WILDFIRE UPDATE - 

Pogo Mine Road Fire (#191) & Mount Hayes Fire (#299)

Thursday - August 24, 2023

This will be the final update for both fires unless conditions change. Delta Area Forestry has assumed management of the fires as of 8:00 AM.  

Pogo Mine Road Fire (#191) – 48,792 acres | 92 personnel | 12 miles NW of Delta

Firefighters continue to mop up and secure around structures as well as patrol and secure line on the west side of the fire, south of the Pogo Mine Road. The road group will keep the road clear and safe for traffic. Backhaul operations will continue as operations ramp down.

Mount Hayes Fire (#299) – 6,720 acres | 1 personnel | 7 miles SE of Deltana

This fire is in monitor status and will be checked by the air.  Pockets of heat remain in the northwest finger and northeast shoulder of the fire.

As fire operations conclude and people re-enter the fire area, please be aware of the following:

Burned trees: Standing burned or partially burned trees and snags can fall with very little disturbance or wind if their root systems have burned.

Hazardous smoke: Smoldering piles may include plastics or other materials that produce toxins in smoke. Please avoid breathing direct smoke from smoldering areas.

Ash pits: White ash on the ground may indicate deep pockets of hot ash where roots and ground vegetation have burned and may continue to burn below ground level.

Children and animals: Children and pets should be carefully supervised to avoid potential hazards like ash pits, falling trees, and hazardous smoke.

A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place for the fires, pilots please check NOTAMs.

Fire Information: Phone number: (907) 921-7852 / Fire Info website: AkFireInfo.com

Southwest Area Incident Management Team 1

Assumes Command of Ridge, Doris, and Tin Solider Fires

August 24, 2023 Daily Update

Cause: Lightning.     Start Date: July 30th, 2023 @ 3:45 PM

Ridge Fire

Location: 6 miles southeast of Hungry Horse

Size: 3651 acres

 Percent Contained: 76%

Doris Point Fire 

Location: 8 miles south of Hungry Horse

Size: 1534 acres

Percent Contained: 10%

Personnel Assigned: 483

Tin Soldier Fires

Location: 17 miles east of Swan Lake

 Size: 7697 acres

 Percent Contained: 0%

 Personnel Assigned: 29

Personnel Assigned: 94

Highlights: Wet and muddy road conditions continue to challenge firefighter access for all fire areas. Yesterday aviation resources obtained infrared imagery for all the fires and significant heat signatures remain within the fire perimeters, particularly on the Doris Point and Tin Soldier Fires. Expect to see increased activity on all incidents as weather improves. Southwest Area Incident Management Team 1 will host a community meeting at the Glacier Bible Camp at 5:00 PM on Sunday, August 27th.

Operations:

Ridge Fire: Yesterday ground resources continued to monitor the fire after the weather event over the last week. Road accessibility continues to be an issue as the ground begins to dry out. The southeast corner of the fire was inaccessible, but managers assessed the northern most section of line for opportunities to construct handline. Today crews will continue assessing this northern section, as well as patrol the fire line and plan for backhaul missions. A repair group will be evaluating restoration needs.

Doris Point Fire: Road access was difficult for resources on the Doris Point Fire and crews spent yesterday clearing downed trees and rolling debris off the roadways. Today ground resources will continue with that mission, in addition to securing rolling debris near Doris Creek Campground and monitoring the fire perimeter.

Tin Soldier Fire: Yesterday managers worked closely with Resource Advisors regarding the mechanical thinning project timeline along Meadow Creek. Similar to the other fires, road access remains challenging. Today crews will check pump operations around the structures and look for opportunities to backhaul supplies and equipment. Resources will also secure an area of slop over that occurred prior to the rain event. Additionally, managers will assess FS RD 2828 to prep for future use as an access route, or containment feature.

Weather and Fire Behavior:

A cold front moved through the fire area yesterday bringing gusty winds and a drop in temperatures. A ridge of high pressure will be the dominant feature over the fire today with mostly sunny conditions and winds being primarily terrain driven. A front from the eastside of the Continental Divide will push into the area tonight and into Friday. This front will change winds to a more easterly persuasion, but will have little effect on temperatures.

