Acreage: 7,445

Containment: 38%

Drone Technology Identifies Hotspots on the Fire Line

UMPQUA, Ore. –Drone flights on the Cougar Creek Fire captured infrared footage on the western perimeters, identifying targets for firefighters to mop up. Crews near Grier Reservoir secured and held the lines where firing operations also took place from the previous shift. Firefighters patrolled ridge lines and roads on the eastern portion of the Cougar Creek Fire. Night crews on the Lighthouse Fire secured and tightened lines on the western corner where firing operations took place yesterday. Tactical firing creates a control barrier and limits fire spread. Rocks and wood debris loosened by the fire are starting to move downhill from steeper terrains causing additional hazards for firefighters.

Today, slightly cooler temperatures and higher humidity will minimize the window for tactical firing operations. On the Cougar Creek Fire, crews will be mitigating snag hazards near Cougar Creek to ensure safety during mop up operations. On the southern portion and along Hubbard Creek Road crews are ensuring integrity of control lines around structures, securing areas of previous firing operations, and mopping up further into the fire’s interior. On the southeast perimeter of the Lighthouse Fire, sprinkler systems will be installed to enhance mop up operations in steep terrain.

Level 2 (Be Set) and Level 1 (Be Prepared) evacuation notices are still in effect. To view the current evacuation information map, go to www.dcso.com/evacuations. To shelter livestock, contact Douglas County Animal Control at 541-440-4471. Companion pets can be sheltered at Saving Grace Pet Adoption Center in Roseburg.

Oregon Department of Forestry Team 1

Joe Hessel, Incident Commander

Fire Size: 1,940 acres
Containment: 16%
Total Personnel: 591

Weather and Fire Behavior:

The forest floor in the Bull Run Watershed is covered in a thick layer of duff. Duff is an organic material made up of decaying wood, leaves, and other plant materials that have accumulated over the years to form a mass several feet in depth. Recent rains moistened the surface of the duff and moderated fire behavior. As the warm and sunny weather pattern continues, this material will become more receptive to fire and the amount of smoke rising from the area will increase. Westerly winds will push this smoke from the fire area toward the east.

Operations:

As drying occurs, tactical firing operations will be implemented to secure fire edges. This is a process where highly trained firefighters use fire to remove fuels along the fire's edge. These controlled, low-intensity fires consume ground fuels, creating a buffer to contain the fire within the control line. This adds to containment on that portion of the fire's perimeter.

Crews successfully constructed a handline north of Forest Road 14, allowing firefighters to directly engage the fire. The next planned action in this area is mop up, which refers to a stage of firefighting to extinguish any remaining heat sources along a containment line.

The fire's southeastern edge – with steep terrain and hazard trees – continues to challenge firefighters. Since there are no well-defined edges from which to build a control line, crews are working along old logging roads as a safe and effective measure.

Firefighters continue to strengthen and improve containment lines along existing roads by removing brush and smaller trees that act as ladder fuels and provide a means for fire to reach the forest canopy. Trees that are felled are being collected and will be stored in log decks outside of the fire area. Commercial logging in the watershed is prohibited by law. The Forest Service is working with Portland Water Bureau to find ways to use these materials that benefit the community, tribal partners, fish and wildlife, and increase access to the Forest.

Fire information officers will be stationed at the Hoodland Thriftway in Welches, OR, from 1 – 7 p.m. today to provide updates and answer questions, followed by the Safeway in Sandy, OR, from 1 – 7 p.m. tomorrow.

Additional Information:

Current smoke outlook: https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook/2c7a8f9b.

Closures and Evacuations:

Barlow Wayside Park and the Sandy Ridge Recreation Site are temporarily closed due to fire activity. Clackamas County residents can sign up at https://www.clackamas.us/dm/publicalerts to receive emergency alerts via email, phone, or text.

Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR):

A TFR is issued over the fire area. It is illegal for members of the public to fly drones over or near wildfires because of the potential for accidents and disruption of suppression operations. Regardless of the fire, aircraft is not permitted to fly over the Bull Run Watershed Management Unit.

Video:
Click the link below to view today's morning video update by Operations Section Chief Matt Call.
You Tube Video: Morning Video Update for Thursday, September 7 (8:37)

Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team Two
Jared Hohn, Incident Commander

Current Situation: Containment on the Cowlitz Complex has increased to 12%, with the size of the complex holding at 697 acres. A total of 412 personnel are currently assigned. Campfires are still banned at all locations on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Lewis County, Washington is in severe drought conditions, which recent moisture has done little to abate, and fuels remain dry. 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.

