8/14/2014 NWCC Morning Brief

NWCC Morning Brief: Thursday, August 14, 2014  

National Preparedness Level: 4
For the National Incident Management Situation Report (IMSR), see: http://www.nifc.gov/nicc/sitreprt.pdf

Summary: In the Northwest (last 24 hrs), abundant lightning occurred across much of Oregon and in Central Washington. There was precipitation across most of the geographic area. The potential for flash flooding exists in Central and Northeastern Washington.

National Fire Activity
Initial attack activity: Moderate (208 new fires)
New large fires: 4
Large fires contained: 4
Uncontained large fires: *31
Area Command Teams committed: 0
NIMOs committed: 1
Type 1 IMTs committed: 7
Type 2 IMTs committed: 16
*Uncontained large fires include only fires being managed under a full suppression strategy

Northwest Preparedness Levels: Today: 5
3-Day: 5, 10-Day: 5, 30-Day: 4

Northwest Fire Activity
New fires and acres (Last 24 hrs): 50 fires for 561 acres (8,594 acres growth on existing large fires*)
OR: 18 fires for 105 acres
WA: 32 fires for 456 acres
*[acreage reductions not included]

Northwest Large Fires
Uncontained Large Fires: *17 (OR:8,WA:9)
*[complexes tallied as 1 fire]

IMTs Committed in NW
NIMO Teams committed: 1
Type 1 IMTs committed: 5
Type 2 IMTs committed: 6

Incidents not Previously-Reported: 0

Incidents Previously-Reported: 20

Devil's Elbow Complex WA-COA-000168. IMT2. WA Team 4 (Nickey). 15 mi NE of Nespelem, WA. Start 8/3. Full Suppression. Grass and timber. Cause lightning. 26,349 acres (+5,601 ac). 15% containment. Moderate fire behavior Road closures. Acreage increase due to accurate mapping. Values at risk; structures, cultural resources. Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuations. Road closures in effect. Central Peak, Deadhorse and Cub Creek fires have merged. Also includes; Timm Brothers (100% containment).

Hansel Creek WA-SES-000549. IMT1. NW Team 2 (Schulte). 8 mi S of Leavenworth, WA. Start 8/2. Multiple Suppression Strategies (Point Zone Protection/Full Suppression). Timber. Cause lightning. 970 acres (+0 ac). 60% containment. Creeping and smoldering with isolated torching. Precipitation occurred over the fire. Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuations. Managed as part of the Chiwaukum Complex organization. Not tallied in Uncontained Large Fires count. Chiwaukum Complex, Hansel and Duncan fires are all managed by IMT1 NW Team 2 (Schulte).

Duncan WA-OWF-000377. IMT1. NW Team 2 (Schulte). 26 mi N of Leavenworth, WA. Start 7/16. Multiple Suppression Strategies (Monitor/Full Suppression). Timber. Cause lightning. 12,502 acres (+2,096 ac). 30% containment. Creeping and smoldering with isolated torching. Precipitation occurred over the fire. Level 1and 2 evacuations. Values at risk; structures. Not tallied in Uncontained Large Fires count. Chiwaukum Complex, Hansel and Duncan fires are all managed by IMT1 NW Team 2 (Schulte).

Snag Canyon WA-SES-000559. IMT1. NR (Turman). 10 mi N of Ellensburg, WA. Start 8/2. Full Suppression. Grass, brush, timber. Cause lightning. 12,500 acres (+500 ac). 60% containment. Moderate fire behavior, individual tree torching, slow backing and creeping. Level 1 and 2 evacuations. Structures lost. Values at risk; structures, rangeland, recreation and high tension powerlines.

Little Bridge Creek WA-OWF-000538. IMT1 EB Team 1 (Lund). 8 mi SW of Winthrop, WA. Start 8/2. Multiple Suppression Strategies (Confine/Full Suppression). Timber, litter and understory. Cause lightning. 4,325 acres (+204 ac). 19% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Values at risk; communities. EB Team 1 (Lund) managing Carlton, Little Bridge Creek and Upper Falls. Tallied in Uncontained Large Fires count.

South Fork Complex OR-PRD-000649. IMT1. PNW Team 3 (Lewis). 20 mi S of John Day, OR. Start 8/1. Full Suppression. Cause lightning. 64,767 acres (+60 ac). 40% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Level 1 and recreational facilities evacuations. Values at risk; ranches, T&E species, communication site, cultural and recreation resources. Precipitation occurred over some areas of the fire. Murderers Creek South and Buck Fork fires have merged.

Upper Falls WA-OWF-000570. IMT1. IMT1 EB Team 1 (Lund) 17 mi N of Winthrop, WA. Start 8/4. Confine. Timber. Cause lightning. 8,047 acres. (+0 ac). 11% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Precipitation occurred over the fire Values at risk; residences, structures, private and public lands, commercial timber, recreation, and wildlife habitat. Tallied in Uncontained Large Fires count. EB Team 1 (Lund) managing Carlton, Little Bridge Creek and Upper Falls.

Somers OR-WWF-000793. IMT2. OR Team 3 (Johnson, D.). 15 mi E of Imnaha, OR. Start 8/3. Full Suppression. Grass. Cause lightning. 27,000 acres (+0 ac). 25% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Precipitation occurred over the fire. Values at risk; Pittsburg admin site, ranches, and historic structures. 5 Mile and Somers being managed by OR Team 3. Tallied in Uncontained Large Fires count.

