Posted on 08/13/2002 7:48:43 AM PDT by Grampa Dave
Oregon Firefighters get no help from the weather By JEFF BARNARD The Associated Press 8/13/02 3:25 AM
GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) -- Dry east winds, low humidity and temperatures topping 100 degrees are giving firefighters all they can handle as the massive Biscuit Fire creeps toward several small towns.
The fire, Oregon's largest in more than a century, stood at 376,800 acres on the Siskiyou National Forest and adjoining lands in southwestern Oregon and northern California. It started July 13 from lightning that struck in the remote Kalmiopsis Wilderness.
"This week is an important week for the fire," said Susan Mathison, a Forest Service spokeswoman. "High temperatures, single-digit humidities, strong east winds -- all those contribute to an expectation of increased fire activity."
Said David Widmark, a spokesman for the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center: "The next 24 to 36 hours will be a big test for the Biscuit and the Tiller fires."
Widmark said the Biscuit Fire was moving slowly toward the small communities of Agness and Wilderness Retreat.
Firefighters on Monday did manage to get a line around a spot fire that threatened a major power line serving northern California.
"I don't think we'll have any reason to turn the power off and cause any problems down in Crescent City (Calif.)," said U.S. Forest Service spokesman Mike Ferris.
The spot fire had slopped over the main containment line on the southeastern flank, coming within a half-mile of two transmission lines serving 14,800 customers in Del Norte County, Calif., said Monte Mendenhall, regional community manager of Pacific Power.
Meanwhile, on the northeast flank of the fire, strong dry winds forced crews to withdraw from trying to light off a burnout operation to strengthen containment lines between Bear Camp Road and Indigo Prairie, Ferris said.
In other developments:
The Biscuit Fire has prevented a search for a Grants Pass man who was last seen a month ago as he hiked into the Kalmiopsis Wilderness.
Two days after 32-year-old Michael Woods set out on a three-week backpacking trip, lightning sparked the 376,492-acre Biscuit Fire. The blaze has been burning since July 13 and covers an area nearly half the size of Rhode Island.
"With the fire activity, hopefully he was able to find some shelter -- a creek, river drainage, an abandoned mine," said Lt. Brian Anderson of the Josephine County Sheriff's Office.
Boy Scout officials say they consider the damage done by the fire as an opportunity to make improvements at McCaleb Ranch, a historic camp damaged two weeks ago.
The wildfire reached the ranch on July 26 and destroyed most of the camp's buildings. The fire, however, didn't touch a footbridge and low-water bridge that cross the Illinois River, so the scouts still have access to the site.
"I think we'll use this as a means to improve the facility," said Pat Fahey, Troop 23 Scoutmaster. "We've been wanting to do stuff for years. This might spur us to get something done."
Full containment for the southern flank in California was expected by Thursday. The whole fire was 25 percent contained.
"The fire isn't spreading that much," said Ferris. "It's creeping against the wind along the ridges and down the slopes, then running up the other side."
Meanwhile, a new fire erupted Sunday in eastern Oregon, about 17 miles northwest of Burns. Officials said the fire was caused by human activity.
"This one has potential. If we don't catch it today, it's going to be a biggie," Widmark said.
The new fire, named the Bald Green Butte fire, was burning near a Ponderosa pine forest and rugged terrain.
You know it. Try living in the nexus of the Green empire. Just about enough to go postal.
EBUCK
I have my own nexus right here in the Everglades, where they have their own little creep-units hard at work.
As a matter of fact this is happening 1/2 a block from my house.
