Currently the Siouxon Fire is burning in steep, remote terrain, surrounded to the west, north and east by the 2020 Big Hollow burn scar, in the southwest corner of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Fire staff were not able to fly today so there is no official updated acreage, but it is estimated to be at about 200 acres. The fire is burning in heavy timber and light slash.

It is anticipated that the burn scars, especially where there was high severity burn, will slow the fire’s spread. Fire personnel are actively monitoring the situation and taking steps to manage the fire and provide for public safety.

Fire behavior: Fire behavior is moderate with creeping, smoldering, and backing. Cloud cover remained over the are most of the day and the fire received a good amount of rain. Some moisture is reaching hot spots resulting in steam. This will create an increase in smoke coming from the fire. Recent rain may have tamped down the open flames, but fire activity will increase again as the moisture dissipates.

Weather: After a recent period of light rain, the weather is is forecast to turn warmer and drier this weekend. It is expected to produce an increase in fire activity.

Closures: To help protect the public an area closure had been put in place. Key closures include: Forest Roads 57 and 58, upper 64, Trail #130 (Siouxon Trail), and Trail #129 (Huffman Peak Trail).  View Siouxon Fire Closure Order. View a Closure Map.

Fire restrictions are in place: Campfires are currently PROHIBITED within the Forest except at some designated developed campgrounds. Exceptions include: Portable stoves, lanterns/heating devices using liquefied/bottled fuel, such as propane, are OK as they can be instantly switched off.

Human caused fires are preventable. Remember, when permissible, make sure that your campfire is never left unattended, and when you leave ensure that your fire is dead out and cold to the touch.

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

Contact: Mt. Adams Ranger District, (509) 395-3400 Mon-Sat.

Forest-wide Fire Information & Updates: http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/gp/fire.

Currently the Siouxon fire is 179 acres in size and burning primarily in the Siouxon Creek drainage in the southwest corner of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The fire is burning in a remote hard to reach area which was previously impacted by the 2020 Big Hollow Fire. The Siouxon Fire is surrounded to the west, north and east by burn scars from the Big Hollow Fire. It is anticipated that the burn scars, especially where there was high severity burn, will slow the fire’s spread. Fire personnel are actively assessing the situation and taking steps to manage the fire and provide for public safety.

Fire behavior: Another shift of unseasonably warm and dry conditions gave the Siouxon fire the ability for overnight fire growth and moderate daytime fire activity. At approximately 12:15 today the fire experienced a complete wind change from consistent winds out of the east, to gusty winds out of the west resulting in sending most of the smoke towards Trout Lake WA.

An infrared flight from 1200 today puts the fire at 179 acres. Most growth occurred to the west and ultimately crossed Calamity Creek as well as to the east up the Siouxon drainage.  Fire behavior did slightly intensify when it reached a stand of younger timber to the south. We did experience some isolated tree torching which added some density to the smoke, but overall, the fire is still mostly burning at the ground level. The fire is still within the Big Hollow footprint.

Weather: The next few days will bring some moisture over the fire area which will lessen fire behavior; however, moving into this weekend we are expecting temperatures to rise which will continue the increase in acreage.

Closures: To help protect the public an area closure had been put in place. Key closures include: Forest Roads 57 and 58, upper 64, Trail #130 (Siouxon Trail), and Trail #129 (Huffman Peak Trail).  View Siouxon Fire Closure Order. View a Closure Map.

Closure description: Beginning at the Forest Boundary and the north edge of National Forest System (NFS) Road 54 east along north edge of NFS Road 54 to the intersection of NFS Road 5704; east along NFS Road 5704 as it changes to NFS Road 58; east along NFS Road 58 to the intersection with NFS 64, then west along NFS Road 64 to the intersection of NFS Road 6403 then west along NFS Road 6403-216 to Siouxon Peak and east along the Siouxon Peak Trail #129B and then Huffman Peak Trail #129 north to the Forest Boundary then following the contiguous forest boundary to east and south to the north edge of NFS Road 54 and the point of origin. 

