Rehabilitation of hand and dozer lines also continued along the west to south containment lines, along with chipping cut material along roads on both private and public lands near Buckhorn Butte. Air patrol and engine crews kept a watchful eye on the northern and western perimeters.
A fleet of water tenders worked in tandem with a road
grader to maintain and repair fire traffic use of the Zumwalt Road. The water tenders also continued
hauling water to recharge private landowners' stock ponds used as water sources during supression operations.
Transfer of command from Mark Rapp's Central Oregon Type 2
team to a local Type 3 organization will take place this morning at 6:30 a.m. The
Type 3 Team's incident command post will be located at Thomason Meadows.
While the Lower Imnaha Road/Dug Bar Road is now open, citizens are encouraged to avoid traveling in this area given the
potential congestion from the continuing fire suppression traffic.
The Forest Area Closure in Wallowa-Whitman National Forest has been revised, allowing recreationists to return to their favorite camping
spots within a quarter-mile of the river's edge along the Snake River in Oregon
between the Washington state line and the Imnaha River. The Area Closure was
also expanded with the Avista Powerline road becoming the closure boundary on
the south end of the fire. A map
and description of the Forest Closure can be found at http://www.fs.usda.gov/wallowa-whitman
or www.inciweb.org/incident/3202.
A partial closure of Forest Service Road 46 remains in
place. An alternate route is
available to detour around the fire area. Road guards are staffing roadblocks limiting public access into the
fire area for firefighter and public safety.
The need for the closures will be assessed daily and they will be removed
as soon as possible.
Location: Wallowa and Asotin Counties
Date Started: 08/20/12
Cause: Lightning
Injuries: 3
Size:
73,500 acres
Percent Contained: 90%
Total Personnel: 436
SEPT. 3 NEWS: Burnout of unburned fuels interior to the main containment lines occurred yesterday afternoon in the Jim Creek Butte and the Five Points drainage as evidenced by columns of smoke seen at various points around the fire. Firefighters completed most of the fire suppression-related rehabilitation in the Imnaha drainage.
Rehab also was accomplished on dozer and handlines and by chipping cut material along roads on both private and public lands near Buckhorn Butte. Portions of the fire to the north and west perimeters were patrolled by air and engine crews.
Today, air resources
will continue patrolling the northern fire perimeter while engines will patrol
along the west. Rehabilitation of
hand and dozer lines and chipping of cut material along roads will also
continue in the Buckhorn Butte and southern fire perimeter areas.
Recreationists were allowed to return to their favorite camping spots along the Snake River when the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest revised its Forest Closure yesterday. The revised Closure Order allows camping in Oregon within a quarter-mile of the river’s edge between the Washington state line and the Imnaha River. The Area Closure was also expanded with the Avista Powerline road becoming the closure boundary on the south end of the fire. A map and description of the Forest Closure can be found at http://www.fs.usda.gov/wallowa-whitman or www.inciweb.org/incident/3202.
A partial closure of Forest Service Road 46 remains in place. An alternate route is available to detour around the fire area. Road guards are staffing roadblocks, limiting public access into the fire area for firefighter and public safety. The need for the closures will be assessed daily and they will be removed as soon as possible.
Location: Wallowa and Asotin
Counties
|
Date Started: 08/20/12
|
Cause: Lightning
|
Injuries: 3
|
Percent Contained: 80%
|
Total Personnel: 534
|
AUG. 31 NEWS: The community public meeting held in Imnaha was well attended. A community meeting will be held tonight at 5 p.m. at the Joseph Community Center.
The fire is close to 30 river miles long in
the Snake River in the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. The northern most area of the fire is
in Asotin County extending to the confluence of the Imnaha River.
There are no more ground resources on the Washington part
of the fire. Due to the large size
of this fire, air patrols monitor the fire perimeter along the north and
northwest sides. Engines are
patrolling on the Oregon side to initiate any response needed. These areas are considered contained
due to the lack of fire activity in recent days.
The west/southwest perimeter the fire has stalled on a ridge
near Five Point and Cook Creek. The excessive steepness and extreme terrain are making this area
inaccessible to firefighters. A
plan for this area, which is still burning, will place firefighter and public
safety first. The rest of the
perimeter going south has been cold trailed and is in mop-up stage.
The fire and weather are cooperating in the southwest
corner, allowing crews direct line construction on the fire. Forest Service Road 46, which has been
prepped for burnout, now serves as a contingency line, saving thousands of
burned acres.
