Clear Lake Fire Daily Update

August 21, 2023

4:00 pm

Size: 746 acres

Containment: 80%

Start Date: August 21, 2023

Cause: Under Investigation

Texas A&M Forest Service received a request for assistance for a fire 17 southeast of Carthage, in Panola County, Texas on August 20, at 3:45 pm. 

Fresh resources returned this morning to relieve the evening shift. Local firefighters, Texas A&M Forest Service, and Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System were able to complete a line around the fire at approximately 3 am on August 21st. Crews are continuing to improve containment lines and complete mop-up operations. Currently, the only observed smoke lies far within the perimeter. 

The area has been and will continue to experience excessive heat and low relative humidity.

Placerville, Calif., August 2, 2023— Beginning after Labor Day, on September 5, a ½ mile section at the east end of Wrights Tie Road (11N37/FS Rd 32), near the intersection with Wrights Lake Road (11N26/FS Rd 4) will be impassable for approximately a month while heavy equipment is being used to reconstruct this section of road as part of the Wilson Meadow Restoration Project. While the road is being reconstructed, a temporary closure will be in place for this ½ mile section. Visitors will need to access Wrights Lake Road from Highway 50 to get to Wrights Lake and the surrounding Wrights Lake Recreation Area. It will not be possible to cross over on Wrights Tie Road from Ice House Road in the Crystal Basin. See map attached.

The reconstruction on Wrights Tie Road will replace the section of road that crosses the creek and dips suddenly at the head of Wilson Meadow. This section will be elevated; culverts will be installed; and the road will be resurfaced to improve the flow of water to the meadow.

Wilson Meadow is an approximately 60 acre meadow located on the south side of the Wrights Tie Road at the intersection with Wrights Lake Road. South Fork Silver Creek and a tributary of this creek run through Wilson Meadow. The original meadow was a wetland, but historic impacts such as compaction and water diversion altered the flow of surface and ground water. As a result, water rapidly drains from the meadow instead of being stored within it. Restoring meadow conditions improves the water supply, maintains lower water temperatures, provides meadow wetland habitat, and accumulates organic material which stores carbon.

The project will be accomplished in partnership with American Rivers. For more information about the Wrights Tie Road reconstruction or restoration activities, please contact Eric Nicita, Soil Scientist for the Eldorado National Forest at eric.nicita@usda.gov. For assistance with travel planning, call the Visitor Information team at 530-644-2324.

Crater Creek Fire Update

August 21, 2023

Colville, WA: The fire is burning in remote and rugged terrain with poor access, it is not currently threatening critical infrastructure or municipal watershed integrity. A confine/contain suppression strategy is being implemented, including the improvement of old dozer line and fuel breaks from past fires. Clearing and chipping operations on the FS 39 Road are continuing today, boosting the strength of the southern containment line. Scouting and indirect line building missions are being conducted on the eastern side of the containment area to aid along the eastern perimeter. Acreage is less than previously estimated due to more accurate mapping.

Firefighter and public safety are the highest priorities. Please check up to date road closure information on the websites below. Communication with British Columbia fire officials is ongoing.

Weather: The high today is 66 degrees with a minimum humidity of 24 percent. A low-pressure system dropping off the Washington coast will draw moisture from remnants of Hurricane Hilary late afternoon and tonight. As a result, an increased chance of showers and thunderstorms, along with high humidity recovery, is expected. Winds will be out of the southwest, with gusts up to 25 mph.