A warming weather pattern is expected to aid firefighters in locating heat that has been inhibited by recent wet conditions. The Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT) will continue to check for residual heat on each fire, using a variety of heat detection resources, including thermal and other imaging by manned and unmanned aircraft, as well as by ground resources. We are applying the right tool for the job depending on access, slope, and other considerations. Twenty of the 30 fires that are being managed by the CIMT are considered out or in patrol status, and their regular inspection remains a large task.

In Branch I/Division C/F, helicopters were used to deliver water over areas of heat along the edges of Grassy Mountain Fire again yesterday. The rappeler crew dropped in Tuesday continued to prepare a helispot that will allow a hotshot crew to be inserted begin to create a holding feature along the ridgetop. Crews continue working the Pothole, Willame, and Yew fires. An engine is assigned to keep close watch on the Carlton Ridge Fire, ensuring fire does not escape control lines.

In Branch II/Division L, crews are identifying and extinguishing hot spots on the Adams Fork, Jackpot, and Mission fires. The Jackpot Creek and Adams Fork fires have a heavy layer of decomposed, unburned fuel that has masked areas of heat under recent wet conditions. With drier weather yesterday and today, areas of residual heat are expected to become more visible.

In Branch II/Division W, crews are working in the vicinity of Spencer Quartz Fire, cutting back and masticating brush along closed roads. Moving forward, the Snagtooth and Spencer Quartz fires will be managed as one fire, due to their proximity and the similarity of available protective actions for limiting spread.

Fire Restrictions: Fire Restrictions are 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).

Weather & Smoke Information: A passing frontal system brought increased cloud cover last night, which is expected to break up, bringing some sun in the mid-day today before another weak frontal system moves through late this afternoon or evening. Very little smoke has been visible from these fires over the past week; however, warming and drying trend, increased fire behavior and increased smoke production can be expected over the coming days or weeks.

Closures: In anticipation of 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 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 7802 junction and the 2278 junction due to hazardous debris rolling out onto the roadway.

Temporary Flight Restrictions: A temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in effect between Highway 12 and 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. If you fly, we can’t! Learn more about how to use drones safely and responsibly at Home - Know Before You Fly.

South Fork Complex Update
Thursday, September 7, 2023

Fire Information: 530-638-2830, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 
Email: 2023.southforkcomplex@firenet.gov  
Linktree: linktr.ee/southforkcomplex2023 

3-9 Fire: 2,836 acres with 65% containment
Pellitreau Fire: 3 acres with 100% containment
Pilot Fire: 1,055 acres with 100% containment
Sulphur Fire: 31 acres with 100% containment
3,929 acres and 75% overall containment for the South Fork Complex
A total of 687 personnel, crews, air support, engines, dozers, and water tenders support the incident. 

3-9 Fire - Fire behavior and spread potential will continue to be mostly low today and fuels are moderately dry. Scattered hot spots continue throughout the fire area with more intense heat sources well interior of the fire perimeter. Weather was favorable yesterday allowing crews to make significant progress. Aircraft will continue to support fire suppression efforts today with water dropping missions. Crews will continue to improve the control lines, mopping up any hot spots with tools and water from hose lays along the lines. Yesterday, firefighters completed control line along the southern perimeter and started mopping up any hot spots along the fires edge. Along the eastern flank of the fire, crews continued to make good progress west of the Berry-Summit-Mad River Road and dozers were able to increase the amount of direct line along the fire’s perimeter. Firefighters increased the amount of containment line along the northern portion of the fire yesterday. As most of the 3-9 Fire now has either dozer or hand line surrounding it, crews will work diligently to complete the remaining portions of open line and focus on strengthening these lines by mopping up well into the burn area to ensure there is no threat of roll out or escape. 

The Pilot Fire is 100% contained. Crews will continue to patrol the fire perimeter to ensure that the fire remains within the containment lines. Suppression repair will begin along the perimeter of the fire. 

The Pellitreau Fire and the Sulfur Fire are 100% contained. Firefighters continue to patrol the fires periodically to ensure fire remains within containment lines.  

Weather: Clear skies, and drier temperatures will continue through the week. Maximum temperatures are expected to be 75-78 ºF and minimum relative humidities are expected to be 38-43%. Winds are predicted to be northwest at 6-10 mph with gusts up to 15 mph on ridgetops.  

Forest Closure: Forest Closure orders for the South Fork Complex Fire continue to be in effect and are posted on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and the Six Rivers National Forest websites. Please avoid closed areas. 