Ridge, Doris Point, and Tin Soldier Fires: 75-80 degrees in the lower elevations and 66-71 degrees in the mid-slopes to ridges with minimum relative humidity at 26-31%. For the Ridge and Doris Point fires, winds will be northwest 5-10 mph with gusts to around 15 mph on the ridgetop. For the Tin Soldier fires, winds will be west winds 5-10 mph with gusts around 15 mph on the ridgetop.

Ridge & Doris Fire Pre-Evacuation Notice:

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office has rescinded the pre-evacuation notice from the east side of Spotted Bear Road to West Glacier. Visit the Flathead Sheriff’s office for details https://www.facebook.com/flatheadsheriff

Fire Closure:

The Hungry Horse Reservoir is closed to all public access, including both the east and west side roads. The Forest Closure Order that includes the Heinrude Community remains in effect. As firefighting efforts continue on the Ridge Fire, the Tin Soldier, and other fires in the area, the closure is in place to provide for public and firefighter safety. https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/flathead/alerts-notices/?aid=82283

Additional Information:

Residents should stay alert for changing conditions and visit ready.gov/wildfires for preparing for wildfires. Please refer to https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/mtfnf-tin-soldier-fire for the Tin Soldier Complex Incident information.

Fire Information: 406-998-6074 (8:00 am to 7:00 pm)                                                    

Email: 2023.ridge@firenet.gov

https://www.facebook.com/ridge.fire.information                              https://www.youtube.com/@2023ridgefire

SRF Lightning Complex Community Meeting

Thursday, August 24th 2023

5 p.m.

Virtual Only

www.facebook.com/SixRiversNF/

Resources: 276 Total Personnel | 4 Hand Crews | 10 Engines | 4 Water Tenders | 6 Helicopters

**State Route 20 (SR 20) is now open to through-travel only (no stopping or pulling over). Area, trail, and camp closures remain in effect between mile 120 (Newhalem) and 139 (east NPS boundary), as well as other areas along SR 20 due to the Blue Lake Fire.  Diablo Lake, Diablo Lake Overlook, Maple Pass, and other areas are not accessible.  For more information, go to:  https://www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/fire-closures.htm ).  

Thank you to the public that drove safely through the fire area yesterday on SR 20!  You made opening day a success! Drivers were very courteous and aware of the need to follow the lower speeds and stay on the roadway, not pulling over.  Please continue to follow all traffic and fire incident signage using extra caution in areas where people and equipment are working.  

(Newhalem, Wash.) -- The Sourdough Fire started with a lightning strike on July 29 near Diablo in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area, 7 miles northeast of Newhalem. The size of the fire remains at approximately 6,000 acres with 16% containment. The current suppression strategy involves obtaining full containment primarily along the southern portion of the fire that includes SR 20 and other infrastructure such as buildings, utility corridors and other values at risk. The remote areas of the fire to the north, where most of the fire continues to burn through drought-stricken forest, the strategy is to keep the fire confined on the west and eastern flanks using natural features and past fire scars, and to take action if the fire threatens values.

Yesterday: Cooler temperatures and occasional light precipitation over the fire temporarily slowed its spread to the north. Drought-stricken fuels are anticipated to recover quite quickly over the next few days, with relative humidity once again becoming low, temperatures high and winds promoting fire growth. Due to cloud cover, manned air resources did not fly, however, an unmanned aerial systems (UAS) drone was able to conduct infrared scans (to detect heat) that aided suppression efforts. Firefighters, in coordination with Washington State Department of Transportation, implemented safety protocols when conducting mop up operations in an active highway traffic environment.

Today’s planned activities: With SR 20 now open, firefighters will continue to take appropriate safety precautions around traffic while conducting patrol and mop up operations.  Firefighters plan to utilize helicopters to do a reconnaissance and conduct water drops in the Sourdough Creek drainage to check the fire’s eastern progression.  They also plan to continue to patrol and monitor containment lines along the southern (bottom) end of the fire that includes SR 20.  Suppression repair operations, intended to return damaged and disturbed areas back to natural conditions, will continue.