Closures: Closure Orders have been issued by the US Forest Service, BLM, and DNR.
USFS: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and the Colville National Forest for the following campgrounds, roads, and trails:
Developed Campgrounds Closed

Long Swamp Campground, 14 Mile Campground

Roads Closed

FSR 3900100, 110, 105, FSR 3900395, FSR 3900415, FSR 3900500 (Iron Gate), 502, 505, 510, 515

Trails Closed

Trail No. 340 Long Draw, Trail No. 341 Deer Park, Trail No. 342 Windy Peak, Trail No. 343 Clutch Peak, Trail No. 360 Basin Creek, Trail No. 362 Windy Peak, Trail No. 375 Albert Camp, Trail No. 387 Middle Fork, Trail No. 505 Coleman Ridge from junction with Trail No. 561 north to junction with Trail No. 510, Trail No. 510 Chewuch from junction with 510A Cathedral Driveway north to junction with Trail No. 565 Lesamiz, Trail No. 533 Boundary Trail (Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail) from the junction of the lower Cathedral Lake Trail No. 545 junction east to the Forest Service boundary with the Loomis State Forest, Trail No. 533.2 Smith Lake, Trail No. 534 Tungsten Creek, Trail No. 561 Fire Creek

https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/colville/alerts-notices or https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/okawen/alerts-notices

WA DNR: The WA Department of Natural Resources has closed the northern block of the Loomis NRCA. This closure includes the Disappointment Trailhead, as well as Cold Springs Campground, Cold Springs Overlook, and Chopaka Lake Campground. The Cold Springs Road is closed 6 miles past the intersection with Toats Coulee Road, and the Fourteen Mile Road is closed 1 mile past the intersection with Toats Coulee Road. https://www.dnr.wa.gov/LoomisLoupLoup

Yreka, Calif., August 21, 2023— Lightning materialized again yesterday afternoon across the Klamath National Forest. The storms brought scattered rain across the forest. Some showers were heavy and slides again impacted areas of Highway 96.

New fires continue to be reported from yesterday’s lightning. Lookouts remain staffed across the forest and an aerial reconnaissance is planned for today to look for additional smokes. A moister air mass has moved over the much of the Klamath today which should moderate fire behavior on any new starts.

The forest continues to manage numerous fires on all ranger districts:

Happy Camp/Oak Knoll District:

·    The Swillup Fire, between Pony Peak and Bear Peak roads, continued to burn actively yesterday near the Happy Camp Complex’s Elliott, Canyon, and Three Creeks fires. Activity from those fires intermittently halted traffic flow on Highway 96. The Swillup Fire is estimated at 500-600 acres and was incorporated into the Happy Camp Complex this morning. 

·    The Devils Fire is 2.5 acres near Seiad Low Gap and is contained.

·    The Doe Fire, now mapped at 1.5 acres and located near Doe Peak, was called out yesterday.

·    The Berry Fire is .2 acre near Huckleberry Mountain has line around it.

·    The Indy Fire up Independence Creek is near the border of the Marble Mountain Wilderness in the 2021 McCash Fire footprint. It was reported as a small fire with low potential and has difficult access. Smokey conditions in the area have hampered aerial access.

·    The Brown Fire is .1 acres and out.

·    The Dutch Fire is .1 acres and is out.

·    The Intersection Fire is .1 acres and is out.

·    The Titus Fire is in the Marble Mountain Wilderness south of Norcross Campground. It remains at roughly 15 acres with some smoldering at the heel. It is within the 2021 McCash Fire footprint and received significant rain on Tuesday which moderated fire behavior. There are numerous snags, and the fire is in very steep country. It is being monitored by air to evaluate suppression needs.

Salmon/Scott River Ranger District:

·    A new fire, called the Box Fire, was reported this morning near Box Camp Trailhead. It is estimated at 1 acre and resources are en route.

·    The Capitan Fire is near Capitan Mountain in the Siskiyou Wilderness. Smokejumpers are being inserted into this fire, which is reported to be approximately 1 acre.

·    The Picayune Fire was reported yesterday near Picayune Lake, east of Forks of Salmon. It is roughly 1 acre and has line around it. Resources remain on scene securing the fireline and mopping up.

·    Also reported yesterday, the Whisky Fire was called in as a small ground fire near Whisky Camp near Big Elk Lake in the Marble Mountain Wilderness. A helitack crew is being inserted today.

·    The Grizzly Fire in the Russian Wilderness on Grizzly Peak near Bingham Lake. It is 1.5 acres and contained. Resources remain on scene mopping up.

