Wildfire News 7/3

Haines Index Map - Higher Haines means fire growth tends to be stronger:

Haiines index

Fuel Dryness: Tells you how likely things are to burn if a fire gets started:

ten hour fuels

INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SITUATION REPORT
MONDAY, JULY 3, 2006 – 0530 MDT
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL 3

CURRENT SITUATION:

Initial attack activity was heavy nationally with 321 new fires reported. Four new large fires (*) were reported, two in the Eastern Great Basin Area, and one each in the Southern and Northwest Areas. Seven large fires were contained, three in the Western Great Basin Area, and one each in the Southern California, Northern California, Northern Rockies and Southern Areas. Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Arizona, California, Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

The National Interagency Fire Center has deployed two Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS) C-130 air tankers from the 145th Airlift Wing based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Mission Commander Lieutenant Colonel Mike Luckie, the air tankers and support personnel are based in Mesa, Arizona.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA INCIDENTS/LARGE FIRES:

BOULDER COMPLEX, Plumas National Forest. A Type 2 Incident Management Team (Sinclear) is assigned. This Complex is eight miles southwest of Susanville, CA in timber. Recreation sites remain closed. Several residences, commercial properties and out buildings remain threatened. Active surface fire behavior was reported. Good progress was made on burn out operations.

DEL PUERTO, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF), Santa Clara Unit. A CDF Type 1 Incident Command Team (Streblow) is assigned. This fire is west of Patterson, CA in grass and brush. Del Puerto Canyon Road is closed between Interstate 5 and Mines Road. Residences are threatened. Steep, inaccessible terrain continues to hamper containment efforts. Minimal fire behavior was reported.

HAPPY COMPLEX, Modoc National Forest. A Unified Command between a Type 2 Incident Management Team (Paul) and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Burke) is in place. This Complex is three miles northwest of Adin, CA in logging slash. Commercial property and utility infrastructure remain threatened. Fire behavior included interior creeping and smoldering. Burn out operations are completed.

MILLER COMPLEX, Modoc National Forest. A Type 2 Incident Management Team (Walker) is assigned. A transfer of command to the Happy Complex is planned. This Complex is eight miles north of Adin, CA in timber and grass.    Interior creeping and smoldering were observed.

LMU LIGHTNING SERIES, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF), Lassen-Modoc Unit. This fire previously named Battalion 1 LCA, is 15 miles west of Adin, CA in timber, brush and grass. The complex includes over 20 fires in the Jacks Lake and Coyote Reservoir areas. No further information was received.

YOLLA BOLLY COMPLEX, Mendocino National Forest. A Fire Use Management Team (Perkins) is assigned. This lightning-caused Wildland Fire Use (WFU) incident is being managed to accomplish resource objectives. The majority of fire activity took place on the east side, with creeping and occasional torching observed.

SOUTHWEST AREA INCIDENTS/LARGE FIRES:

TIGER-ROCK, Prescott National Forest. A Type 1 Incident Management Team (Whitney) is assigned. This fire is southeast of Crown King, AZ in grass and heavy brush.   Limited access is making containment difficult. Fire activity was limited to smoldering.

WARM, Kaibab National Forest. A Type 2 Incident Management Team (Reinarz) is assigned. This fire is three miles south of Jacob Lake, AZ in ponderosa pine and hardwood litter. Highway 67 from Jacob Lake to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon remains closed to the public.    Steep terrain continues to hamper containment efforts. The fire received some precipitation, slowing fire spread. Low intensity ground fire was reported.

WHITE HILLS, Phoenix Field Office, Bureau of Land Management. A Type 2 Incident Management Team (Goheen) is assigned. This fire one mile east of Dolan Springs, AZ in grass and brush. Numerous residences remain threatened. Active fire behavior was reported. The northern portion of the fire received some precipitation.

BEAR, Gila National Forest. This fire is 15 miles northeast of Glenwood, NM in mixed conifer.   Creeping fire was reported.