Weather: A warming trend is predicted to start today (Thursday) with temperatures rebounding into the mid-80s and winds changing to easterly.  The result will be a warming and drying trend that will continue through the weekend.  There is a small chance of afternoon thunderstorms starting Friday and continuing through the weekend. Any precipitation is expected to be minimal with limited effects on overall fire behavior.

Safety: Firefighter and public safety will be a priority as SR 20 is now open to through-travel in the fire area.  Fire danger remains extremely high. The public can help prevent the next wildland fire by observing outdoor burning bans and avoiding other common ignition causes. This is a no-recreation drone zone. Recreational drones pose serious risks to firefighter and public safety and the effectiveness of wildfire suppression efforts. Aerial firefighting is suspended when recreational drones are in the air.

Smoke: Information about current conditions and a smoke forecast is located at: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com.
For information on how you can prepare for wildfire smoke, go to: https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/wildfires/smoke.html and https://www.wildlandfiresmoke.net/smoke-ready

Closures and Evacuations: Trail, area and camp closures are in effect; for more information, go to: https://www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/fire-closures.htm

Lookout Fire                                                                       

August 24, 2023

Morning Update

Size: 14,286 acres                           

Start Date: August 5, 2023

Cause: Lightning

Containment: 6%

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

Total personnel:   1,118

Resources: 59 engines l 21 crews l 14 bulldozers l 29 water tenders l 11 masticators l 6 helicopters
 

Current Situation:  Fire behavior was active on the Lookout Fire on Wednesday. Warmer, drier conditions fostered successful burning operations on the fire’s west and east flanks. Aided by helicopters and a UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) or drone, crews progressed with firing operations designed to strengthen control lines along Mill Creek Road.

Firefighters and heavy equipment contained several spot fires across Deer Creek Road on the fire’s northeast flank. As the main fire progresses to the southeast toward Highway 126, firing operations are being utilized to “stay ahead” of the main fire as it backs down the slope. Dense smoke in this area persisted for most of Wednesday. Critical fire weather is possible today with a chance of thunderstorms this evening.

Motorists are advised to use extra caution in areas of smoke, limited visibility, and fire vehicle traffic.

A community meeting hosted by Northwest Incident Management Team 6 was well attended at McKenzie River High School Wednesday evening and is available to watch on the Lookout Fire Facebook page.

Firefighters forming two structural protection groups remain in place to protect homes effected by the Lookout Fire. Local agency firefighters and law enforcement are patrolling and will maintain a presence in evacuated areas. Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) resources left the incident yesterday. OSFM Task Forces assessed 1,023 structures and prepared 560 more for protection while assigned to the Lookout Fire.  OSFM resources remain available to return to the incident should the need arise. 

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: In Lane County, there is a Level 3 (Go Now) evacuation notice for North Bank Rd., Mona Campground, Lookout Campground, H.J. Andrews Headquarters and the area west of Highway 126 from Scott Rd. north into Linn County.

There is a Level 2 (Be Set) for 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 west of the .5 mile mark on Mill Creek Rd. to Blue River Reservoir Rd. at the 1501 junction, Areas north of Hwy. 126 east of the .5 mile mark on Mill Creek Rd. to the east end of Taylor Rd., Taylor Rd., 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., Highway 126 from the Highway 242 junction to Scott Road, Paradise Campground, FS Rd. 302, Belknap Hot Springs Rd., the areas east of Hwy. 126 from Scott Rd. north into Linn County.

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, McKenzie River Dr. and areas directly to the south and east, The area south of Hwy 126 from the McKenzie River Bridge just east of Taylor Rd. to Scott Creek Rd, Belknap Springs Rd. S, Hwy 242 to FS Rd. 220, Yale Ln, Camp Yale Rd, FS Rd. 2643 southeast to the 445 spur.

