Red Flag Warning for Thunderstorms with
Accompanying Erratic Winds from 5:00pm to 12:00am
The Diamond Lake Area is under a Stage 1
Evacuation Notice
Public Meeting at the Diamond Lake Campground
Amphitheater, 4:00 pm Tuesday, 8-11-2115
Summary: Anticipated
thunderstorms failed to materialize over the National Creek Complex fires. This provided firefighters respite from the
powerful downdraft winds and lightning that often accompany the storms. Growth
on the Crescent Fire, in Crater Lake National Park, was substantially less than
previous day as smoke from the interior of the fires shaded fuels and limited
fire behavior. The fire moved to the
east around Boundary Springs and is now entrenched on three sides of the
springs. A Red Flag Warning is in effect
for this afternoon and evening although forecasted thunderstorms are expected
to be much more isolated than Monday. Ed
Lewis’ Type 1 Incident Management Team will shadow Diane Hutton’s Type 2 Team
today and assume command of the fire on Wednesday. Work by crews on the National
Fire has kept it within containment lines. A full suppression strategy is being
pursued due to the extreme drought conditions resulting from the lack of
snow-pack last winter.
Yesterday’s Activity: The Crescent Fire changed the direction of its
advance from the northeast to the east and slowed considerably on Monday. Crews made good progress in constructing line
down the west flank of the fire.
Operations Section Chief Brad McBratney complimented crews on the
National Fire as he has noticed a significant drop in the heat on that fire
from day to day. Firefighters continued
to improve lines around the National Fire by using water and pumps to
strengthen lines and mop-up hot-spots. Contingency
lines based on the Forest Service road system to the west continued to be
widened and improved using dozers, crews and engines. Fire managers, met with
representatives of Douglas and Jackson Counties, and local Forest and Park
Service officials to coordinate actions in the Diamond Lake area and plan for
potential evacuations, if necessary.
Today’s Plans: High Cascades District Ranger Mitch Wilkinson blessed firefighters with
a traditional Native American song at the morning briefing. Weather forecasters are predicting a reduced
chance of isolated thunderstorms on Tuesday but enough to trigger a Red Flag
Warning starting at 5:00 pm and continuing through the evening. Thunderstorms can create hazardous conditions
for firefighters due to accompanying swirling winds and lightning. The associated lightning can also start new
fires and some resources will be assigned to initial attack. Crews on the Crescent Fire will look to
strengthen the retardant drops made on Sunday night along the northwest edge of
the fire. Excellent cooperation between
the Forest, Park and other incidents in the area have created a synergy with
the use of helicopter resources. The
crews on the National Fire will continue to reduce heat to make their
perimeters secure. and reduce heat.
Closure: Crater Lake National Park has closed the Boundary
Springs and Bald Crater Loop Trails between the intersections with the Pacific
Crest Trail and Highway 230due to potentially hazardous conditions created by
the National Creek Complex Fires. The Rogue
River-Siskiyou National Forest is implementing an area closure beginning at the
Forest boundary between the Rogue River-Siskiyou and Umpqua Forests on Highway
230 then running south to the Crater Lake National Park Boundary then southerly
and westerly along the National Park boundary to a point due east of the
Douglas/Jackson County line then west along the County line to Highway 230 then
north and easterly to the point of beginning. All Crater Lake National Park facilities and roads remain open and safe
to use.
Quick Facts
Cause: Lightning Personnel: 325
Location: 10 Miles Southwest of
Diamond Lake, OR Crews: 10
Jurisdiction:
Crater Lake NP & Rogue River-Siskiyou NF Helicopters: 4
Size: 1072 acres
(Crescent 953 acres, National 119 acres) Injuries:
2
Fire Objective: Full Suppression Strategy,
tactics may differ between the National Park and National Forest
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