Firefighters held the line along Powerline Road in
the Imnaha drainage. Crews worked
to surround the fire's southern perimeter and burn out along Powerline Road
to increase the amount of black along the road and which strengthened the
containment line.
Fallen timber, rolling debris, and rocks in the fire area
make the area unsafe for public activities. A Forest Area Closure remains in place on the
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. A
map and description of the Forest Closure can be found at http://www.fs.usda.gov/wallowa-whitman
or www.inciweb.org/incident/3202.
A
partial closure of Forest Service Road 46 remains in place. An alternate route is available to
detour around the fire area. Road
guards are staffing roadblocks limiting public access into the fire area for
both firefighter and public safety. The need for the closures will be assessed daily.
The Wallowa County Sheriff's Office closed Lower Imnaha Road/Dug Bar Road (Forest Service Road 4260). The
closure begins at the junction of Fence Creek (six miles north of Imnaha) north
to the Dug Bar Landing on the Snake River.
Thursday's efforts to secure the south end of the fire
above the Imnaha drainage were successful. Firefighters and air operations
established a strong black line at the southern edge to the Imnaha River. On
Friday, these areas will be rehabilitated and in mop up. Efforts Friday will
concentrate on mop-up of the southern containment lines.
Most of the north and northwest portions of the fire are
in air patrol status; the western perimeter between Cook Creek and Five Points
Creek remains a concern. Suppression efforts will continue on the western
flank.
As work is completed, resources will be released from the
fire. Mar Spike Camp will be closing soon, as mop up and rehab is completed in
the south. Thomason Spike will be the last to be closed.
Air operations for the Type 1 helicopters will be located
at Hilton helibase (near Elephant Corral) with the Type 2 (Medium) helicopters
at Joseph.
Crews in the southwest are experiencing some poison ivy
outbreaks around Thomason Spike Camp. Otherwise, only three minor injuries have
been reported.
Tentative change of command for the fire is early next
week, with the fire being returned to the district to monitor and complete mop
up.
Location: Wallowa and Asotin Counties
Date Started: 08/20/12
Cause: Lightning
Injuries: 3
Size:
72,000 acres
Percent Contained: 55%
Total Personnel: 873
AUG. 30 NEWS: The north end of the fire remains secure; this area will be patrolled by air and engines. Firefighters will work to improve and hold the Powerline Road, near the Imnaha River, on the southern portion of the fire. The goal is to hold the fire north of the Powerline Road. Firefighters are working to construct a line from Road 46 to Imnaha Road.
A total of ten helicopters, including another Type 1,
will increase water delivery operations. To increase the efficiency of delivery
air operations is moving the helibase closer. Conditions have provided the opportunity to put direct handline along a portion of the southwest perimeter
allowing firefighters to reduce the number of acres burned. No large burnout
operations are planned for today. Minor cleanup of unburned fuels to secure the
Powerline road in the south may be completed.
The fire had very little southern movement Wednesday, holding up in the Thorn Creek canyon. Predicted high winds did not
materialize. Lack of high winds,
cooler temperatures, and a higher relative humidity assisted firefighters in
suppression efforts. Helicopters
worked diligently with water drops to cool the perimeter.
A contingency dozer
line from the Indian Village Grove area down a major ridge between Log and
Fence Creeks has been completed. In other areas of the fire, the north end was
patrolled by aircraft; the northwest perimeter was patrolled by an engine and
any hot spots mopped up; and the west and southwest containment lines were
prepped and strengthened.
Two public meetings have been scheduled for this week:
Thursday, 6 pm in Imnaha at the Christian Fellowship Community Church and
Friday, 5 pm at the Joseph Community Center in Joseph. An update of the fire situation will be
given.
The Wallowa County Sheriff's Office closed Lower Imnaha Road/Dug Bar Road (Forest Service Road 4260). The closure begins at the junction of Fence Creek (six miles north of Imnaha) north to the Dug Bar Landing on the Snake River.
A Forest Area Closure remains in place on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. A map and description of the Forest Closure can be found at http://www.fs.usda.gov/wallowa-whitman or www.inciweb.org/incident/3202
Location: Wallowa and Asotin Counties
Date Started: 08/20/12
Cause: Lightning
Injuries: 3
Size:
71,000 acres
Percent Contained: 45%
Total Personnel: 847
AUG. 29 NEWS: The Cache Creek Fire's southern perimeter pushed over Cemetery Ridge last night and down into the Imnaha River drainage. Operational emphasis was shifted to the southern perimeter and firefighting resources were shifted south.