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

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. For current information please see Linn County’s website at https://www.linnsheriff.org/

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 

Size: 34,242 acres

Start Date:  July 15, 2023

Point of origin: 2 miles southeast of Agness, OR

Containment: 58%

Total personnel: 468 

Resources: 8 crews l 3 helicopters l 16 engines l 3 bulldozers l 17 water tenders l 4 masticators 

Highlights: Fire spread among unburned fuels in interior islands was low yesterday. Isolated single tree torching may occur but will not impact fire lines or contribute to fire spread. Smoke is not expected to effect firefighting efforts or the communities today. Firefighters are vigilantly assessing containment lines, and putting “eyes-on” remaining heat sources in the interior and near the perimeter. Multiple firefighting resources are improving containment and contingency hand and dozer lines. Assorted heavy equipment resources are making improvements to the southern contingency lines. 

Today’s Activities:  The Flat Fire is a full suppression fire mission. The Incident Management Team (IMT) and the  assigned firefighters are exercising maximum effort to achieve this goal.   Ground and/or aviation resources are performing visual assessments of the fire perimeter.  Helicopters and engines (depending on access and hazardous conditions) continue to seek out and extinguish priority interior heat sources/burning. Improvement of completed southern contingency lines will continue to reinforce the fire defense strategy.  Aircraft surveillance continues and resources will be on alert for any new initial attack requirements and remain available to support other fires as well. 

Weather:  A RED FLAG WARNING FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS IN EFFECT FROM 5 PM THURSDAY TO 8 AM PDT FRIDAY FOR ABUNDANT LIGHTNING ON DRY FUELS IN THE FLAT FIRE AREA.  The probability of thunderstorms in the area tonight is estimated at 50%. Temperatures will continue to be warmer and drier than average today. A cooling trend and higher relative humidity wil move in Friday and assist firefighting efforts by slowing fire behavior. The cooling trend will continue into the next week. 

Smoke:  Smoke may be visible from the surrounding areas. The Smoke Outlook is available at:  https://outlooks.airfire.org/outlook/b74901f7

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 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 https://bit.ly/RRSNFAlerts  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:  https://tinyurl.com/currycountyem 

Restrictions: Fire danger is currently extreme; the RRSNF is implementing Level 3 Public Use Restrictions. Level 3 PURs on the Wild Section of the Rogue River have been implemented by the RRSF, Medford BLM and ODF.  More information: https://tinyurl.com/ueuznr6e\ 

2023 Six Rivers National Forest Lightning Complex and Redwood Lightning Complex

August 24, 2023 – California Incident Management Team 2 is in command of the Six Rivers National Forest (SRF) 2023 Lightning Complex and Redwood Lightning Complex which includes the following 12 fires. Total estimated acreage for the SRF Lightning Complex and Redwood Lightning Complex is 5,488.2 acres with 15% containment.

Redwood National and State Parks Area 

Lost – 0% contained. 529 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.

Devil – 100% contained. 12 acres. In patrol status. 

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

Hoopa Area 

Lone Pine – 45% 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 1,678 acres. The fire is smoldering with isolated areas of heat and minimal growth. Crews are securing containment lines and completing mop up activities.

 Orleans Area

Pearch - East of Orleans is estimated at 981 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.

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 - Located above Ti-Bar Wildland Fire Station, this fire has been contained at .1 acre and is in patrol status.

Hancock – 30 acres. Located in the Wooley Creek area within the Marble Mountain Wilderness. It is staffed by a crew of ten smoke jumpers. The fire has a slow rate of spread but is in difficult terrain preventing direct firefighting. Personnel are engaging 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 1,061 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.    

Bluff #1 - 828 acres with minimal movement. Blue Creek - .1-acre, Blue Creek 2 - 318 acres. The Blue Creek and Blue Creek 2 are currently unstaffed due to limited resources. Additional resources have been ordered and continue to arrive. Let er-Buck - 34 acres.

Weather – A Red Flag Warning has been issued across the fires from 3:00 pm on Thursday through 2:00 am on Friday due to abundant lightning and dry conditions. A 20% chance of thunderstorms exists with a 10% chance of wetting rain. Along with the Red Flag Warning comes increased risk of large fire growth.