BEAR PAW, Santa Fe National Forest. This fire started on state land three miles northeast of Regina, NM in ponderosa pine and litter. Smoldering in the heavy fuels continues. The north side of the fire received significant rainfall.

MEDUSA, Flagstaff District, Arizona Department of Lands. This fire is three miles north of Hillside, AZ in grass. Crews conducted burn out operations.

NAVAJO MOUNTAIN 1, Navajo Regional Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs. This fire is 36 miles northeast of Page, AZ in timber. No new information was reported. This will be the last report unless new information is received.

HACKBERRY, Tonto National Forest. This fire is six miles northeast of Punkin Center, AZ in grass and brush.    The fire is being managed in a confine and contain strategy. No new information was reported. This will be the last report unless significant activity occurs.

EASTERN GREAT BASIN AREA INCIDENTS/LARGE FIRES:

BULL COMPLEX, Cedar City Field Office, Bureau of Land Management. A Type 1 Incident Management Team (Martin) is assigned. This complex is 25 miles northwest of St. George, UT in grass, brush, pinyon pine and juniper. Numerous residences remain threatened. Electrical and natural gas supply lines have been restored.    Very active fire behavior was reported, with rapid rates of spread and long-range spotting observed.

BIRTHDAY, Arizona Strip Field Office, Bureau of Land Management. This fire is 38 miles north of St. George, UT in pinyon pine, juniper, grass and Joshua trees.   Remote, rugged terrain is making containment difficult. Isolated torching, rapid runs and active backing fire were observed.

BABOON, Southwest Area, Utah Division of Forestry Fire and State Lands. This fire is 19 miles north of Cedar City, UT in grass, pinyon pine and juniper. Torching and short runs were reported. Burn out operations were completed.

BIG HORSE, Boise District, Bureau of Land Management. This fire is 15 miles southeast of Bruneau, ID in sagebrush and grass. Rocky, inaccessible terrain and gusty winds are hampering containment efforts. Limited fire growth was reported.

CRICKET SEAT, Richfield Field Office, Bureau of Land Management. This fire is 13 miles west of Fillmore, UT in grass, sage and juniper. Steep and rocky terrain is impeding containment efforts. Isolated interior torching and smoldering were reported.

BIG DRAW, Twin Falls District, Bureau of Land Management. This fire is 50 miles southeast of Bruneau, ID in grass and sagebrush. Wildlife habitat and livestock range are threatened. Erratic winds resulted in running fire behavior.

JACOB, Arizona Strip Field Office, Bureau of Land Management. This fire is 40 miles southeast of St. George, UT in grass and shrub. Fire activity included creeping and smoldering.

SCORPIO, Salt Lake Field Office, Bureau of Land Management. This fire is 20 miles southeast of Park Valley, UT in grass, sagebrush and light juniper. The remote location is impeding containment efforts. Overcast skies helped to moderate fire behavior. Some isolated torching was observed.

WESTERN GREAT BASIN AREA INCIDENTS/LARGE FIRES:

GASS COMPLEX, Desert National Wildlife Refuge. This fire is 20 miles north of Las Vegas, NV in grass and brush. Steep, rocky terrain and lack of access are hampering containment efforts. Very active fire behavior with running and spotting was reported.

VEGAS, Desert National Wildlife Refuge. This fire is 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas, NV in grass and brush. Threatened and endangered species habitat remains threatened.   Minimal fire behavior was observed.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA INCIDENTS/LARGE FIRES:

SMITH, Sequoia National Forest. A Type 2 Incident Management Team (Smith) is assigned. The fire is burning in the Kiavah Wilderness Area six miles southeast of Onyx, CA in grass, pinyon pine and juniper. Limited access and steep, rugged terrain continue to hamper containment efforts. Fire activity was limited to the fire’s interior. Reduction in acreage is due to more accurate mapping.

SOUTHERN AREA INCIDENTS/LARGE FIRES:

LINDSEY BAY, National Forests of Florida. This fire is five miles southeast of Wilma, FL in southern rough. Good progress was made with burn out operations on the western and northern sections.

