Size: 34,242 acres

Start Date:  July 15, 2023

Point of origin: 2 miles southeast of Agness, OR

Containment: 58%

Total personnel: 434 

Resources: 11 crews l 3 helicopters l 17 engines l 3 bulldozers l 16 water tenders l 4 masticators 

Highlights: The Initial Attack (IA) group staged at the Old Mill Camp responded to two new starts due to Thursday’s thunderstorm activity. The Barklow Fire is estimated at 5-10 acres and is located within the Copper Salmon Wilderness. Additionally, IA crews responded to the Cedar Fire, near the south end of the Grassy Knob Wilderness. That fire is reportedly 1.5 acres. Firefighters started working their way in to both fires on Friday and continue to support the local forest with suppression activities in the area. The IA group consists of several engines, hand crews, and overhead. 

Today’s Activities: The north and northeast sides of the fire remain a priority as work continues along the Illinois Trail to clear up any hazard trees which pose a threat to the trail. Crews continue to rehab dozer and hand line near Oak Creek Camp to help stabilize the area and make it safer in advance of any potential precipitation. Resources remain engaged with suppression repair within the Raspberry Mountain area working on repairing and stabilizing dozer line used as part of suppression efforts. Also, along the northeast side, crews resumed working to clear culverts debris from mastication work. This repair work is an important piece of suppression efforts to help minimize and restore fire impacts to natural resources and lands after fire suppression activities. In Agness, engines are patrolling within the area to maintain a presence and address any questions from the community. Additionally, around the perimeter of the fire, air and ground resources are monitoring containment lines along with the open section of line along the eastern flank for any remaining heat. They continue to work hotspots as necessary.

Weather:  Temperatures will be cooler with higher humidity today. This is the start of a cooling trend and higher relative humidity that will continue through the weekend and is expected to assist firefighting efforts.

Smoke:  Smoke from the surrounding areas/fires may be visible and impact local communities as winds dictate. The Smoke Outlook is available at:  Current Smoke Outlook for SW Oregon/NW California (wildlandfiresmoke.net)

Closures:  U.S. Highway 199 has been closed north of Gasquet due to fires on the Six River National Forest, please use U.S. Route 101 to SR 42s for all travel to and from the Rogue Valley. Forest Service and BLM roads, including Bear Camp Road, should not be used as alternate routes due to emerging fire activity. The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest (RRSNF) has issued a closure order for the fire area including trails, roads, and a portion of the Illinois River. Visit Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest - Alerts & Notices (usda.gov) for more information.

Evacuations:  Level 1 “Get Ready” evacuation status in place for areas in the vicinity of the Flat Fire. Link to more information:  Welcome to Curry County, OR

Restrictions: Fire danger is currently extreme; the RRSNF is implementing Level 3 Public Use Restrictions (PUR). Level 3 PURs on the Wild Section of the Rogue River have been implemented by the RRSF, Medford BLM and ODF.  More information: Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest - News & Events (usda.gov)
https://www.co.curry.or.us/departments/emergency_management/index.php

August 26, 2023 

Morning Update  

Size: 18,888 acres                             

Start Date: August 5, 2023  

Cause: Lightning  

Containment: 16% 

Point of origin: 3 miles North of McKenzie Bridge, OR 

Total personnel: 992 

Resources: 53 engines l 19 crews l 18 bulldozers l 28 water tenders l 11 masticators l 7 helicopters  
 

Current Situation: Crews responded to a lightning started fire in the Horse Creek drainage south of the Lookout Fire early Friday morning. Oregon Department of Forestry resources and firefighters from the Lookout Fire responded, including two engine crews, two 20-person hand crews, two bulldozers, and heavy helicopters dropping water and retardant. The fire is estimated to be 25 acres in size and crews have been able to complete control lines around the north, south, and west sides of the fire.  Retardant has been deployed around the entire perimeter and firefighters will continue suppression operations today.  

The weather forecast for today is similar to yesterday, with hot, dry conditions and light east and northwest winds battling over the fire area, which will increase fire activity most notably on the northeastern flank. A chance of thunderstorms is also predicted.  