Six Rivers National Forest Closures 

Area and campground closures are in effect on Six Rivers National Forest. They may be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/srnf/notices/?cid=FSEPRD1096395.

 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

Visit this link to access all

resources listed on this update:

www.linktr.ee/srffirepio

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

Thank you to the community members and emergency response personnel who participated in the Gray Fire community meeting last night. We appreciate the courtesy of the Medical Lake School District for use of the Medical Lake High School gymnasium. Representatives from local agencies and Northwest Team 7 shared updates about the fire, its impacts, and next steps.  

As community members return to the fire area, please be respectful of the evacuation levels and potential hazards. Be mindful of high fire traffic in the area and use caution while traveling in or near the recently downgraded evacuation levels.  

Today’s Activities: Crews continue to mop up and secure the fire perimeter, with containment now at 58%. Structure crews are protecting and securing structure perimeters. Assessments of burned structures continues to identify potential hazards. Emergency personnel are also working to remove dangerous trees. There is still scattered heat and smoldering fuels today, contained within the fire perimeter. 

Weather: We are in a warming and drying trend through the weekend. Temperatures today will climb into the 80s. 
 
Evacuations: Spokane County Emergency Management further reduced evacuation levels in Medical Lake. Evacuation maps are posted on the Gray Fire Inciweb page and the Spokane County’s Emergency Management Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GEGEmergencyMgt.    

Interstate 90: I-90 is open in both directions. State Route (SR) 904 and 902 are also open.    

The Gray Fire Incident Command Post is located at Pine Lodge in Medical Lake. NW Team 7 appreciates Cheney Middle School for being generous hosts for fire personnel over the last week and wishes all incoming students a successful school year.   

ADDITIONAL FIRE & EMERGENCY INFORMATION:      

Gray Fire Information:   

Phone: 509-903-5563, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.   

Inciweb:  https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/wanes-gray-fire  

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

Interactive Evacuation Map: https://arcg.is/1z98v10 

Washington Smoke Blog: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/   

Spokane Co. Emergency Management: 1121 W. Gardner Ave., Spokane; 509-477-3046 

https://www.spokanecounty.org/4579/Emergency-Management 

Red Cross: 315 W. Nora Ave., Spokane; 509-326-3330 

https://www.redcross.org/local/washington/get-help.html 

Avista Power & Gas: 1411 E. Mission Ave, Spokane; 800-227-9187 

https://www.myavista.com/outages/outage-faqs 

Inland Power: 10110 W. Hallett Rd, Spokane: 509-747-7151 

https://www.inlandpower.com/outages-emergencies 

City of Medical Lake Public Utilities: 851 S. Lefevre St, 509-299-7715 

https://medical-lake.org/utilities/ 

WA Dept. of Social and Health Services: 877-501-2233 

https://www.dshs.wa.gov/esa/community-services-offices/community-services-office 

Spokane County Sheriff: 1100 W. Mallon Ave, Spokane; 509-477-2240 

https://www.spokanecounty.org/938/Sheriff-Services 

Spokane County Fire, Dist. 3: 10 S. Presley Dr, Spokane; 509-235-6645 

https://www.scfd3.org/ 

WA DOT Highway Updates: https://wsdot.com/Travel/Real-time/Map/  

Smith River Complex North update for Thursday, August 24, 2023

Grants Pass, Ore. – Yesterday, winds from the north pushed smoke away from the northern edge of the Kelly Fire. Fire personnel took advantage of this break in the smoky conditions to utilize aircraft. Helicopters made water drops to slow the fire’s spread and cool flare-ups. Helicopters and an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS or drone) mapped the fire perimeter and identified areas of special concern.

Utilizing the information derived from the UAS, firefighters and heavy equipment are constructing fire lines near Gilligan Butte, working to make a fuel break from Hwy 199 to Forest Road 4402 and the powerline corridor. Fire personnel assigned to Smith River Complex North are also working with local resources to protect structures in Josephine County that may become threatened by fire.

There are 88 residences and outbuildings that have been identified within the area covered by the Level 2 “Be Set” evacuation notification in Josephine County. These structures are being assessed for protection needs, and fuels mitigation is being completed. Fuels mitigation can include cutting tall grasses and brush and removing the lower limbs from trees. Firewood and other flammable materials are moved away from buildings, making structures less likely to ignite and burn.