TREADWELL LANE, Texas Forest Service. A Type 2 Incident Management Team (Hannemann) is assigned. This fire is 20 miles northeast of Eldorado, TX in oak savanna and pinyon-juniper. Lack of access is a concern. Higher relative humidity moderated fire behavior. Short runs and smoldering in the heavy fuels were reported.
OUF – Ouachita National Forest

NORTHWEST AREA INCIDENTS/LARGE FIRES:

TODD, Prineville District, Bureau of Land Management. This fire is 15 miles southeast of Dayville, OR in grass. The terrain is hindering containment efforts. Creeping and smoldering were observed.

TROUT, Southeast State, Washington Department of Natural Resources. This fire is 15 miles west of Naches, WA in grass, brush and timber. No new information was reported.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN AREA INCIDENTS/LARGE FIRES:

RED CREEK, Grand Mesa/Uncompahgre/Gunnison National Forest. This fire is eight miles northeast of Ridgway, CO in timber. The fire is being managed using a confine and contain strategy. Single tree torching and smoldering were reported. This will be the last report unless significant activity occurs.

ALASKA AREA INCIDENTS/LARGE FIRES:

PARKS HWY, Fairbanks Area Forestry, Alaska Division of Forestry. This fire is one mile southeast of Nenana, AK in black spruce, tundra and grass. Numerous residences, native allotments, recreational cabins, commercial property and utility infrastructure remain threatened. Favorable weather conditions kept fire activity to a minimum.

NORTHERN ROCKIES AREA INCIDENTS/LARGE FIRES:

OUTLOOK:

Weather Discussion: High pressure will persist over the West with greatest concentration of thunderstorms over the Intermountain West and Four Corners states. Breezy conditions will continue over portions of south-central California and the southern Great Basin, with dry and windy conditions over the southern Plains. In Alaska, warming and drying conditions will develop over the southwest.

Full NICC Report:
http://www.nifc.gov/nicc/sitreprt.rtf

Firefighters Battle 2 Blazes in Nevada
Firefighters Battle 2 Blazes in Nevada Wildlife Refuge; Triple-Digit Heat a Strain on Crews
The Associated Press

LAS VEGAS - Firefighters endured triple-digit temperatures Sunday in their battle against two wildfires in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge in southern Nevada.

A 21,120-acre fire centered on the Sheep Mountains about 50 miles north of Las Vegas was 50 percent contained, with full containment expected Tuesday, fire information officer Hillerie Patton said.

No containment estimate was available for a 2,500-acre blaze about four miles north of Las Vegas that was visible from the city. Winds caused the blaze to "kind of blow up on us," Patton said.

Daytime highs reached 104 to 106 in southern Nevada.

"When you're out fighting a fire in heavy clothing, the heat would definitely be uncomfortable," Patton said. "But that won't stop us from doing what we have to do."

The fires threatened endangered species habitat, Patton said, noting the 1.5-million-plus-acre refuge is home to both desert bighorn sheep and the desert tortoise. The refuge is one of the largest intact blocks of desert bighorn sheep habitat in the Southwest and the largest national wildlife refuge in the mainland U.S.

A 150-acre wildfire in southern California that slowed traffic on a portion of Interstate 15 for three days was nearing containment Sunday night, said California Department of Forestry spokesman Jeff Windham.

The fire began Friday in steep terrain near the freeway, which serves as a major artery for San Diego, the inland cities east of Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Six firefighters have been treated for minor, heat-related injuries since the blaze began.

In Utah, a voluntary evacuation order for the small town of Gunlock was lifted Sunday, after thunderstorms passed and winds shifted, forcing the fire away from the community of about 80 homes.

In Arizona, about 200 employees have returned to Grand Canyon National Park in anticipation of Monday's opening of the park's North Rim after a wildfire shut down the only paved highway leading into the area.

The blaze, discovered June 8 in the Kaibab National Forest, was about 25 miles from the North Rim and wasn't burning in Grand Canyon National Park. The fire has burned 58,630 acres and is expected to be contained Tuesday.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/print?id=2146754

Wildfire smoke reaches Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, July 3 (UPI) -- Smoke from a wildfire burning four miles north of Las Vegas was visible in the city Monday, but burning out of control away from the city.