·    The Clear Fire is in the Marble Mountain Wilderness near Clear Lake. It is roughly .1 acre and is contained.

·    The Shadow Fire is 2 acres in the Marble Mountain Wilderness near Sky High Lakes. Firefighters are continuing mop up the fire and it is 100% contained.

·    The Boulder Fire is .1 acres near Indian Scotty Campground and is controlled and in patrol status.

·    The Henry Fire near Henry Gulch is .1 acre and is out.

Goosenest Ranger District:

·    A new fire was reported yesterday near Ball Mountain. The Ball Fire is .25 acres and contained. Resources will continue to mop up and secure the fireline today.

Yesterday, the Klamath National Forest issued an emergency closure order for two portions of the forest. The purpose of the closure is to provide for public safety in response to ongoing and increased wildfire activity across the forest, including the Happy Camp Complex. The closure prohibits the public from entering portions of the forest in or near the vicinity of ongoing wildfire activity. The closure order also prohibits the use of roads, trails, and developed recreation sites within the closure. Visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/klamath for information on these closures.

“We ask the public to comply with the closure Orders that are in place,” said Klamath National Forest Supervisor Rachel Smith. “Between the activity associated with the Happy Camp Complex and the lightning that continues to ignite new fires on the Klamath, it is important to stay out of the places that are within the Order areas.”

Fire restrictions are in place on the Klamath National Forest. Campfires are only permitted in developed campgrounds and designated wilderness areas. Area closures are in place for the Happy Camp Complex, effective today. Full descriptions of restrictions and closures are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/klamath/alerts-notices.

Evacuation Orders and Warnings remain in effect. Monitor CodeRED and the @SiskiyouCountySheriff for current information.

Closures: 

Area closures for the Happy Camp Complex are in place southwest of Happy Camp and northwest of Fort Jones.

Pacific Crest Trail is closed from Etna Summit to the Oregon Border. Hikers and all backpackers are asked to stay off the trail in that area.

Dillon Creek Campground is closed due to proximity to the Elliot Creek Fire.

Highway 96 and the Scott River Road have hard closures.

Information on the Happy Camp Complex can be found at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information//caknf-2023-happy-camp-complex-klamath-nf

Information on Klamath National Forest fires that are not part of the Happy Camp Complex can be found here: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/caknf-2023-klamath-national-forest-august-lightning-fires

*Please obey any evacuation Orders and Warnings that have been issued*

People and Equipment:      432 personnel, crews, engines, dozers, water tenders and air support
Current Situation:    3-9 Fire: 400 acres with 0% containment    Pilot Fire: 500 acres with 6% containment
     Pelllitreau Fire: 3.4 acres with 100% containment     Sulphur Fire: 33 acres with 75% containment

Dozer line has been constructed on the southern perimeter of the 3-9 fire. The team priority is the southeastern corner to protect Hyampom and Lake Mountain Ranch. The 3N14 road on the east side is being reopened and improved with handline as part of this effort. Additional dozer line has been put in up to Bennet Peak and will eventually go to Grapevine Creek. There is high density of snags in the northern perimeter as this fire is in a 7 year old burn scar; this has made safely building line there a slow process. Additional contingency lines are being built around the fire as well.

The Pilot fire has dozer line in place on the northwest and southern sides. There were 2 spots over the line yesterday that were caught. Good progress has been made on the southwestern perimeter by CalFire crews working on private land. They have also been supporting the USFS effort with improving additional line. The Team priority for this fire is the northwest corner to prevent any runs up to the PG&E KV transmission line that supplies electricity to Eureka and surrounding communities on the coast. In some ways this is an easier fire to fight as there is no recent fire history to create snags that complicate safety issues for firefighters.

The Pellitreau fire has containment line around it and is in patrol status. Good progress has been made on the Sulfur fire; it is in mop up and patrol status as well.

Weather and Fire Behavior: An area of low pressure west of the Bay Area, coupled with increasing tropical moisture from tropical storm Hilary will bring increasing clouds, spotty showers and thunderstorms today and Tuesday. Firefighters will be watching for erratic and gusty winds from thunderstorm outflow and frequent lightning from the storm.