Fire restrictions are in place: Campfires are currently PROHIBITED within the Forest except at some designated developed campgrounds. Exceptions include: Portable stoves, lanterns/heating devices using liquefied/bottled fuel, such as propane, are OK as they can be instantly switched off.

Human caused fires are preventable. Remember, when permissible, make sure that your campfire is never left unattended, and when you leave ensure that your fire is dead out and cold to the touch.

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

Contact: Mt. Adams Ranger District, (509) 395-3400

Forest-wide Fire Information & Updates: http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/gp/fire.

JOSEPH, Ore. (October 5, 2022) – A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team has arrived inJoseph, Oregon, to begin their assessment of the Double Creek, Nebo, Sturgill, Jones and Goat MountainFires.
 BAER is an emergency program aimed at managing imminent unacceptable risks to human life andsafety, property, and or critical natural and cultural resources from post-wildfire conditions.The Team, comprised of U.S. Forest Service employees who specialize in multiple resource areas, isconducting field surveys and using science-based models to rapidly assess watersheds on NationalForest System lands, then inventory BAER Critical Values, assess risk and determine the need foremergency measures and treatments on National Forest System lands. The Team will share any areas ofconcern outside of National Forest System lands with the appropriate federal, state, and countyagencies so they can work with individual landowners under their respective authorities.
 "There are over 200,000 acres of burned area to be covered and we know it is a big job," said AnthonyBotello, deputy forest supervisor for the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. "While for the majority ofthe burned area, we anticipate low to moderate burn severity and the fire effects are mostly positive,we are happy to have a BAER team here to help assess the risks to values that fires can cause. "
 Team members will closely assess the watersheds for post-fire rain related impacts such as increasedflooding, debris flow potential, and increased soil erosion. The Team will evaluate threats and risks andthen recommend various emergency response strategies to be completed before the first damagingstorm event. Those recommendations are submitted as a proposed emergency response plan forapproval. Once approved, the Forest will receive funding to complete emergency response effortswithin the fire area.
 Treatments will be installed within one year from the date of full containment and may be monitoredfor up to three years. It is anticipated that the fire assessments will be completed by mid-October withthe response plan implemented by the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Supervisor and any nearbyprivate land shortly after.

The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program is designed to identify and manage potential risks to resources on National Forest System lands and reduce these threats through appropriate emergency measures to protect human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources. BAER is an emergency program for stabilization work that involves time-critical activities to be completed before the first damaging event to meet program objectives:BAER Objectives:

•  Determine whether imminent post-wildfire threats to human life and safety, property, and 

critical natural or cultural resources on National Forest System lands exist and take immediate actions, as appropriate, to manage the unacceptable risks.

•  If emergency conditions are identified, mitigate significant threats to health, safety, human life, property and critical cultural and natural resources.•  Prescribe emergency response actions to stabilize and prevent unacceptable degradation to natural and cultural resources, to minimize threats to critical values resulting from the effects of a fire, or to repair/replace/construct physical improvements necessary to prevent degradation of land or resources.•  Implement emergency response actions to help stabilize soil; control water, sediment and debris movement and potentially reduce threats to the BAER critical values identified above when an analysis shows that planned actions are likely to reduce risks substantially within the first year following containment of the fire.•  Monitor the implementation and effectiveness of emergency treatments that were applied on National Forest System lands.
 