Hillerie Patton of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management said the fire had consumed about 2,500 acres by Sunday night, and was in a high-terrain area too dangerous for fire crews to reach in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

A fire in the Sheep Mountains, some 50 miles further north, has consumed more than 21,000 acres and was considered 50 percent contained, fire officials said.

In Nevada, a fire in the Kaibab National Forest was 50 percent contained after covering 58,630 acres, WPNX-TV, Phoenix, reported.

While the vast majority of wildfires are sparked by lightning strikes, various state fire officials were concerned people will be creating more with Fourth of July fireworks.

"Fireworks are illegal in the state of Nevada unless approved by the local jurisdiction," State Fire Marshal Chad Hastings said.

People who start fires with fireworks can face fines of up to $10,000 and six months in jail, and can also be liable for damages caused by a fire.

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060703-073417-6935r

MONTROSE INTERAGENCY DISPATCH CENTER

Daily Update: 7-2-2006

Red Creek Fire at 250 acres; trails close

Montrose, Colorado—The Red Creek fire east of Ridgway has burned over 250 acres. The lightning caused fire started June 28 in the Red Creek drainage within the Uncompahgre Wilderness. The blaze is burning in a mixed forest of spruce, fir and aspen at an elevation of over 9,500 feet. The fire has grown 200 acres since Friday as spotting spread the fire south and west. Yesterday thunderstorms in the area, some with showers, caused the fire to slow its spread. Winds cleared smoke out of the adjacent valleys and communities around Ridgway during the day, but smoke re-appeared by late afternoon.

Fire managers are currently assessing what is needed to keep the fire out the Cow Creek drainage and the area outside the wilderness boundary. Crews will be on the ground along Cow Creek today to better secure natural lines. The primary goal at this time is to keep the fire confined to the wilderness, and not allow it to expand north or west from Cow Creek. Although the fire has been slowly advancing to the west, most concern has been from spotting of the fire. Sparks and embers are thrown by wind in advance of the fire, causing new fires. The fire has not made any significant runs, and much of the burned area is spotty, with unburned patches next to blackened areas. Because of the steep and inaccessible terrain in the area, fire managers are using a Confinement Strategy for the fire since it is unsafe and costly to put firefighters on the main fire.

The fire has passed a trigger point identified by forest officials that has required the closures of the Stealey Trail, the lower portion of the Courthouse Mountain Trail, and the Cow Creek road at the forest boundary. The portion of the Courthouse Mountain Trail from the West Fork road to the access point for climbers to Courthouse Mountain will remain open.

###

Information contact number is: 970-240-1070

http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/fire/fire_info/MONTROSE%20INTERAGENCY%20DISPATCH%20CENTER.htm

Two new brush fires started Sunday in Northern Nevada. One fire started just south of Highway 50 near Mound House and the Carson City landfill. The Flint Fire burned 215 acres but was close to containment Sunday night.

The fire's erratic behavior prompted firefighters to initiate structure protection measures as a precaution. No homes or other buildings were threatened.

Sierra Front says extra resources helped them get an head start fighting the fire.

"We've got a type one team that's in town, because of the large fires we had last week with crews engines, those sorts of folks, and they were on it pretty darn quickly," Elyan Briggs from Sierra Front said.

Fire investigators say the fire was human-caused. They believe it started at the firing range, but have not yet named an official cause.

A second fire in Reno spread to three buildings, including one home. It happened on Scharr Circle, and only burned one acre of land.