On the east flank, crews are prepared to respond to potential spot fires over control lines as the main fire backs down toward Highway 126. On the southern flank above North Bank Road, burning operations have produced desirable effects as ground fuels are consuming with little torching or crowning being observed. Firefighters contained three spot fires over the powerline road yesterday, and mop-up is underway. 

On the southwestern flank moving north up Mill Creek Road, firefighters are steadily increasing containment as mop-up and strategic firing operations progress. Ahead of the northern flank, hand crews and engine crews, tree-fallers and heavy equipment are preparing roads to be used as control lines. Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) or drones are flying through the smoke to provide infrared heat imaging to locate additional threats to control lines. Drones are also supporting firing operations in areas that are hard to access, which reduces risk to firefighters. 

Two structural protection groups of firefighters are in place to protect homes affected by the fire. Local agency firefighters and law enforcement officers will maintain a presence in evacuated areas. OSFM resources remain available to return to the incident should the need arise.  

Pacific Northwest Incident Management Team (IMT) 6 is transitioning today with Pacific Northwest (PNW) Team 2. PNW Team 2 is also managing the Bedrock Fire, estimated at 31,568 acres with 50% containment.  

Evacuation Centers: An evacuation center is in place at Westridge Middle School in Oakridge for evacuees and small pets from the Bedrock and Lookout Fires. A large animal shelter is established at the Lane County Fairgrounds in Eugene.  

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

Level 3 (Go Now) evacuation notice for Mona Campground, Lookout Campground, H.J. Andrews Headquarters, the area west of Hwy. 126 from Scott Rd. north into Linn County. 

There is a Level 2 (Be Set) for Horse Creek Road, Hall Rd, Sullivan Ln., Alma Dr., Old Foley Ridge Rd., 5600blk of Delta Dr. Areas south of McKenzie Hwy. from milepost 50.5 to milepost 54, Horse Creek Lodge, Foley Hot Springs, North Bank Rd. Areas east of the McKenzie Bridge to, and including Drury Ln. north of Hwy. 126, but south of the McKenzie River. Areas north of Hwy. 126 east of the .5 mile mark on Mill Creek Rd. to the east end of Taylor Rd. Hwy 126 from the Hwy 242 junction to Scott Rd. Belknap Hot Springs Rd. The area east of Hwy. 126 from Scott Rd. north into Linn County. Areas north of Hwy. 126 west of the .5 mile mark on Mill Creek Rd. to Blue River, Reservoir Rd. at the 1501 junction, the area south of Hwy 126 to the McKenzie River from the east end of McKenzie River Dr. to the McKenzie River Bridge just east of Taylor Rd. 

 There is a Level 1 (Be Ready) evacuation notice for areas south of Hwy. 126 from Blue River Reservoir Rd. east to the east end of McKenzie River Dr, The area south of Hwy 126 from the McKenzie River Bridge just east of Taylor Rd. to Scott Creek Rd., McKenzie River Dr. and areas directly to the south and east, Belknap Springs Rd. South. 

For Linn County evacuation updates visit:  https://www.linnsheriff.org/  

In Linn County, there is a Level 3 (Go Now) from Olallie Campground and the Linn County line, north and west of Highway 126, extending north to Ice Cap Campground and Trailhead at Carmen Reservoir, then west to encompass Lakes End Campground and trail system at Smith Reservoir. Tamolitch Falls/Blue Pool is also within this LEVEL 3 (GO NOW) Evacuation Zone 

A Level 2 (Be Ready) for the areas of Ice Cap Campground and Trailhead at Carmen Reservoir, north to where Ikenick Creek and Highway 126 intersect, and extending to the east in line with other evacuation boundaries enacted, and west along Highway 126.   

Level 1 (Be Ready) evacuation zone for the areas north of where Ikenick Creek and Highway 126 intersect, extending east to the Willamette National Forest boundary, and north in line with Highway 20.  This includes all areas around Clear Lake, and Clear Lake Campground, as well as Fish Lake and Campground.  

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/    

Willamette National Forest closures can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/willamette/alerts-notices/?cid=fseprd552029Restrictions: Fire Restrictions are in place on the Willamette National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/willamette  

Smoke Outlook: Available at:  https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook/4c92bc1a?  