Winds were very gusty and erratic in the afternoon and continued to push the fire south. Firefighters improved the Powerline Road and began burnout operations to improve and widen the line.
Structure protection is in place at Tulley Creek Ranch and burnout occurred around the structures.
The north and west perimeter of the fire is now in patrol status. The Green Gulch spike camp will be closed and moved tomorrow. The area around Five Point Creek was burned out to add some additional depth to the perimeter line.
A Forest Area Closure remains in place on the
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. A
map and description of the Forest Closure can be found at http://www.fs.usda.gov/wallowa-whitman
or www.inciweb.org/incident/3202
A partial closure of Forest Service Road 46 remains in place. An alternate route is available to detour around the fire area. Road guards are staffing roadblocks limiting public access into the fire area for firefighter and public safety. The need for the closures will be assessed daily and they will be removed as soon as possible.
A partial closure of Forest Service Road 46 remains in place. An alternate route is available to detour around the fire area. Road guards are staffing roadblocks limiting public access into the fire area for firefighter and public safety. The need for the closures will be assessed daily and they will be removed as soon as possible.
Location: Wallowa and Asotin counties
Date Started: 08/20/12
Cause: Lightning
Injuries: 3
Size: 69,000 acres
Percent Contained: 35%
Total Personnel: 818
AUG. 28 NEWS: Tuesday firefighters will continue to patrol and mop up in the north and northwest areas of the fire. Crews, engines and other resources from the north area camp, Green Gulch Spike Camp, will be transferred to the south region spike camp (Thomason Meadow Spike Camp) as work is completed.
By the end of the week Green Gulch Spike Camp is expected to close. Preparation for burnout on the west will continue. Farther to the southwest burnout along the lower portion of Cold Springs Road will continue and along the southernmost edge of Cemetery Ridge toward the Snake River.
Efforts to establish containment lines were challenged Monday when winds and fuels aligned, causing the fire to push upslope near the Snake River, with a slopeover occurring. Contingency plans are being prepared for south of Cemetery Ridge.
The combination of topography and winds forecast for Wednesday may present further challenges to completing the south perimeter fire line. Winds are expected to increase through Tuesday night with high possibility of convective cloud formation. Gusty, erratic winds and isolated thunderstorms with outflow potential of up to 45 mph are expected Wednesday.
The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest has issued a partial closure of Road 46 during burnout operations over the next few days. A detour is available using the 4690 and the 4625 roads.
Aviation resources for Tuesday will include three air tankers from La Grande in addition to the three heavy-lift, three medium-lift, and three light helicopters at incident helibases.
Location: Wallowa and Asotin counties
Date started: 08/20/12
Cause: Lightning
Injuries: 3
Total Personnel: 810
AUG. 27 NEWS: Yesterday, variable winds challenged firefighters and deterred burnouts on the Cache Creek Fire. The infrared flight estimated that the size of the fire is now at 56,500 acres. 822 people are now working on containing the fire, but the release of resources determined as excess to operational needs has begun.
As of this morning, the fire is 40% contained. Heavy smoke was visible in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho communities yesterday and will continue today due to a cold front and high wind flows in the fire area.
The operational plan for today is to hold Road 4680, mop-up, and begin rehabilitating containment lines. On the south flank of the fire, preparations along the 46 Road and Cemetery Ridge, as well as Eureka Ridge will begin today. The closure of County Road 209 (Snake River Drive) by Asotin County Sheriff’s Department remains in place, as do the Forest Closures in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.
A map and description of the Forest Closure can be found at http://www.fs.usda.gov/wallowa-whitman. Road guards are staffing road blocks limiting public access into the fire area for firefighter and public safety.
With opening of archery hunting season in Oregon over the weekend, all hunters and recreationists are cautioned to watch for the increased amount of firefighting traffic. In addition, all visitors are asked to be very conscientious of the extreme fire danger.