One Scharr Circle resident saw his house severely damaged by the flames, and is estimating his the cost at $100,000. Wally Weis promised to rebuild his home, but was forced to sleep next to the damage Sunday night because he couldn't find an available hotel room.

http://www.krnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5106129


Date	Time	Center	Remarks
7/3	1310	ECC	Large airtanker support ordered for new start burning towards the Moe.
7/3	1300	ECC	J-13 dropped 8 on the Texas Fire (ELD) and has recovered to Ely. Power lines that service Lincoln County are threatened. Air tankers ordered. Size estimated at 200 – 300 acres.
7/3	1145	WBC	Smj booster ordered from Redding to Ely.
7/3	1135	ECC	J-25 dropped 8 on the Larry Fire (ELD), estimated at 25 acres. Jumpship will refuel in Mesquite and then recover to BAM.
7/3	1105	ECC	J-97 dropped 8 on the Moe Fire (ELD) and will land CDC. Lead plane and 2 heavy airtankers ordered. 16 structures, within ½ mile of the fire and all believed to be primary residences, are threatened. Fire estimated at 200 acres.
7/3	1030	ECC	J-13 cancelled for Double Nickel and is on order for Ely fire.
7/3	0925	WBC	GBMAC has been formally activated and will be established at WBC.
7/3	0920	LVC	GASS Complex acreage updated to 16,800.
7/3	0825	ECC	Reports 50+ new starts. Suwyn will assume command of the Lincoln County Complex at 1600 today, which will include the Clover, Mule Shoe, etc. J-25 out of BAM and J-97 out of CDC ordered for Ely fires.
7/3	0815	LVC	Updated size on the Double Nickel is 350 acres. No team order at this time. Smjs, etc. on order.
7/3	0800	LVC	J-13 ordered for the Double Nickel.
7/3	0720	LVC	May request T2 IMT for the Double Nickel (LVD) located in the Virgin Mountains. Estimated @ 1,000+ acres and rolling. Fire is currently unstaffed.
7/3	0645	WBC	Multiple IA occurring in ECC and LVC. Smj requests pending. EIC reports Dolly Varden in good shape this morning.

http://gacc.nifc.gov/wgbc/information/newsandnotes.htm

Incident: Warm Wildland Fire
Released: 2006-07-03 09:01:00

As you drive on Arizona State Highway 67 to the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, remember that you are driving through an area that recently burned. First and foremost, you should be watching for safety hazards, such as dead trees that might have fallen near or into the road or firefighting vehicles and equipment that might still be in the area. You should also be watching for wildlife. Wildlife, such as deer, often move quickly back into burned areas. As long as you are driving cautiously and watching for such hazards, you should also take the time to notice the effects of the Warm Fire.

Warm Fire Statistics:

Location: North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. The northernmost extent of the fire perimeter is about 2 miles south and east of Jacob Lake; the southernmost extent is about 14 miles north of the Grand Canyon National Park boundary.

Cause: Lightning

Size: 58,630 acres

Containment: 70%

As you drive south on Highway 67 toward Grand Canyon National Park, you will first enter an area that burned at a low intensity level. You will probably notice that the ground is black and the trees have some black showing near their bases. The crowns of the trees are generally green. In this area, most of the medium and larger sized trees will survive. Some of the smaller diameter trees may die.

As you continue, you will enter areas that burned at a moderate intensity level. In these areas, the scorch on the trees reaches higher. You may notice that lower branches and needles have burned. The crowns of some trees are green while others are black. In this area of moderate-intensity burning, most of the small and some of the larger trees may die. However, many of the larger diameter trees will survive. Finally, you will move into an area that burned at a high intensity. You will know when you have entered this area. Almost all of the trees are black and have already lost their needles. These trees will not survive.

The majority of the acres of the Warm Fire burned at a low level of intensity. Of the 58,630 acres that burned, about 38,360 acres (65 percent) burned at a low intensity level. The rest (35 percent) burned at either a moderate or high intensity level. Some of the areas of highest intensity burning occurred along Highway 67 because of slope and other terrain factors.

When fires burn at such varying intensity levels, fire managers refer to the resulting pattern on the landscape as a mosaic. To fire managers, all of these effects have their place as part of fire’s natural ecological role. Fire is an integral part of the forests of the Southwest.