While many wildfires cause minimal damage to the land and pose few threats to the land or people downstream, some fires result in damage that requires special efforts to reduce impacts afterwards. Loss of vegetation exposes soil to erosion; water run-off may increase and cause flooding, soil and rock may move downstream and damage property or fill reservoirs putting community water supplies and endangered species at-risk.
 The BAER team presents these findings in an assessment report that identifies immediate and emergency actions needed to address post-fire risks to human life and safety, property, cultural and critical natural resources. This includes early detection and rapid response (EDRR) treatments to prevent the spread of noxious weeds into native plant communities. The BAER report describes watershed pre- and post-fire watershed response information, areas of concern for life and property, and recommended short-term emergency stabilization measures for Forest Service lands that burned.
 In most cases, only a portion of the burned area is actually treated. Severely burned areas steep slopes, and places where water run-off will be excessive and may impact important resources, are focus areas and described in the BAER assessment report if they affect critical values. Time is critical if the emergency stabilization measures are to be effective.
 A BAER assessment team conducts field surveys and uses science-based models to rapidly evaluate and assess the burned area and prescribe emergency stabilization measures. The team generates a “Soil Burn Severity” map by using satellite imagery which is then validated and adjusted by BAER team field surveys to assess watershed conditions and model potential watershed response from the wildfire. The map identifies areas of soil burn severity by categories of very low/unburned, low, moderate, and high which may correspond to a projected increase in watershed response. The higher the burn severity, the less the soil will be able to absorb water when it rains. Without absorption, there will be increased run-off with the potential of flooding.
 BAER Funding:Special Emergency Wildfire Suppression funds are authorized for BAER activities and the amount of these expenses varies with the severity of the fire season. Some years see little BAER activity while other years are extremely busy.
 Because of the emergency nature of BAER, initial requests for funding of proposed BAER treatments are supposed to be submitted by the Forest Supervisor to the Regional Office within 7 days of total containment of the fire. The Regional Forester’s approval authority for individual BAER projects is limited. Approval for BAER projects exceeding this limit is to the Washington Office.

The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team measures two different elements, soil burn severity and vegetation mortality, to help guide their assessment of emergency risks and imminent threats to critical values, including life and safety, Forest Service property and critical natural resources following a wildfire.

Soil Burn Severity: We tend to think of wildfire burn severity in terms of the visual impacts to above-ground vegetation, but the post-fire landscape response (erosion, flooding, and mass movement) is generally more strongly correlated to soil burn severity. Soil burn severity is a critical indicator of recovery.

Even when the soil looks lifeless, fine, hair-like roots can still persist beneath the surface. These roots not only store energy for fire-adapted plants to recover more quickly after a fire, but they also act as a net that can help stabilize the soil against erosion. When assessing soil burn severity, soil scientists examine the condition of these fine roots to help determine post-fire recovery and likelihood of erosion.

Pre-fire ground cover, forest type, fire behavior, slope, aspect, and other factors all influence soil burn severity. The BAER team’s watershed specialists (soil scientists, hydrologists, and geologists) use these factors to help ground-truth different burn intensities to tease out patterns of how fire affected and changed the properties of the soil. From the soil burn severity map, geologists can predict debris flow hazards, hydrologists can predict changes to stream flows, and soil scientists can predict erosion potential.

Vegetation Mortality: Above ground vegetation can aid in the recovery of a burned forest. For example, in areas where the trees were scorched and killed, those conifer trees will drop their needles, which provides very helpful natural ground cover. Since post-fire soil erosion is a major concern of soil scientists, this natural ground cover plays a crucial role in slowing the interaction between rain drops and soil particles that would otherwise get washed down the hillslope.

The BAER team creates a vegetation mortality map that focuses on the wildfire effects to the forest and is reported in percent of basal area loss. Basal area is the average amount of an area (such as an acre) occupied by tree stems This product helps other scientists, such as wildlife biologists, botanists, and silviculturists understand what to expect from this changed landscape for wildlife habitat, invasive weeds, and timber production.

While lots of trees and other vegetation died, nature is resilient, and we’ve already seen evidence of many plant species sprouting up amongst the newly blackened and open canopy forest.

Westfir, Ore., Oct. 5, 2022—A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team has arrived in Westfir, Ore., to begin their assessment of the Cedar Creek Fire. BAER is an emergency program aimed at managing imminent unacceptable risks to human life and safety, property, and or critical natural and cultural resources from post-wildfire conditions. The fire has covered 120,926 acres to date on the Willamette and Deschutes National Forests.

The Team, comprised of U.S. Forest Service employees who specialize in multiple resource areas, is conducting field surveys and using science-based models to rapidly assess watersheds on National Forest System lands, then inventory BAER Critical Values, assess risk and determine the need for emergency measures and treatments on National Forest System lands. The Team will share any areas of concern outside of National Forest System lands with the appropriate federal, state, and county agencies so they can work with individual landowners under their respective authorities.