Community Meeting on Tuesday:
A community meeting is being held Tuesday, August 22nd at 6:00pm. The meeting will be held at the at the Veteran’s Hall - VFW Post 9546 located at: 9201 CA-3, Hayfork, CA. This meeting will be in-person.

Evacuation Warning:
These remain in effect. Please continue to check the Trinity County Wildfire and Evacuation site for up-to-date status and locations: Trinity County Wildfire and Evacuation Map

Forest Closure: There are new Forest Closure orders for the South Fork Complex Fire that have been posted on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest website home page. Please avoid the closed areas.

The Happy Camp Complex is comprised of 13 fires all burning on the Klamath National Forest over a large portion of Siskiyou County. The west side of the complex includes the Canyon, Three Creeks, Elliot, Ufish, and Malone Fires. Additionally, the incident management team assumed command of the Swillup Fire this morning at 6 a.m. The Canyon, Three Creeks, Elliot and Swillup are burning on the west side of Highway 96. Firefighters are focused on keeping the fires west of the highway, protecting structures and keeping the highway corridor open.

 The Ufish is burning east of Highway 96, southeast of Clear Creek. The fire is slowly backing toward the Highway 96 corridor. The Malone Fire is burning west of Elk Creek Road. Yesterday, active fire behavior was observed on the Malone Fire and several spot fires ignited outside the primary lines. Overnight, fireline was established around the spots tying them back into the Malone Fire. That fire has now burned down to Elk Creek.

The largest fire on the east side of the complex is the Head Fire. Last night rain fell over the fire area and, due to conditions on the line, firefighters shifted from working the line to structure protection work around the community of Hamburg.

Good progress is being made on the Den, Townsend, and Block Fires. The Block Fire is fully contained and partial containment has been achieved on the Townsend and Den Fires.

The Gold and Scott Fires were very active yesterday and firefighters worked hard to hold the fire on the ridge between Scott Bar Creek and Scott Bar Lookout and north to Anderson Peak. Precipitation over the two fires last night moderated fire behavior and provided an opportunity for crews to accomplish a significant amount of line construction. Crews are preparing structures in the area of Scott River as the fires back down slope to the river.

The Lake Fire is burning in the Marble Mountain Wilderness. An additional crew will hike into the area today to join the two crews already working the fire. Rain has moderated fire behavior. The assigned crews will remain in the area and be resupplied as needed by a U.S. Forest Service mule pack train.

Remnants of Hurricane Hilary are over the region and rain is expected over the east portion of the fire area this afternoon. The west side is not expected to receive rain but high humidity will help moderate fire behavior. Increased relative humidity and lack of solar heating due to cloud cover has already led to a decrease in fire behavior over the entire area. The rain will further suppress burning in lighter vegetation but heavier fuels will continue to smolder. Fire activity is not expected to pick up again for a few days. This will provide an opportunity for crews to aggressively build fireline directly on the edge of several of the fires in the Happy Camp Complex.

CURRENT ACRES BURNED:

Canyon (1,108), Three Creeks (320), Elliot (531), Swillup (500-600 acres estimated), Ufish (243), Malone (66), Head (6,419), Den (294), Townsend (81), Block (0.1), Gold (730), Scott (225), Lake (174)

EVACUATIONS:  View current Siskiyou County evacuation orders, warnings by visiting: community.zonehaven.com

An evacuation center has been established at the Kahtishraam Wellness Center, 1403 Kahtiishraam, Yreka, CA 95097. Call (530) 340-3539 if you have questions regarding the shelter.

ROAD CLOSURES: Highway 96 is closed from Seiad Creek Road to two miles east of Horse Creek.  Scott River Road is closed at Kelsey Creek Road. Fire and debris flow will continue to impact the Highway 96 corridor. Please check the Cal Trans website prior to travel in the area, quickmap.dot.ca.gov.  County road closures will be listed on the Siskiyou County Public Works website, https://www.co.siskiyou.ca.us/publicworks/page/closures-and-delays . If you are traveling and encounter mud or debris flow across the roadway do not attempt to cross over the flow. Vehicles can easily be swept off the roadway.