Information Line: 541-215-6735 8am-8pm |  Email: 2023.lookout@firenet.gov                                               

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

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

Gasquet, Calif., August 26, 2023. In the wake of the thunderstorms over the area two evenings ago, a deep marine layer was pushed over the fire generating excellent overnight humidity recovery. The marine layer combined with persistent onshore wind created generated cooler and moister conditions. These conditions moderated fire behavior significantly for most of the day yesterday.

Given the location of the fire’s perimeter, mostly on the steep rugged terrain, it is impossible to complete a direct attack on most of the fires within the complex. Therefore, an indirect suppression strategy is being implemented to construct control lines that have the highest probability of successfully containing the fire. Many of these lines are along roads and ridgelines and often have been used on previous fires. Fire managers coordinate their burning operations closely with a National Weather Service Incident Meteorologist who provides both short and long-term weather forecasts to inform the best times to complete burnout operations.

Yesterday, crews utilized an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) equipped with a firing device to slowly bring fire down from the Elk Camp Ridge towards the Pacific Power corridor, northeast of the community of Gasquet. The plan is to take advantage of the current weather pattern to contain as much of the western portion of the complex as possible, before potentially adverse weather impacts the fire area later next week.

The fire currently has over 2,354 personnel, including 9 Type-1 handcrews. These hand crews completed construction of a fire line from French Hill Road north to Highway 199. This new line will help keep the main fire from impacting the residences on the south side of Highway 199, including those along French Hill Road.

Evacuations

All evacuation orders are issued by the Del Norte County Sheriff's Office. If you are in the Del Norte County, area please sign up for their Community Alert System to receive emergency notifications. Evacuation levels as of August 21, 8:00 a.m., as follows:

Level 3 “Go Now”: Low Divide at Highway 197 from mile marker 1 to mile marker 13.  Patrick Creek, Little Jones Creek, Copper Creek Drainage, Coon Creek/ 16n19 17n07, Washington Flat, Pioneer Road, Panther Flat Campground Area, all communities between Slant Bridge Road north to the Oregon Border along Highway 199, French Hill Road.

Level 2 “Be Set”: High Divide, Rowdy Creek, Big Flat/Rock Creek

Level 1 “Be Ready”: Hiouchi from Slant Bridge to the east end of North Bank Road

Closures

Low Divide Road is closed from mile marker 1 to mile marker 13.

South Fork Road is open to residents only. Resident must provide proof of residency.

Howland Hill Road (Residents Only)

County road 316, Shelly Creek,

County Road 315 Holiday Mine

County Road 311 Old Gasquet Toll Road

County Road 305 Weimer Road

Forest Service Roads 16N19 and 17N07

U.S. Highway 199 is closed in Del Norte County from Slant Bridge Road to Oregon Mountain Road (PM 16 to 31) due to the fire activity. A hard closure is in place on U.S. 199 at the Agriculture Station near the Oregon border. For the latest road conditions please visit quickmap.dot.ca.gov

Effective Sunday, August 20, 2023, the Six Rivers National Forest has issued a forest-wide closure order. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/srnf/notices/?cid=FSEPRD1096395

The American Red Cross has a shelter at the Del Norte County Fairgrounds (421 US-101 N, Crescent City, CA 95531) for those displaced by evacuations. Red Cross disaster workers are partnering with local officials to help ensure evacuees receive necessities, including food, water, and shelter.

More Information

Smith River Complex Inciweb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/casrf-smith-river-complex

Facebook

Six River National Forest: https://www.facebook.com/SixRiversNF

Del Norte Office of Emergency Services: https://www.facebook.com/DelNorteOfficeOfEmergencyServices     

Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office: https://www.facebook.com/DelNorteCountySheriffDepartment

Smith River Complex North: https://www.facebook.com/smithrivercomplexnorth

Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest: https://www.facebook.com/R6RRSNF/

Josephine County Emergency Management: https://www.facebook.com/josephinecountyEM

For an interactive evacuation map please visit: https://rvem.org/.