Team members will closely assess the watersheds for post-fire rain related impacts such as increased flooding, debris flow potential, and increased soil erosion. The Team will evaluate threats and risks and then recommend various emergency response strategies to be completed before the first damaging storm event. Those recommendations are submitted as a proposed emergency response plan for approval.  Once approved, the Forest will receive funding to complete emergency response efforts within the fire area.

Treatments will be installed within one year from the date of full containment and may be monitored for up to three years. It is anticipated that the fire assessments will be completed by mid-October with the response plan implemented by the Willamette and Deschutes National Forest Supervisors shortly after.

The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program is designed to identify and manage potential risks to resources on National Forest System lands and reduce these threats through appropriate emergency measures to protect human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources. BAER is an emergency program for stabilization work that involves time-critical activities to be completed before the first damaging event to meet program objectives:

BAER Objectives:

• Determine whether imminent post-wildfire threats to human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources on National Forest System lands exist and take immediate actions, as appropriate, to manage the unacceptable risks.
• If emergency conditions are identified, mitigate significant threats to health, safety, human life, property and critical cultural and natural resources.
• Prescribe emergency response actions to stabilize and prevent unacceptable degradation to natural and cultural resources, to minimize threats to critical values resulting from the effects of a fire, or to repair/replace/construct physical improvements necessary to prevent degradation of land or resources.
• Implement emergency response actions to help stabilize soil; control water, sediment and debris movement and potentially reduce threats to the BAER critical values identified above when an analysis shows that planned actions are likely to reduce risks substantially within the first year following containment of the fire.
• Monitor the implementation and effectiveness of emergency treatments that were applied on National Forest System lands.

While many wildfires cause minimal damage to the land and pose few threats to the land or people downstream, some fires result in damage that requires special efforts to reduce impacts afterwards. Loss of vegetation exposes soil to erosion; water run-off may increase and cause flooding, soil and rock may move downstream and damage property or fill reservoirs putting community water supplies and endangered species at-risk.
 
The BAER team presents these findings in an assessment report that identifies immediate and emergency actions needed to address post-fire risks to human life and safety, property, cultural and critical natural resources. This includes early detection and rapid response (EDRR) treatments to prevent the spread of noxious weeds into native plant communities. The BAER report describes watershed pre- and post-fire watershed response information, areas of concern for life and property, and recommended short-term emergency stabilization measures for Forest Service lands that burned.
 
In most cases, only a portion of the burned area is actually treated. Severely burned areas steep slopes, and places where water run-off will be excessive and may impact important resources, are focus areas and described in the BAER assessment report if they affect critical values. Time is critical if the emergency stabilization measures are to be effective.
 
A BAER assessment team conducts field surveys and uses science-based models to rapidly evaluate and assess the burned area and prescribe emergency stabilization measures. The team generates a “Soil Burn Severity” map by using satellite imagery which is then validated and adjusted by BAER team field surveys to assess watershed conditions and model potential watershed response from the wildfire. The map identifies areas of soil burn severity by categories of very low/unburned, low, moderate, and high which may correspond to a projected increase in watershed response. The higher the burn severity, the less the soil will be able to absorb water when it rains. Without absorption, there will be increased run-off with the potential of flooding.
 
BAER Funding: Special Emergency Wildfire Suppression funds are authorized for BAER activities and the amount of these expenses varies with the severity of the fire season. Some years see little BAER activity while other years are extremely busy. Because of the emergency nature of BAER, initial requests for funding of proposed BAER treatments are supposed to be submitted by the Forest Supervisor to the Regional Office within 7 days of total containment of the fire. The Regional Forester’s approval authority for individual BAER projects is limited. Approval for BAER projects exceeding this limit is to the Washington Office.

Forest Service BAER assessment teams are established by Forest Supervisors before wildfires are fully contained. The teams coordinate and work with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), National Weather Service (NWS), local counties, State Department of Transportation, and other federal, state, and local agencies to strategically assess potential post-fire impacts to the watersheds burned from wildland fires.