Acres: 85,543

Containment: 19 percent

Cause: lightning

Start Date: Aug 15, 2023

Resources: 60 crews, 142 engines, 10 helicopters, 4 drones, 18 dozers, 22 masticators,

2 skid steer, 36 water tenders

Total Personnel: 2,577

CURRENT SITUATION

Progress continues on the Smith River Complex, with crews and heavy equipment such as bulldozers working on containment line around a significant portion of the fire perimeter; completing fire control line on the fires edge, when safe to do so, and taking advantage of roads and natural features where the terrain is too steep and dangerous to insert firefighters otherwise. In several areas, crews are working on removing hazard trees, chipping undergrowth, and widening protection breaks along the perimeter of the fire. Helicopters assisted crews yesterday by completing water drops on various areas of heat on the interior, some of which are showing more intensity with our current weather. With this drying trend, several pockets of unburned areas within the of the fire’s circumference are causing a slight increase in acreage numbers. Overall fire expansion continues to be minimal.

FIRE BEHAVIOR AND WEATHER

In support of strategic planned firing operations to remove fuels between the fire edge and fire lines, our Fire Behavior Analysts’ and Incident Meteorologists’ attention has been directed to observing fire behavior changes as fuels continue to dry. Burn areas in higher elevations with southern and western exposure will be in full sun and have the potential for increased fire activity today.

CLOSURES

While Highway 199   is open to all traffic, expect travel delays of varying lengths. A one-way, piloted traffic control exists between Sandy Beach (near milepost 21) and Oregon Mountain Road (near milepost 31). The piloted segment will change as crews repair burned guardrails, clear rocks off the roadway, and remove hazard trees.

Six Rivers National Forest lands, roads, trails, and recreation sites in the vicinity of the complex are closed (Forest Order No. 10-23-06). The Order and map can be viewed on this Six River National Forest web page: tinyurl.com/4atens8c.

EVACUATIONS

Del Norte County Level 2 and Level 3 evacuation orders remain in effect for some areas. View the interactive evacuation map online for the most current information on evacuations: tinyurl.com/yp3d99sr.

AIR QUALITY

A daily Smoke Outlook with current and expected air-quality information is available here: tinyurl.com/yb29zy6f.

FIRE INFORMATION:    

Email: 2023.SmithRiverComplex@firenet.gov (South and North)

Phones: 707-383-9727 (South), 541-801-3495 (North)

Facebook: facebook.com/SixRiversNF. 

Smoke Report for September 7, 2023

Special Statement

Learn the air quality index numbers and colors: During periods of poor air quality, watch for air quality alerts, pay attention to numbers and colors of air quality monitors, and know when to limit your time outdoors. EPA Smoke Sense is an app that allows you to check current conditions on iPhone and Android. • fire.airnow.gov is a great website that provides even more local information.

Fire

The four fires in the area are Tiger Island (31,882 ac); Elizabeth (940 ac); Hwy. 113 (7,709 ac) and Lions Camp Rd. (785 ac). Moderate potential for fire activity today as fuels continue to dry after recent rains. (visit Inciweb Tiger Island Fire for more details) (visit Inciweb Hwy 113 Fire for more details) (visit Inciweb Elizabeth Fire for more details) (visit Inciweb Lions Camp Road Fire for more details)

Smoke

Light smoke in the vicinity of large fuels that continue to smolder. Heat scorched leaves and pine needles have fallen and covered some of the burned areas. Those areas have an increased potential for reburn as fuels dry. Reburn would cause higher levels of smoke in localized areas. Expect to see only light smoke in the immediate vicinity of a fire or on interior roads. None of the communities in the area should be impacted by smoke from the fires. Monitor locations may have more smoke today due to drying fuels and increased smoldering of large fuels. Even with the increased smoldering, communities should experience GOOD air quality. DeRidder, Lake Charles and Lafayette may have brief periods of MODERATE air quality with smoke from other sources.

Lookout/Horse Creek/Pothole Fires/Bedrock

September 7, 2023

Morning Update

Lookout: Total Personnel: 721

Size: 24,417 acres l Start Date: August 5, 2023 l Cause: Lightning l Containment: 25%

Resources: 28 engines l 13 crews l 5 bulldozers l 29 water tenders l 4 masticators l 5 helicopters l 3 Skidder

Firefighters continue to make good progress throughout the fire area. As a result of these actions, containment increased on the eastern flank and the Highway 126 corridor is now in patrol status. Additional direct line will continue to be constructed utilizing hand crews and bulldozers on the northeast side of the fire. The mastication operation is winding down, log hauling will continue. Firefighters are strengthening lines and addressing hot pockets of activity on the western flank. As conditions allow, aviation resources will continue to support suppression efforts.