Date Started: 08/20/12
Cause: Lightning
Injuries: 3
Size: 56,500 acres
Percent Contained: 40%
Total Personnel: 822
AUG. 26 NEWS: The fire burned actively last night, continuing to move southward. The infra-red heat detecting mapping flight last night estimates the size at 43,000 acres. The operational plan for today includes mopping up on the north and west flanks including Cottonwood and Horse Creeks; continuing preparation of the Cold Springs Road (4680) and Forest Road 46 down to Buckhorn by clearing brush; and continuing to brush to the south from Buckhorn east along Forest Road 780. Dozers have completed a contingency fire line down Cemetery Ridge (east of Buckhorn) to the breaks of the Snake River. Structure protection is in place at Oaks Cabin in Cherry Creek Canyon.
Warmer, drier conditions are expected today with temperatures in the mid-80s and low 90s. A slight chance of thunderstorms is predicted with afternoon cumulus build-up. Outflows and strong downdraft winds could create erratic fire behavior. Smoky conditions will persist throughout the day.
County Road 209 (Snake River Drive) in Washington remains closed at the Grand Ronde River bridge north of Rogersburg. A Forest Area Closure remains in place on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. A map and description of the Forest Closure can be found at http://www.fs.usda.gov/wallowa-whitman or www.inciweb.org/incident/3202 Road guards are staffing roadblocks, limiting public access into the fire area for firefighter and public safety. The need for the closures will be assessed daily and the closures will be removed as soon as possible.
River users are encouraged to move quickly through the fire area, keeping toward the Idaho side and not stopping on the Oregon/Washington side. Users are also encouraged to move away from helicopter dipping operations.
With opening of archery hunting season in Oregon this weekend, all hunters and recreationists are cautioned to watch for the increased amount of firefighting traffic near the fire area. In addition, all visitors are asked to be very conscientious of the extreme fire danger.
AUG. 25 NEWS: The Cache Creek Fire was very active last night with a passing cold front pushing the fire west and south. Late Wednesday the fire crossed containment lines in the vicinity of Horse Creek and Grade Gulch. Fire became established in the Grade Gulch overnight.
The Asotin County Sheriff’s Department has closed County Road 209 (Snake River Drive) at the Grand Ronde River bridge north of Rogersburg for public safety. The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest has issued a Forest Area Closure near the fire for public safety. A map and description can be found at http://www.fs.usda.gov/wallowa-whitman or www.inciweb.org/incident/3202
With opening of archery hunting season in Oregon, all hunters and recreationalists are cautioned to watch for the increased amount of firefighting traffic near the fire area. In addition, all visitors are asked to be very conscientious of the extreme fire danger.
AUG. 24 NEWS: The Cache Creek Fire was very active last night with a passing cold front pushing the fire west and south. A heat-detecting infrared flight of the fire determined the acreage at approximately 26,000 acres.
A burnout operation of approximately one mile was conducted last night south of Rogersburg, Wash., securing the area and insuring structure safety.The emphasis of today’s operations will be protection of the rangelands to the west of the fire and locating potential anchor points for line construction to begin on the south. A shifting of available resources will occur to meet these objectives.
The Asotin County Sheriff’s Department has closed County Road 209 (Snake River Drive) at the Grand Ronde River bridge north of Rogersburg for public safety. The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest in Oregon is creating a Forest Area Closure near the fire for public safety. More information will be provided as it becomes available.
With opening of archery hunting season in Oregon, all hunters and recreationalists are cautioned to watch for the increased amount of firefighting traffic near the fire area. In addition, all visitors are asked to be very conscientious of the extreme fire danger.
AUG. 23 NEWS: The size of the Cache Creek fire was revised at 8:30 p.m. to an estimated 16,000 acres, smaller than the earlier estimate of 19,000 acres. Additional firefighting resources continued to arrive throughout Thursday, bringing the number of personnel to approximately 320.
The emphasis of operations was protection of the private structures near Rogersburg and along the Grande Ronde River. Protection of the structures by ground resources and with aerial support from both airplanes with retardant and water drops from helicopters successfully held the containment line.
On the west flank, the fire burned down to a previously constructed dozer line that extended from the Frog Pond up and across Mt. Wilson. Crews patrolled the line and burned out approximately three miles of fire perimeter. The Snake River continues to hold the fire from moving east.
The south perimeter continued to expand to due limited resource availability and the cold front that produced wind gusts up to 30 mph. The cabin known as Coon Hollow above Cache Creek was lost to the fire last night. Deputy Forest Supervisor Tom Montoya said: “The cabin had an intrinsic value, and it is unfortunate that it was lost." Montoya indicated that firefighting resources were protecting private inholdings and were unable to provide full protection at the cabin.
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