Warm Fire Background Information

The Warm Fire began as a wildland fire use fire. A wildland fire use fire is a fire that is managed for resource benefits. Before a fire is put into wildland fire use status, land managers evaluate several criteria. For example, if a fire threatens life, property or resources, it is not considered appropriate for wildland fire use and is immediately suppressed. Once a fire is put into wildland fire use status, it is actively managed, meaning that fire managers establish boundaries and define weather and fuels conditions under which the fire will be allowed to burn. All wildland fire use fires must be naturally-ignited (lightning).

The Warm Wildland Fire Use Fire was first detected after a lightning storm moved through the area on June 8. It initially provided great ecological benefits to promote the health of the forest. Some of the resource objectives of wildland fire use fires include:

• Recycling nutrients into the soil

• Enhancing habitat for wildlife

• Reducing accumulations of woody material on the forest floor

• Increasing the amount of perennial grasses, forbs and browse plants for the benefit of wildlife and livestock

• Maintaining grassland ecosystems by controlling the encroachment of trees

• Reducing the potential for high-intensity fires

• Protecting threatened and endangered animal and plant habitat from the negative effects of high-intensity fires

• Creating conditions such as more open stands and reduced fuels

• Allowing fires to actively function as an ecological process across the landscape

During the Warm Wildland Fire Use Fire’s first week and a half, it burned at a low level of intensity. High southwest winds on June 18 and 19 pushed the fire several miles to the northeast. Continued drying and warming, as well as strong and gusty winds, caused fire activity to increase. Even when the fire was in wildland fire use status, suppression tactics were extensively used to prevent it from threatening structures at Jacob Lake and crossing Highway 89A.

The Warm Wildland Fire Use Fire started to push aggressively on June 23 against portions of the boundary that had been established for it. Kaibab National Forest managers, in coordination with the fire use team that was managing the fire, made the decision on the morning of June 24 to bring in an incident management team that specialized in fire suppression. The team’s objectives were to continue managing the fire use fire but to take suppression action on the northern and southern flanks. The suppression team was in place but had not yet taken command of the fire when it made a major run and dramatically increased in size on the evening of Sunday, June 25.

The Northern Arizona Incident Management Team took over management of the Warm Fire at 6 a.m. on June 26. Suppression tactics used on the fire have included the use of MAFFS (Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems – MAFFS are military C-130 airborne fire fighting units that eject foam retardant), helicopters, engines, dozers, and burnout operations. Weather conditions began to change on June 26 with increasing relative humidity levels. On June 27, much of the fire received scattered rain showers. By the end of the day on June 26, the fire was 5 percent contained. By the end of June 27, the fire was 20 percent contained. Containment levels have increased each day. Today (July 3), the fire is 70 percent contained. Full containment is expected by tomorrow evening.

No structures have been destroyed or damaged by the Warm Fire.

http://inciweb.org/incident/news/article/262/489/

What is a Helibase?

Warm Fire Helibase

July 2006

A helibase is a designated location for parking, fueling, maintenance, and loading of helicopters used on an incident. The Warm Helibase was set up in the meadows around De Motte Park.

Helicopters used in wildland fires are categorized into “types,” which refer to the overall capability of the equipment based on power, size, capacity, etc.

• Type 1 (“heavy”) helicopters can carry up to 700 gallons of water or more than 12,500 lbs of weight.

• Type 2 (“medium”) helicopters can carry up to 300 gallons of water or 6,000-12,500 lbs of weight.

• Type 3 (“light”) helicopters can carry up to 100 gallons of water and up to 6,000 lbs of weight.

During the height of suppression activities on the Warm Fire, six helicopters were utilized: 2 heavy, 3 medium, 1 light.

A helicopter serves various roles in wildland fires:

• It can perform aerial reconnaissance missions to provide information on the location, size and behavior of a wildland fire.

• It can quickly deliver firefighters to remote locations where they can begin initial attack operations.

• It can drop water onto fires.

• It can deliver cargo to firefighters and support personnel on the ground.

Helitack is the utilization of helicopters to transport crews, equipment, and fire retardants or suppressants to the fire line during the initial stages of the fire. It also refers to the crew that performs helicopter management and attack activities.

http://inciweb.org/incident/announcements/article/262/483/

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