Size: 18,888 acres                           

Start Date: August 5, 2023

Cause: Lightning

Containment: 16%

Point of origin: 3 miles North of McKenzie Bridge, OR

Total personnel: 992

Resources: 53 engines l 19 crews l 18 bulldozers l 28 water tenders l 11 masticators l 7 helicopters
 

Current Situation: Crews responded to a lightning started fire in the Horse Creek drainage south of the Lookout Fire early Friday morning. Oregon Department of Forestry resources and firefighters from the Lookout Fire responded, including two engine crews, two 20-person hand crews, two bulldozers, and heavy helicopters dropping water and retardant. The fire is estimated to be 25 acres in size and crews have been able to complete control lines around the north, south, and west sides of the fire.  Retardant has been deployed around the entire perimeter and firefighters will continue suppression operations today.

The weather forecast for today is similar to yesterday, with hot, dry conditions and light east and northwest winds battling over the fire area, which will increase fire activity most notably on the northeastern flank. A chance of thunderstorms is also predicted.

On the east flank, crews are prepared to respond to potential spot fires over control lines as the main fire backs down toward Highway 126. On the southern flank above North Bank Road, burning operations have produced desirable effects as ground fuels are consuming with little torching or crowning being observed. Firefighters contained three spot fires over the powerline road yesterday, and mop-up is underway.

On the southwestern flank moving north up Mill Creek Road, firefighters are steadily increasing containment as mop-up and strategic firing operations progress. Ahead of the northern flank, hand crews and engine crews, tree-fallers and heavy equipment are preparing roads to be used as control lines. Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) or drones are flying through the smoke to provide infrared heat imaging to locate additional threats to control lines. Drones are also supporting firing operations in areas that are hard to access, which reduces risk to firefighters.

Two structural protection groups of firefighters are in place to protect homes affected by the fire. Local agency firefighters and law enforcement officers will maintain a presence in evacuated areas. OSFM resources remain available to return to the incident should the need arise. 

Pacific Northwest Incident Management Team (IMT) 6 is transitioning today with Pacific Northwest (PNW) Team 2. PNW Team 2 is also managing the Bedrock Fire, estimated at 31,568 acres with 50% containment.

Evacuation Centers: An evacuation center is in place at Westridge Middle School in Oakridge for evacuees and small pets from the Bedrock and Lookout Fires. A large animal shelter is established at the Lane County Fairgrounds in Eugene. 

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

Level 3 (Go Now) evacuation notice for Mona Campground, Lookout Campground, H.J. Andrews Headquarters, the area west of Hwy. 126 from Scott Rd. north into Linn County.

There is a Level 2 (Be Set) for Horse Creek Road, Hall Rd, Sullivan Ln., Alma Dr., Old Foley Ridge Rd., 5600blk of Delta Dr. Areas south of McKenzie Hwy. from milepost 50.5 to milepost 54, Horse Creek Lodge, Foley Hot Springs, North Bank Rd. Areas east of the McKenzie Bridge to, and including Drury Ln. north of Hwy. 126, but south of the McKenzie River. Areas north of Hwy. 126 east of the .5 mile mark on Mill Creek Rd. to the east end of Taylor Rd. Hwy 126 from the Hwy 242 junction to Scott Rd. Belknap Hot Springs Rd. The area east of Hwy. 126 from Scott Rd. north into Linn County. Areas north of Hwy. 126 west of the .5 mile mark on Mill Creek Rd. to Blue River, Reservoir Rd. at the 1501 junction, the area south of Hwy 126 to the McKenzie River from the east end of McKenzie River Dr. to the McKenzie River Bridge just east of Taylor Rd.

 There is a Level 1 (Be Ready) evacuation notice for areas south of Hwy. 126 from Blue River Reservoir Rd. east to the east end of McKenzie River Dr, The area south of Hwy 126 from the McKenzie River Bridge just east of Taylor Rd. to Scott Creek Rd., McKenzie River Dr. and areas directly to the south and east, Belknap Springs Rd. South.