South Cle Elum Ridge WA-OWF-000621. IMT2. WA Team 3 (Allbee). 10 mi SW Cle Elum, WA. Start 8/7. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 894 acres. (+0 ac). 24% containment. Minimal fire behavior. Precipitation occurred over the fire. Steep terrain. Level 1 evacuations. Values at risk; residences, private lands, campgrounds and habitat.

Haven Lake WA-SPS-000044. IMT2. WA Team 2 (Rabe). 27 mi NW of Olympia, WA. Start 8/11. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 184 acres (+0 ac). 12% containment. Minimal fire behavior, slow surface spread in heavy fuel with isolated torching. Values at risk; private forest lands, communication sites, logging sites.

Chiwaukum Complex WA-OWF-000356, IMT1. NW Team 2 (Schulte). 9 mi NW of Leavenworth, WA. Start 7/15. Multiple Suppression Strategies (Confine/Full Suppression). Timber. Cause lightning.14,198 acres. (+0 ac). 70% containment. Creeping and smoldering with isolated torching. Precipitation occurred over the fire. Level 1 evacuations. Values at risk; private ownership. Includes; Chiwaukum Creek, Kelly Mountain, Shoofly and Alpine fires. Tallied in Uncontained Large Fires count. Chiwaukum Complex, Hansel and Duncan fires are all managed by IMT1 NW Team 2 (Schulte).

Staley Complex OR-WIF-140210. IMT2. RM Team A (Russell). 28 mi S of Oakridge, OR. Start 7/30. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 268 acres (+43 ac). 20% containment. Creeping and smoldering. Precipitation occurred over the fire. Steep, rocky and difficult terrain. Values at risk; timber and T & E species. IMT has assumed IA responsibility of 250,000 acre area. (17 confirmed fires, all less than 100 acres). Includes; Staley 205 acres (+5 ac), Davey 28 acres (+3 ac), IA fires 35 acres.

Carlton Complex WA-NES-000534. IMT1. EB Team 1 (Lund). 7 mi S of Twisp, WA. Start 7/14. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 256,108 acres (+0 ac). 96% containment. Creeping and smoldering. Forest and road closures in effect. Values at risk; private and public lands, campgrounds, powerlines, habitat. Stokes Road, French Creek, Golden Hike, Cougar Flats have merged. Also includes; Rising Eagle Road. Tallied in Uncontained Large Fires count. EB Team 1 (Lund) also managing Carlton, Little Bridge Creek and Upper Falls.

Bald Sisters OR-MAF-014295. NIMO. Southern Area (Quesinberry) / IMT2. SW Team 3 (Day). 12 mi E of Prairie City, OR. Start 8/2. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 1,108 acres (+40 ac). 0% containment. Moderate fire behavior with backing and isolated single tree and group torching. Light precipitation occurred over the fire.

5 Mile OR-974S-000789. IMT2. OR Team 3 (Johnson, D.). 21 mi E of Joseph, OR. Start 8/3. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause unknown. 4,524 acres (+0 ac). 90% containment. Minimal fire activity, mop up. Light precipitation occurred over the fire. 5 Mile and Somers being managed by OR Team 3. Tallied in Uncontained Large Fires count.

Rogue River Drive OR-711S-027015. IMT3. Unified command management structure with ODF and Oregon State Fire Marshall's office. 15 mi N of Medford, OR. Start 8/11. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 500 acres (-100 ac). 30% containment. Minimal fire behavior, mop up. Precipitation occurred over the fire. Values at risk; residences. State Conflagration Act declared 8/12.

Camp Creek Complex OR-RSF-140678. IMT3. 30 mi NE of Medford, OR. Start 8/3. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 776 acres (+0 ac). 45% containment. Minimal fire activity. Precipitation occurred over the fire. Includes; Incident 790 525+ acres (+0 ac) 0% containment, Incident 672 40 acres (+0 ac) 95% containment, Camp Creek 15 acres (+0 ac) 100% containment, Cluster 50 acres (+0 ac) 100% containment, Bailey 15 acres (+0 ac) 100% containment and several smaller incidents.

Fifteen Cent OR-BUD-004229. IMT3. 55 mi SE of Burns, OR. Start 8/12. Full Suppression. Grass. Cause lightning. 1,598 acres. 98% containment. Creeping and smoldering.

Lost Ridge WA-MSF-0000150. IMT3. 40 mi W of Ellensburg, WA. In Norse Peak Wilderness. Start 8/11. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 150 acres. (+50 ac). 0% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Precipitation occurred over the fire. Steep terrain.

Beaver Complex OR-711S-016115. IMT1. ODF Team 2 (Cline). 20 mi NW of Medford, OR. Start 7/30. Full Suppression. Timber. Cause lightning. 35,302 acres (+0 ac). 100% containment. Includes; Oregon Gulch (33 mi SE of Medford, OR), multi-state: OR: 25,683 acres (+0 ac), 100% containment / CA: 9,464 acres (+0 ac), 100% containment, and Salt Creek (15 mi E of Ashland, OR) 155 acres (+0 ac), 100% containment. FEMA declaration ended 8/13 at 1900.

NW Fires Utilizing Monitor, Confine, Point Zone Protection Suppression Strategies (YTD) (link)

Lists fires (of any size) that singly utilize Monitor, Confine, or Point Zone Protection suppression strategies, or use Multiple Suppression Strategies (which may also include a Full Suppression component).

Northwest Weather Highlights / Fire Potential:

Moderate levels of IA are expected again today from continued lightning. Storms will be wet so the threat for any new large fires will be LOW. The current lightning episode should come to a conclusion by Friday or Saturday to be followed by a drier and more stable southwesterly flow.

NW 7-Day Significant Fire Potential Forecast
Nat'l 7-Day Significant Fire Potential Forecast