personnel assigned 

              InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/lalas-elizabeth-fire

              Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TigerIslandFire

Equipment resources assigned to the fires include Type 6 Engines; Dozers; Tractor Plow Units; and Water Tenders. Aerial resources include helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Additional support is being provided by Parish authorities and departments; Sheriff’s Offices; and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

Weather & Fire Behavior:   High temperatures in the low to mid 90s and higher relative humidity of 40 to 45% are forecast for this afternoon. Light southeast winds of 5 to 10 mph with gusts into the teens are expected. Fuel moistures remains critically low for all fuel types with smaller fuels in the 6 to 9% range. Heavier fuels are very low with 10 to 15% fuel moisture due to the long-term EXCEPTIONAL /EXTREME drought conditions. The combination of weather and fuel moisture provides the potential for moderate to high fire behavior to continue.

Air Quality: Smoke may occur in areas of reburn. Air quality information is available at the EPA’s Fire and Smoke Map at: https://fire.airnow.gov/ .

Temporary Flight Restriction: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the Tiger Island Fire and Hwy 113 and Elizabeth Fire areas. If you fly, we can’t. Aircraft or drone intrusions into the restricted airspace endangers aircrews conducting fire operations and aerial resources are grounded for safety. This unnecessarily places aircrews and ground fire crews at risk in a dynamic and dangerous fire environment.