• The BAER assessment teams are evaluating watershed conditions to determine the level of potential risks to human life, safety, property, critical natural and cultural-heritage resources, and determine if there are appropriate and effective emergency stabilization measures that can be implemented on federal lands in a timely manner to reduce unacceptable risks from potential flooding and debris flow threats.
• The BAER assessment team conducts field surveys and uses science-based models to rapidly evaluate and assess the burned area.
• BAER assessment teams are staffed by specially trained professionals that may include: hydrologists, soil scientists, engineers, geologists, biologists, botanists, archeologists, geographic information system mapping specialists, recreation and trails specialists, and others who evaluate the burned area and prescribe emergency response actions to protect the land quickly and effectively.
• BAER assessments usually begin before a wildfire has been fully contained.
• The BAER assessment team generates a “Soil Burn Severity” map by using satellite imagery which is then validated and adjusted by BAER team field surveys to assess watershed conditions and watershed response to the wildfire. The map identifies areas of soil burn severity by categories of low/unburned, moderate, and high which corresponds to a projected increase in watershed response.
• The BAER team presents these findings and treatment recommendations to the Forest Supervisor in an assessment report that identifies immediate and emergency stabilization actions needed to address potential post-fire risks to human life and safety, property, cultural-heritage and critical natural resources on National Forest System lands.
• The BAER report describes watershed pre- and post-fire response information, areas of concern for human life, safety and property, and recommended short-term emergency stabilization actions for federal lands that burned.
• In most cases, only a portion of the burned area is actually treated. 
• If the BAER assessment team determines there may be potential emergency situations, the short-term goal is to have flood and erosion control protection measures completed before the first large, damaging rain events occur.
• Timely implementation is critical if BAER emergency response actions are to be effective.
• The BAER assessment team coordinates with other federal and local agencies, and counties that assist private landowners in preparing for increased run-off and potential flooding.
• Federal assistance to private landowners regarding post-fire potential impacts is the primary responsibility of the NRCS through the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program(https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/landscape/ewpp/).
• NRCS in coordination with additional state, local and federal agencies conduct damage survey reports for the private land adjacent to and downstream from the burned areas. NRCS uses these reports, along with the BAER team’s assessment report, to develop recommended emergency measures for businesses and private home and landowners to reduce the impacts to their property from potential increased water and debris flows.

 Lazy Fire

October 5, 2022 Daily Update

Acres: 1,800
Containment: 100%
Start Date: September 29, 2022

Today crews spent a final day patrolling and searching for any heat along the lines. After patrolling the area all day yesterday and today without identifying any hot areas along the fire perimeter, fire managers have pushed containment to 100% and have handed this fire back to the local volunteer fire departments. All Texas A&M Forest Service resources have now returned to their local units and are standing by, waiting for the next call for assistance. 
 
Members of the public can expect to continue seeing plumes rise from the area of the Lazy Fire as hot areas inside the fire burn themselves out. Another common site might be dust devils formed by winds picking up exposed ash and dirt from the burned area and forming a similar looking plumes. If you see something rise from inside the burned area fire departments do not need to be informed, however if you see something rising from a different area outside of the Lazy Fire perimeter please call your local fire department. 

Lazy Fire
October  3, 2022 Daily Update

Acres: 1,800
Containment: 80%
Start Date: September 29, 2022

Yesterday crews from Texas A&M Forest Service and several local volunteer fire departments worked together to patrol and extinguish any hot areas along the containment lines. Several hot areas were identified and worked by first cutting any burning wood apart, then soaking the area, and mixing the ash and water together. Mixing the ash and water often makes a cool mud that can be packed onto burning logs to extinguish the burning wood.

Today there is a crew from Texas A&M Forest Service continuing this work, slowly covering the entire fire perimeter. This work does take some time and will go on until there are no identifiable heat near the containment lines. While this work is ongoing other personnel from Texas A&M Forest Service are standing by, prepared for the next call for assistance across the state.

Members of the public can expect to continue seeing plumes rise from the area of the Lazy Fire as hot areas inside the fire burn themselves out. Another common site might be dust devils formed by winds picking up exposed ash and dirt from the burned area and forming a similar looking plumes. If you see something rise from inside the burned area fire departments do not need to be informed, however if you see something rising from a different area outside of the Lazy Fire perimeter please call your local fire department.