For Linn County evacuation updates visit:  https://www.linnsheriff.org/ 

In Linn County, there is a Level 3 (Go Now) from Olallie Campground and the Linn County line, north and west of Highway 126, extending north to Ice Cap Campground and Trailhead at Carmen Reservoir, then west to encompass Lakes End Campground and trail system at Smith Reservoir. Tamolitch Falls/Blue Pool is also within this LEVEL 3 (GO NOW) Evacuation Zone

A Level 2 (Be Ready) for the areas of Ice Cap Campground and Trailhead at Carmen Reservoir, north to where Ikenick Creek and Highway 126 intersect, and extending to the east in line with other evacuation boundaries enacted, and west along Highway 126. 

Level 1 (Be Ready) evacuation zone for the areas north of where Ikenick Creek and Highway 126 intersect, extending east to the Willamette National Forest boundary, and north in line with Highway 20.  This includes all areas around Clear Lake, and Clear Lake Campground, as well as Fish Lake and Campground.

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/   

Willamette National Forest closures can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/willamette/alerts-notices/?cid=fseprd552029Restrictions: Fire Restrictions are in place on the Willamette National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/willamette 

Smoke Outlook: Available at:  https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook/4c92bc1a? 

Information Line: 541-215-6735 8am-8pm |  Email: 2023.lookout@firenet.gov                                              

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

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

2023 Six Rivers National Forest Lightning Complex and Redwood Lightning Complex August 26, 2023 – California Incident Management Team 2 is in command of the Six Rivers National Forest (SRF) 2023 Lightning Complex and Redwood Lightning Complex. Five new fires were added to the complex yesterday, bringing the total to 17. All five fires are suspected to be caused by lightning strikes. Total acreage is estimated at 8758.5 acres with containment at 15%.

Redwood National and State Parks Area

Lost – 5% contained. 717 acres. Crews continue full suppression tactics on the fire that is burning in the Lost Man watershed. CAL FIRE and Green Diamond Resource Company are collaborating in suppression efforts. A majority of the fire is in previously logged, second growth forest. Crews have held the fire on Holter Ridge. A small portion of the fire has slowly spread downslope into old growth redwood forest, where higher humidity has reduced fire activity.

Bridge Ridge – This is a small 2–3-acre fire burning near the Devil Fire. Crews expect to have the fire contained by the end of the day.

Devil – 100% contained. 12.4 acres. In patrol status.

Glen – 100% contained. .1 acre. In patrol status.

Hoopa Area

Lone Pine – 60% contained. Located south of Hoopa in the Horse Linto Creek watershed east of the Trinity River and across the river from Tish Tang Campground and Sugar Bowl Ranch, fire size is estimated at 1,684 acres. The fire is smoldering with isolated areas of heat and minimal growth. Crews are securing containment lines and completing mop up activities.

The advisory status in Hoopa Valley Evacuation Zone HIA E-014B has been returned to normal.

Orleans Area Pearch - East of Orleans is estimated at 1748 acres. Crews are preparing to complete a burning operation to assist in containment to prevent the fire from a westerly spread towards Orleans. Helicopter bucket drops are being used to subdue heat sources. The Orleans pumphouse has been prepped with structure wrap. Structure protection personnel are continuing structure protection activities around Orleans and in the Pearch Creek neighborhood. Hose line and sprinklers have been deployed around values at risk. Super Scoopers assisted with water drops yesterday.

Creek – This is a new start near the north fork of Boise Creek along the 10N13D Road. It is estimated at .1 acre and is contained.

Flat – This is a new start near the 10N10 Road. It is estimated at 1 acre and is contained.

Merrill Mountain – This is a new start that is estimated at .1 acre near the 12N08 Road. Monument – This is a new start in inaccessible terrain and is estimated at .1 acre.

Pearch Fire Evacuation Warning: Orleans Area: Zone HUM-E009 (Southeast of the Klamath River in Orleans) Zone HUM-E008-B (Community of Orleans, west of Klamath River. East of Crawford Creek, including Orleans proper). Hwy 96 and Red Cap Road along the east bank of Klamath River, south from Salmon River, east to Orleans Mountain. Approximately 243 residents live in these 2 zones. Somes Bar Area: Zone SIS-1701: NORTH of Monte Creek Road, SOUTH OF Camp Three Road, EAST OF Camp Three Road, WEST OF Wooley Creek Trailhead. Anyone in these areas should be prepared for potential evacuations, including personal supplies and overnight accommodations. Be ready to go at a moment's notice.

