8/12/2015 Phillips Creek Fire Update

Phillips Creek Fire Update

Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015, 10:30 a.m.

Fire Information: (541) 437-1159

A local type 3 interagency incident management team led by Incident Commander (IC) Joel McCraw and deputy IC Renee Kuehner, took command of the Phillips Creek at 6:00 am today. The incident command post remains at the Elgin Stampede Grounds. Resources will continue to be released as containment objectives are successfully achieved.

A new area closure for the portion of the Phillips Creek Fire on Umatilla National Forest land became effective today. This area closure replaces the previous road closure. It is prohibited to enter the area described below:

Beginning at the point where Highway 204 enters onto National Forest, west along the Forest Boundary to Forest Service Road (FSR) 3740, north- northwest along FSR 3740 to the junction with FSR 3738, north along FSR3738 to East Phillips Creek (Section 28), following east Phillips Creek east to Pedro Creek, following Pedro Creek east-northeast to FSR 3734, south along FSR 3 734 to junction with Highway 204, south along Highway 204 to beginning point at Forest Boundary.

The official Area Closure Order can be found at:  http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4443/

This closure has been implemented to protect the public and firefighters working within the closed area.

Yesterday’s Operations: Firefighters mopped up hotspots along the edge of the fireline, further securing the fire perimeter.

Weather and Fire Behavior: Warm conditions will prevail again today and tomorrow, with high temperatures around 90 degrees. A dry cold front will move across the fire area tomorrow, bringing much colder air Friday and Saturday.  Continued warm and dry conditions today and Thursday will provide the potential for active to very-active fire behavior.

Today’s Operations: Mop up will continue along the perimeter of all portions of the Phillips Creek Fire in order to extinguish hot spots along the edge of the completed fireline. Pilot car operations will continue on Hwy. 204 for several more days as firefighters do additional mop up along the highway corridor. Delays are averaging 20 minutes and drivers should use caution and drive slowly as conditions are smoky and there will be areas of congestion.  For up to date information on highway conditions, check www.tripcheck.com.

Phillips Creek Fire information can be found on Inciweb at:  http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4443/ and on Facebook at  Phillips Creek Fire | Facebook.

Smoke continues to be an issue in the Grande Ronde Valley and surrounding communities. To monitor the air quality index, the public can access the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s website at www.deq.state.or.us/aqi.

The fire danger rating has increased to EXTREME and Public Use Restrictions involving campfires and chainsaw use are in effect. For more information about the Umatilla National Forest’s Public Use Restrictions, please contact any forest office, call our Forest Information hotline at 1-877-958-9663, or visit our website at www.fs.usda.gov/umatilla/ or on the Blue Mountain Fire Information BlogSpot at http://bluemountainfireinfo.blogspot.com/.

Regulated closures are in effect on State and private lands protected by Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) in northeast and central Oregon. Please check with your local Oregon Department of Forestry office for public use restrictions on lands protected by ODF. Visit the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch webpage at: www.bmidc.org or contact a local Oregon Department of Forestry office for more complete information. Similar restrictions may be in effect on State and private lands protected by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (WA-DNR). More information can be found on the WA-DNR website at: http://fortress.wa.gov/dnr/firedanger/BurnRisk.aspx.