Horse Creek: Total Personnel: 175

Size: 765 acres l Start Date: August 24, 2023 l Cause: Lightning l Containment: 30%

Resources: 12 engines l 4 crews l 4 bulldozers l 9 water tenders l 3 masticators l 2 Excavators

Additional crews have been added to the fire to assist with rehabilitation and suppression. Crews will monitor and hold the eastern side of the fire where significant heat continues to hold in steep rugged terrain. Engines will carry on extinguishing, patrolling roads and removing burning material along completed fire lines.

Pothole: Total Personnel: 55    

Size: 109 acres l Start Date: August 25, 2023 l Cause: Lightning l Containment: 35%

Resources: 3 engines l 1 crews l 3 water tenders

Fire activity remained minimal yesterday. The focus today will be to further secure the perimeter and address the many snags in the area. Patrolling and mop up operations on Forest Road 356 will continue throughout the day.  

Bedrock: Total Personnel: 395

Size: 31,590 acres l Start Date: July 22, 2023 l Cause: under investigation l Containment: 90%

Resources: 16 engines l 11 crews l 2 bulldozers l 18 water tenders l 7 masticators l 5 helicopters l 3 Skidder

Yesterday a UAS, unmanned aerial system, was used to fly the fire area using infrared technology to help identify areas holding heat. Clearing and chipping operations continue, primarily on the north and south sides. Excess fire equipment; pumps, hose, and portable water tanks continue to be removed and returned to base camp for servicing and cleaning as the fire moves towards patrol status.

Weather

Relative humidity will hover around 30% in the morning and will slowly increase throughout the day with the passage of a high level marine layer. Winds will increase with the passage of the front.

Evacuation Update

Lane County Sheriff has been consistently assessing the Evacuation levels as firefighters increase containment. Additional information and potential revisions can be found at the following websites.

Lane County Evacuations: https://www.lanecountyor.gov/cms/one.aspx?pageId=19729054   

Linn County Evacuations:  https://www.linnsheriff.org/ 

Evacuation Centers: An evacuation center is in place at Westridge Middle School in Oakridge for evacuees and small pets from the Horse Creek and Lookout Fires. For assistance with large animal evacuations, please call 541-285-8227. 

Road Closures:

Highway 242, McKenzie Highway, is closed between milepost 61-76, 14 miles west of Sisters, Oregon to just east of the junction with Highway 126. Highway 126 is currently open. Please monitor Trip Check for any updates at: https://tripcheck.com/   

Forest Closures: Many popular sites and trails have re-opened including the Alpine Trail. There are no changes to closure areas for the Lookout, Horse Creek, and Pothole, and Bedrock fire areas at this time. These closures help provide firefighters with safer driving conditions and decrease the potential for search and rescue operations that could interrupt firefighting activities. Closures can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/willamette/alerts-notices/?cid=fseprd552029

Restrictions: Fire Restrictions are in place on the Willamette National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/willamette. Temporary Flight Restrictions remain in place over the Bedrock and Lookout fire areas.  

Smoke Outlook: https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook/4c92bc1a The Fire and Smoke Map (fire.airnow.gov) is another source for air quality information.   

Lookout Information Line: 541-215-6735 (8 a.m. - 8 p.m.)

Email: 2023.lookout@firenet.gov                                              

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LookoutFire2023 

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/orwif-lookout-fire  

Bedrock Fire Information: 541-414-6272 (8 a.m. - 8 p.m.)

Email: 2023.bedrock@firenet.gov

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BedrockFire2023/

Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orwif-bedrock-fire

Fire information officers will be stationed at designated locations throughout the community to answer questions and share updates on Thursday-Saturday, September 7-9.

The schedule includes:

Thursday, September 7th: Hoodland Thriftway, 68280 E. Highway 26, Welches from 1:00-7:00 pm

Friday, September 8th: Sandy Safeway, 37601 Highway 26, Sandy from 1:00-7:00 pm

Saturday, September 9th: Hoodland Thriftway, 68280 E. Highway 26, Welches from 1:00-7:00 pm

Louisiana Statewide Burn Ban: The state of Louisiana has declared a statewide burn ban to include any open flame outdoors. The message from the State Fire Marshal’s Office is “don’t burn anything” until further notice. Citations and arrests ARE happening across this state in partnership with local and state law enforcement agencies.