Iron – 19.9 acres. Located above Ti-Bar Wildland Fire Station, this fire has containment lines in place and is in patrol status.

Hancock – 218 acres. Located in the Wooley Creek area within the Marble Mountain Wilderness. The smoke jumpers that were in place were extracted because of the dangerous weather conditions. The fire has a slow rate of spread but is in difficult terrain preventing direct firefighting. Prior to extraction, personnel engaged in point protection activities to protect values at risk in Wooley Creek.

Mosquito - Near the Bluff Creek area north of Mosquito Lake is estimated at 1851 acres. The fire remains north of Forest Road 11N19 and west of Forest Road 12N12 (Cedar Camp Road). Containment lines along the 12N12 Road have held. Crews continue constructing containment lines. The fire had increased activity yesterday afternoon, but the eastern containment lines held. The fire received .25” of rain, which helped halt southern progression.

Bluff #1 - 1398 acres with minimal movement. Three spot fires have been contained.

Blue Creek - .1-acre. Smoke Jumpers hiked in and were unable to locate any fire activity. This fire is considered to be out.

Blue Creek 2 - 976 acres. The Blue Creek 2 is currently unstaffed due to limited resources. Blue Creek 2 has continued progressing in a southerly direction. Additional resources have been ordered and continue to arrive.

Let er-Buck - 39 acres. A falling team has been inserted to clear an area to allow access for Firefighters. Weather – Today’s weather will be similar to yesterday with low-level stratus below 1500-2000 feet. Cloud cover is expected to burn off in the early afternoon except for along the coast. Six Rivers National Forest Closures Area and campground closures are in effect on Six Rivers National Forest.

A new Closure Order was issued last night for the Orleans Ranger District and a portion of the Lower Trinity Ranger District.They can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/srnf/notices/?cid=FSEPRD1096395.

Visit this link to access all resources listed on this update: www.linktr.ee/srffirepio

Redwood National Park and State Parks Closures There are multiple closures in the parks due to several fires, including closures in the Lost Man area.

For a full list of closures and impacts, please visit www.nps.gov/redw/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

Alert Notifications:

ZoneHaven/Genasys for map and zone identification: https://protect.genasys.com

Humboldt County Residents Register for Humboldt Alert Notification: www.humboldt.gov/alerts

Siskiyou County Resident Register at Code Red Alert Notification: https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/6F327CCDFFFD

Redwood National and State Parks Information Hotline

Phone: 707-464-6101

https://www.nps.gov/redw/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

2023 SRF Lightning Complex Fire Information

Phone: 530-536-0767

Email: 2023.lightningcomplex@firenet.gov

Hoopa Information Hotline

Phone: 530-618-2995

Email: serene.oes@gmail.com

Yesterday, aerial observations detected residual heat in the dead and down fuels in the eastern half of the fire. Fuels are continuing to smolder as they dry out, which may lead to more observable smoke over the fire’s footprint than in previous days. As temperatures return to seasonal averages in the 70s and 80s, personnel are continuing to monitor containment lines and fire behavior. Firefighters are expected to finish constructing handline and the supporting hose-lay today from the S Canal Rd up to the fire’s edge. 

Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams are also on the fire, assessing disturbances to the environment and post-fire mitigation strategies. BAER teams evaluate a host of potential issues, such as soil erosion and loss of vegetation, and develop plans for suppression activity repair, burned area rehabilitation, and long-term restoration.  

The Big Knife Fire is currently 1.25 miles north of the Rattlesnake Wilderness Boundary (Lolo National Forest) with no significant growth towards the Lolo National Forest in the last week. Smoke from the fire may impact the Snowbowl area, however the Lolo National Forest does not have any forest closures in place on the Missoula Ranger District.

CLOSURES AND SPECIAL MESSAGES: Several areas near the base of the mountains west of the Big Knife Fire remain in PRE-EVACUATION WARNING by order of the Lake County Sheriff. See the map for those locations in yellow (Jocko, Canal, Francis). The Tribal Primitive Area, Belmore Slough and Burnt Cabin Roads are closed.