FOREST CLOSURE: Two closure orders have been implemented; Happy Camp Complex Emergency Fire Closure, No.05-05-23-06; Happy Camp Complex Emergency Fire Closure, No. 05-05-23-07. Please refer to https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/klamath/alerts-notices to view the orders and maps.

TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTION (TFR): A TFR has been established over the fire area. Flight restrictions include the use of drones. Operation of drones under the TFR is prohibited.

PACIFIC CREST TRAIL: The Pacific Crest Trail has been impacted by the Happy Camp Complex and a portion of the trail is within an Emergency Closure Order on the Klamath National Forest. The trail is closed between Etna Summit and Mount Ashland.

AIR QUALITY: For information smoke impacts and what you can do to protect yourself visit: https://www.airnow.gov/

For additional information regarding the Happy Camp Complex, please go to the InciWeb page at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/

Hill Top Fire

News - 08/21/2023

Size: 200 acres

Containment: 85%

Start Date: August 18, 2023

Cause: Lightning

Incident Commander: Keith Mousel

Management Team: Florida Gold Team

Current Situation:

Today, crews will continue constructing and improving containment lines around the fire, using engines and hand crews to patrol and mop-up areas still containing burning material within 200 feet of containment lines. Bulldozers will continue to connect containment lines where possible and hand crews will be utilized when the terrain becomes too steep for heavy equipment.

Weather:

Forecasted weather for today includes continued hot and dry conditions with increased wind speeds, which is an added component that could test containment lines across the fire area. If fire activity increases, continued aviation support of the fire may be required. Residents and visitors to the area are likely to see dust devils and some smoke in the burn area as winds increase out of the southeast. Fire managers are aware of this possibility and are prepared should the fire break containment.

Evacuations and Closures:

There are no evacuations at this time, but citizens are encouraged to refer to the Taylor County Sheriff's Office's Facebook page for more information.

There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in place for the area over the fire, [NOTAM: FDC 3/8262,https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_3_8262.html Please avoid the area to provide a safe environment for firefighting aircraft.

Emergency Alerts:

Taylor County Commissioners Court implemented a county-wide burn ban for Taylor County effective immediately July 18, 2023 for 90 days or until substantial rainfall has saturated all areas within the County.

Alert Center • Taylor County, TX • CivicEngage (texas.gov)

Damages and Injuries: 

Significant damage to powerlines and to a repeater building were noted by fire managers on 8/19. The repeater building was largely abandoned except for a room being utilized by the Potosi Volunteer Fire Department. No other structure damage or loss has been reported. Two injuries have been reported on this fire, but both were minor, and the firefighters were treated and allowed to return to duty.

Closure Order for areas impacted by the Airplane Lake Fire burning in the Glacier Peak Wilderness on the Wenatchee River Ranger District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest:  https://cms.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1132478.pdf 

Map of the closure area:  https://cms.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1132479.pdf

News Release August 21, 2023

***Drone usage is prohibited around a wildfire***

Flying of Drones around a wildfire will prevent helicopters and fixed wing aircraft from flying and assisting in suppressing the wildfire.

Chattaroy, WA - The Oregon Fire is located approximately 4 miles northeast of Elk, WA. This fire was reported at about 4:00pm on Friday August 18th, 2023 and has burned approximately 10,137 acres of Forest and cropland.

Evacuations: Level 3 which means Go – Leave Immediately:

     A large area east and southeast of Elk is under level 3 evacuation. See attached map.

For updated maps visit: www.facebook.com/GEGEmergencyMgt

If homeowners feel threaten by fire they should evacuate immediately, there may be no formal notice that you need to evacuate. As the weather changes today fire behavior will rapidly change.

Evacuation center is at Riverside High School 4120 E. Deer Park Milan Rd, Chattaroy, WA 99003.

Roads within evacuation area are closed to the public.