Personnel and Equipment:   

Tiger Island: 1 Type-2 Crew; 21 Type-6 Engines; 1 Dozer; 1 Type-2 Tractor Plow Unit; 7 Type-3 Tractor Plow Units; 4 Water Tenders; 3 Ambulances.  

Hwy 113: 1 Type-1 Crew; 16 Type-6 Engines; 5 Type-2 Tractor Plow Units; 6 Type-3 Tractor Plow Units; 1 Water Tenders. 

Lions Camp Road: 2 Type-6 Engines; 3 Type-3 Tractor Plow Units and 1 Ambulance. 

Elizabeth: 6 Type-6 Engines; 6 Type-3 Tractor Plow Units and 1 Ambulance. 

Air Resources Assigned to all Fires: 8 Helicopters and 2 Air Attacks. 

Additional support is being provided to all fires by Parish authorities and departments, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, Sheriff’s offices, and the Offices of Emergency Preparedness.  

Tiger Island Fire: The Tiger Island Fire was first reported on Tuesday, August 22nd. The fire is located East of Merryville, south of Hwy 190, SW of DeRidder and North of Singer. The fire is burning in pine plantations of multiple ages. Heavy residual fuels because of Hurricane Laura in 2020 exist and contribute to extreme fire behavior.  

Operations: The Tiger Island Fire is currently 71% contained. Crews continued to patrol the fireline. Crews in the northeast side of the fire were able to insert a hoselay utilizing engines into a creek drainage and continue mop up in that area. There was less than a tenth of an inch of rain along the northern edge of the fire with lighting strikes along the eastern edge. Today, the crews will continue to mitigate needlecast, keeping the containment lines clear to lessen the potential for reburn along the fire perimeter. They will continue to target hotspots using the infrared (IR) imagery to focus mop up efforts and will monitor the east side of the fire area for new fire starts from yesterday’s lightning.  

Hwy 113 Fire: Located 14 miles northwest of Oakdale. This fire is burning in loblolly pines and hardwoods. 

Operations:  The Hwy 113 fire is currently 63% contained. The fire received up to two inches of rain on Monday, and access is improving as roads and dozer lines dry out. Yesterday, a hand crew was able to utilize small pumps and hose to mop up within the Tenmile Creek area. Today, crews will continue to assess road conditions and create additional dozer line in the southeast section of the fire. Crews will break up dozer berms that are holding smoldering vegetation and work to improve access through creek drainages to allow access for mop up.  

Lions Camp Road: Five miles northwest of Leesville. This fire is burning in southern rough, timber and brush. 

Operations: The Lions Camp Road Fire is 83% contained. Yesterday, fire crews continued mop up and patrol. Most of the heat sources discovered have been inside dozer berms, so crews will continue breaking down berms and exposing any heat sources. Additionally, they will work to strengthen firelines and continue mop up to reach 20 foot interior of established containment lines by the end of shift today. 

Elizabeth: Located in southwest Rapides Parish. The fire is south of Ten Mile Road and northeast of state Louisiana Hwy 462. 

Operations:  The Elizabeth Fire is 72% contained. Yesterday, crews broke up berms with dozers and mopped up with engines, as well as improved dozer lines within the Tenmile Creek area, focusing on completing mop up in the northwest corner. Today, crews will work to take down hazardous trees around the fire perimeter to increase safety. As dozer lines and roads dry out, they will work to mop up dozer berms that are retaining heat. A utility terrain vehicle (UTV) with water will be utilized to allow for increased access and more efficient mop up within the Tenmile Creek area.  

Weather and Fire Behavior: The Tiger Island Fire received a small amount of rain yesterday. A heat advisory is in place over the fire area, with heat indices up to 112 degrees. There will be a 20% chance of isolated thunderstorms today. There may be severe weather, with gusty outflow winds leading to the chance of dead or damaged trees falling. Lightning from earlier in the week is a concern for possible new fire starts. The overall trend is a drying pattern into the weekend, causing fine vegetation to continue to dry out and return to previous critically dry levels. Continued needlecast is adding to the amount of dry fine fuels, and active fire behavior is possible as relative humidity drops into the mid-20’s. 

Air Quality: Very little smoke is present in communities; light smoke may be present in interior roads or near smoldering large fuels. A possible concern is new ignitions or reburn in areas where heavy needlecast is present. All communities should experience good air quality. For near time air quality information see EPA's Fire and Smoke Map: 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. This is necessary to protect aerial operations. If you fly, we can’t. If there are drone intrusions into the Temporary Flight Restrictions, we must ground all aircraft.  

Evacuations: Updates on evacuations and shelters for the Tiger Island Fire can be found on the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/beauregardsheriff.