There is a Red Flag Warning going into effect this afternoon through early Friday due to the potential for thunderstorms with abundant lightning. Thunderstorms usually bring gusty, erratic winds which can cause the fire to grow rapidly and in unexpected places. Temperatures are also expected to be warmer, with low relative humidity. If new fires are detected nearby, firefighters assigned to Smith River Complex North will assist with initial attack.

Del Norte County has issued a Level 3 evacuation notice from the Oregon/California border south. Specifics of this closure can be found at https://www.facebook.com/DelNorteOfficeOfEmergencyServices/.

Josephine County has issued a Level 2 evacuation notice along Hwy 199 south of mile post 39 to the California border, and a Level 1 evacuation for the community of O’Brien south of Rough & Ready Creek. For more information and maps, visit the Rogue Valley Emergency Management site at https://www.rvem.org. 

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 https://tinyurl.com/2s4hymku.

Today, there will be a community meeting at 6:00 p.m. It will be held at the staging area across from 30159 Redwood Hwy, Cave Junction. The meeting will also be live-streamed on Smith River Complex North 2023 Facebook.

Update: August 24, 2023, Continuing to Suppress and Repair on the Black Feather Fire 

Acres: 2,198 acres  

Start Date: August 5, 2023  

Cause: Lightning   

Fuels: Timber, Brush, Understory  

Containment: 28%  

Resources: 127 personnel  

Location: Approximately 9 miles south of Gallina, NM, on the Santa Fe National Forest, Coyote Ranger District. Near the Peñas Negras Trail in the San Pedro Parks Wilderness.    

Highlights: Resources continue to work the Northern section of line and continue along the wilderness boundary. Progressing and securing the fires edge. Rappellers were utilized in remote wilderness areas to continue with suppression efforts. A helicopter was utilized for bucket drops on hotspots around the fire. Making great progress and securing any area of concern.

Hand crews reached more into the wilderness to continue scouting and securing the fire edge. Engine crews outside of the wilderness have been patrolling and monitoring the fires edge along with securing any hotspots or smoke showing within the fires perimeter.

Operations: Suppression efforts are continuing within the wilderness and along the northern and southern edge of the fire. With heavy dead and down logs and duff layers, fire will continue to smolder. Crews and engines are actively suppressing and monitoring activities in relation to weather and fire behavior to ensure incident objectives are met while remaining focused on firefighter safety.  

Safety: Equipment and fire crews are actively moving in and around the fire area. Please use caution when traveling around the Black Feather Fire. The Temporary Flight Restriction is still in place. Please do not fly drones anywhere near the fire. If you fly, we can’t fly.

Weather: A cooling trend with higher humidity’s expected through today as moisture associated with Tropic Storm Harold moves over western New Mexico. Gusty and erratic winds will still be possible with any cell, but chances for wetting rain increase. Showers and thunderstorms are likely in the afternoon. 

Restrictions/Closures: Effective Monday, August 21, the Santa Fe National Forest has issued an updated area, road, and trail closure in part of the Coyote Ranger District. See https://bit.ly/BlackFeatherClosureUpdate for information and a corresponding map. Forest Road 103 is now open. Closures will be adjusted based on fire activity. 

Smoke: Variations in temperatures, humidity & fire activity will impact smoke conditions in the coming days and weeks. Smoke may be visible in the area as active smoldering takes place. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Air quality information is available at https://www.airnow.gov/.

Evacuations:  The communities of Mesa Pinabetal, Mesa Poleo, and Wetherill remain in ‘Ready’ status. The Coyote Senior Center is open to evacuees, and livestock can be taken to the Rio Arriba Rural Event Center near Abiquiu. The Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s Office will coordinate evacuations if they go into effect. For more information, use the QR code below and visit the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079688263048.

Fire Information: 505-460-0499 – 2023.blackfeather@firenet.gov   

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

New Mexico Fire Information: https://nmfireinfo.com/