A PRE-EVACUATION WARNING means you may remain in your home. Individuals in this status should not bring back evacuated livestock until this status is lifted.

A temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in effect around the fire area. Do not fly unmanned aircraft (drones) near the fire areas.

Weather: As a trough moves out of the area, sunny weather is to be expected today with highs in the 70s and 80s with relative humidities dropping into the 30% range. Winds will be light, between 6 – 12 mph, with gusts up to 22.

FIRE RESTRICTIONS: Stage 1 fire restrictions are currently in place across the Flathead Indian Reservation and Lake County. Stage 1 fire restrictions remain in place in Granite County. In Stage 1 fire restrictions the following are prohibited until rescinded: Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire except within a developed recreation site or improved site. Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials. On the Flathead Reservation, operating a motorized vehicles off designated roads and trails. Visit  https://www.mtfireinfo.org/ for more fire restriction information across Montana.                                        

Smith River Complex North update for Saturday, August 26, 2023

Grants Pass, Ore. – The north side of the Smith River Complex North remains active with afternoon winds and abundant drought-stressed vegetation contributing to fire spread. Fire personnel are focused on constructing direct and indirect fire lines south and west of Gilligan Butte along the 4402 Road to Hwy 199, and southeast along the 18N11 Road to the 444 Road. They are also installing structure protection systems to minimize immediate threats to local communities and critical infrastructure, as well as cutting hazard trees along Hwy 199 and scouting contingency lines.

Thursday’s thunderstorms brought several new fire starts to the region. A new lightning-caused fire was detected near the north side of the Smith River Complex North and was quickly contained. Resources from the Complex are also assisting with the Grayback Fire near Oregon Caves National Park. The air cleared enough on Friday afternoon that aircraft were able to provide fire suppression support. Patchy morning fog in the valleys and smoky conditions in the afternoons will make for poor visibility and limit air operations the next few days. A slight warming and drying trend with moderate afternoon wind gusts is expected to continue through at least Monday.

A Level 3 – GO NOW evacuation remains in place for the Hwy 199 area south of O’Brien from mile post 38 into California. A Level 2 – GET SET evacuation is in place for O’Brien and the Takilma area. A Level 1 – GET READY evacuation is in place heading north to Cave Junction. The interactive Fire First Response Map showing evacuation areas can be found at https://rvem.org. The American Red Cross has set up an evacuation shelter at Rogue Community College in Grants Pass. Livestock can be sheltered at the Josephine County Fairgrounds.

Due to increased fire activity, the public is encouraged to monitor the Rogue Valley Emergency Management site at https://rvem.org for updates and sign up for Citizen Alert if you have not already done so. The Bureau of Land Management Coos Bay District announced an emergency closure of public lands south of Waldo Road and Happy Camp Road to the Oregon/California border. Maps and additional information can be found at https://www.blm.gov/orwafire.

The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest has implemented an area and road closure order for the Smith River Complex. Visit the forest website for additional information at https://tinyurl.com/2s4hymku.

Firefighters identify objectives for lightning-caused Valentine Fire

August 26, 2023 – Daily Update
 

Acres: 14 acres

Start Date:  August 16, 2023

Cause: Lightning

Completion: 0%

Total personnel: 228

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

Fuels: Hardwood litter and timber

Highlights: Fire managers are measuring progress on the lightning-caused Valentine Fire in terms of percent completion of management objectives, rather than traditional percent containment. Percent completion of objectives more accurately captures and reports the specific amount of work accomplished on the ground to manage fire spread and reduce the negative impacts to communities, infrastructure, and other identified values. By using percent completion, fire managers can illustrate how they are progressing with the accomplishment of objectives each day. On the Valentine Fire, the intended operational objectives are to reintroduce fire into a fire-dependent ecosystem to reduce future wildfire severity in support of the Forest Service Wildfire Crisis Strategy. Benefits will include reduction of hazardous fuels, encouragement of native forage growth, improved range and watershed conditions, and improved species diversity and wildlife habitat. To learn more about the Wildfire Crisis Strategy, please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/wildfire-crisis.