Quick Facts - Oregon Fire
Incident Start: August 18, 2023

Incident Approximate Size: Approx. 10,137 acres
Fire Containment: 0% Contained
Assigned Resources on the Incident
    Hand Crews: 13
    Engines: 38
    Dozers : 8
    Skid Engine: 2
    Water Tenders: 8
Total Personnel on Incident: 463
Fire Cause: Under Investigation

Evacuation Orders: Level 3, see map. www.facebook.com/GEGEmergencyMgt

Road closures are in effect in Evacuation area.

Sunday:

Over 300 fire fighters were on the line in the morning and the number increased to over 400 by
early afternoon.

Firefighting engaged in structure protection and containment line construction. Fire Fighters conducted activities including removing flammable vegetation/materials near structures and constructing containment line around structures.

Bulldozers continue to construct containment lines around the east and south side of the fire.

During the afternoon, spot fires crossed the containment lines in the southwest corner of the fire. The fire spread toward Antler road area. Bulldozers, fire engines and hand crews worked on reestablishing containment lines around this area during the evening and into the night. The fire continued spreading to the east where containment lines are currently being constructed.

Air resources were able to engage the fire on a limited basis due to low visibility.

Sunday Night:

Fire crews focused on structure protection and securing containment lines around structures. Fire activity continued in the southwest portion of the fire.

Today:

Fire fighters will continue to focus on protecting structures. Fire fighters will also work on securing
existing containment lines along the west and north sides of the fire. Bulldozers and hand crews will continue constructing containment lines along the southwest, south and east side of the fire. Active fire behavior is expected throughout the day.

The Fire will transition from NE Type 3, Team 3, to Pacific Northwest (PNW) Team 3 at 0600 on 8/22/23.

This will be the FINAL written update from the Alaska Incident Management Team (IMT) concerning the Lost Horse Creek Fire (#296). If notable activity occurs, updates will be provided on AK Fire Info, Alaska DNR-DOF Facebook Page, and InciWeb. Starting Monday, August 21 at 8pm, the public and media should call the Alaska statewide fire information line at 907-356-5511 with any questions.

Today, we will see an additional reduction in resources on the fire as work is completed and the fire transitions to a Type 3 organization. Incident Commander Mike Haisten will assume command of the fire on Tuesday, August 22 at 8am.

“The Alaska Green Team would like to thank all the cooperators and community members that have contributed to the firefighting effort. We appreciate your patience, support, and hospitality during our time here on the fire” says Incident Commander Peter Butteri.

Due to more accurate mapping, acreage for the fire has decreased slightly to 9,317 acres. The Pioneer Peak Interagency Hotshot Crew is completing mop-up operations on the southwest corner.  Four excavators are working across the southern portion of the fire to repair direct dozer line put in place during fire suppression. This repair work will be done along the entire southern perimeter from the southwest corner around to the Haystack 2021 burn scar. Fire managers are expecting this work to be completed in the next 7-10 days if weather cooperates. The masticator work on the indirect Chatinika line, located to the east of Middle Fork Rd and the Haystack community, is complete.

CLOSURES: Olnes Pond campground is closed in order to support fire operations. It is expected to open to the public on Wednesday, August 23. The western portion of the White Mountains National Recreation Area is closed per the BLM Eastern Interior Field Office. Visit Alaska Fire Restrictions | Bureau of Land Management (blm.gov) for the most up to date status on this closure.

TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTION (TFR) is in effect through August 23, 2023. The TFR will be rescinded on August 24, 2023. For more details, visit 3/4417 NOTAM Details (tfr.faa.gov).

The phone numbers and email listed below will no longer be active after Monday, August 21, 2023 at 8pm. Information will be posted to the websites listed below if notable activity occurs.

Public Information: (907) 921- 2555       

Media Inquiries: (907) 921- 2554

Email: 2023.LostHorseCreek@firenet.gov  

You Tube: www.youtube.com/AlaskaDNRDOF

www.akfireinfo.com  ♦  www.facebook.com/AK.Forestry  ♦  inciweb.wildfire.gov/