Operations: Firefighters are continuing efforts to confine the Valentine Fire within the planning area. Confinement is a wildfire response strategy that involves restricting a wildfire to a defined area, primarily using natural barriers; however, additional response actions are sometimes needed to augment or connect natural barriers. Currently, firefighters are focusing on prepping the perimeter of the planning area by removing heavy concentrations of vegetation along National Forest System Roads 200, 291, 411, and 955, and improving the conditions of these roads using dozers and graders. Where gaps exist between these Forest Service roads, crews are constructing handlines to connect and build a continuous boundary to restrict fire spread. Firefighters will continue similar handline construction, road improvement, and fuels reduction activities in the coming days.

Weather: A slight downturn in activity and a few degrees of warming is expected over the weekend, however, scattered showers and thunderstorms will still be present each afternoon and early evening. Winds will be generally light, but will begin to trend easterly. High dew points and shower activity will keep relative humidity values fairly high throughout the day.

Closures: The Tonto National Forest has issued an emergency area closure for the Valentine Fire. 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. The full closure order (No. 03-12-05-23-22) and map are available on the Tonto National Forest website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices/?aid=82769.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Members of the public should stay away from Valentine Fire operations. A temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in place over the area, which includes unmanned aircraft, or drones. More information on the dangers drones pose to wildland firefighting aircraft and personnel on the ground can be found at: https://uas.nifc.gov/.

Smoke: Smoke from the Valentine Fire may be visible in the surrounding areas. Learn more about smoke impacts on the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality website at https://azdeq.gov/wildfire-faqs. An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Fire updates are posted on InciWeb and the Tonto National Forest Facebook, and Twitter pages

Email: 2023.valentine@firenet.gov •  Phone: (928) 588-4033  • Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Bedrock Fire Quick Facts

Size: 31,570 acres                 Origin: Willamette National Forest                 Resources: 46 engines;

Containment: 50%               Cause: Under Investigation                             12 crews; 11 helicopters;

Total personnel: 746            Start Date: July 22, 2023                                9 dozers, 30 water tenders

Bedrock Fire: Firefighters, engines and helicopters assigned to the Bedrock Fire assisted with initial attack on new fires around the region yesterday. This was possible because fire activity on the Bedrock was light and containment lines continued to hold. “We’re glad we were able to help our neighbors and help keep these new fires small,” said Chris Hutsell, one of the incident commanders. With two large fires already burning on the Willamette National Forest, fire personnel and equipment are in limited supply. “It’s to everyone’s advantage to nip new fire starts in the bud,” Hutsell added. While helicopters did not fly over the Bedrock Fire Friday, hundreds of firefighters continue to work, both day and night, to complete containment lines. They have also started the large task of hauling in hose, pumps and other equipment that is no longer needed, and repairing damage done to the land during the firefighting efforts of the last month.

The Incident Management Team on the Bedrock Fire, Pacific Northwest Team 2 (PNW2), will take over management of the Lookout Fire today at 6:00 p.m from Northwest Team 6. This will allow Northwest Team 6 to get some time off and be ready for another fire assignment, if needed. PNW2 will continue to manage the Bedrock Fire and will manage the new, 25-acre Horse Creek Fire, starting later today.

Evacuations: Level 2 evacuation notifications remain in place for portions of Lane County because of these multiple fires. A searchable evacuation map with fire perimeters is available through the county’s website: (https://bit.ly/44rF8Gd) Bedrock Fire Evacuation Areas.

Smoke: The daily West-Central Oregon Smoke Outlook provides a detailed air quality forecast for the Bedrock Fire, as well as other nearby fires. The Fire and Smoke Map (fire.airnow.gov) is another source for air quality information. 

Weather: A temperature inversion is expected to lift around noon today, giving way to sunny skies and warm temperatures. Fuels remain very dry and humidity levels at higher elevations may drop to critically low levels. The potential for rapid fire growth still exists, with a warm and dry pattern through the weekend.

Safety and Closures: The Willamette National Forest implemented an Emergency Area Closure to ensure the safety of the public and personnel working on the fire. The closure maps for the Bedrock Fire are available on InciWeb. A Temporary Flight Restriction remains in place over the Bedrock Fire area.

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

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

Fire Information: (541) 414-6272, 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM      Email: 2023.bedrock@firenet.gov