EBUCK
National InterAgency Fire Center
Boise, Idaho
Wildland Fire Update The national level of response and preparedness decreased yesterday as fire activity continues to moderate throughout the country. While there are hundreds of new fires everyday, most of those are put out within the first day, and those that do become large are not causing a huge resource commitment. About 270 new fires were reported yesterday, three of which became large fires; four were contained. There are currently 16 large active fires burning in Alaska, California, Colorado, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. A red flag warning is posted for portions of western Oregon and southern Washington Cascades for gusty east winds and low humidity. California and Nevada are expected to be hot and dry today. Other western states will remain sunny, dry and warm. Widespread mostly wet thunderstorms are expected in central Texas and the central Mississippi Valley, with sunny skies expected in other southern states. Firefighters need your help! Although fire activity has decreased somewhat, fire season is still at its peak. Many states continue to report extreme fire conditions. Visitors to the public lands can help by preventing any unwanted human-caused fires. Click here for some helpful tips on fire prevention methods. |
Statistics
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Daily Statistics 8/13/02 |
Year-to-Date Statistics 1/1/02 - 8/13/02
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Number of New Large Fires |
3
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Number of Fires |
56,422
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Number of Active Large Fires |
16
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10-Year Average
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58,310
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Acres from Active Fires |
1,098,384
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Number of Acres |
5,525,361
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Fires Contained Yesterday |
4
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10-Year Average
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2,525,312
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States Currently Reporting Active Large Fires
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2001 Number of Fires (1/1/01 - 8/13/01) |
53,800
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2001 Number of Acres (1/1/01 - 8/13/01) |
1,911,636 |
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2000 Number of Fires (1/1/00 - 8/13/00) |
65,720
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2000 Number of Acres (1/1/00 - 8/13/00) |
4,703,435
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Year-to-date large fires contained |
490 |
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State-by-State Summaries
Alaska |
Number of Fires: 4 |
Acres: 449,430 |
New Fires: 0 |
Fires Contained: 0 |
Reindeer (State of Alaska Division of Forestry): 157,000 acres at 0 percent contained. This fire is 29 miles northeast of Holycross. Crews are providing structure protection on the southwest flank. Information: Call (907) 356-5511 or visit the Alaska Fire Service web site |
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Ketchem Creek (BLM Upper Yukon Zone): 5,255 acres at 73 percent contained. This fire is four miles northeast of Circle Hot Springs. Crews made good progress mopping up the south, north and northwest flanks. Information: Call (907) 356-5511 or visit the Alaska Fire Service web site |
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North Fork (Southwest Area Forestry, Alaska Division of Forestry): 29,626 acres at 50 percent contained. This fire is two miles north-northwest of Medfra. Information: Call (907) 356-5511 or visit the Alaska Fire Service web site |
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Geskamina Lake (BLM Tanana Zone): 257,549 acres at 0 percent contained. This fire is 70 miles west of Fairbanks. Crews are mopping up around structures along the Kantishna River and at West Twin Lake, Kindanina Lake and Mucha Lake. Information: Call (907) 356-5511 or visit the Alaska Fire Service web site |
California |
Number of Fires: 2 |
Acres: 131,140 |
New Fires: 0 |
Fires Contained: 2 |
Bryant (CDF Riverside Unit): 550 acres at 80 percent contained. This fire is four miles northwest of Beaumont. Crews made significant progress constructing indirect and direct attack fireline. | ||||
McNalley (Sequoia National Forest): 130,590 acres at 70 percent contained. This fire is burning nine miles north of Kernville. Crews are constructing direct and indirect attack fireline and burning out on the northwest, east and west perimeters with support from aerial resources. Crews made good progress mopping up along the south and west flanks. Information: Call (760) 376-1408 or visit the NcNalley Fire web site |
Colorado |
Number of Fires: 1 |
Acres: 2,000 |
New Fires: 1 |
Fires Contained: 1 |
NEW - Cherry Creek (Southern Ute Agency): 2,000 acres at 10 percent contained. This wind driven fire is 14 miles southwest of Hesperus. Dozers are constructing direct and indirect attack fireline. Several residences and outbuildings are threatened; structure protection is in place. |
Oregon |
Number of Fires: 5 |
Acres: 466,424 |
New Fires: 0 |
Fires Contained: 0 |
Bald Green Butte (Burns Interagency Fire Zone): 89 acres at 85 percent contained. This fire is 17 miles west-northwest of Burns. Crews and dozers made excellent progress constructing fireline. | ||||
Hemlock (Willamette National Forest): 136 acres at 75 percent contained. This fire is one half mile north of West Fir. Crews made good progress mopping up on all divisions. | ||||
Biscuit, formerly Florence (Siskiyou National Forest): 378,865 acres at 26 percent contained. The fire is burning on both sides of the California-Oregon border, 26 miles southwest of Grants Pass. A pre-evacuation alert has been issued to residents of Agness and in the Pistol River area. The Illinois River Valley remains under an evacuation advisory; structure protection is in place. Cave Junction, Kerby, Selma, Agness, Gardner Ranch and McCaleb Ranch are threatened. Information: Call 541-471-6681or visit the Biscuit Fire web site |
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Monument-Malheur Complex (Malheur National Forest): 43,894 acres at 95 percent contained. This complex is southwest of Unity. Crews are mopping up, rehabilitating firelines and patrolling. Information: Call (541) 446-3614 or visit the Monument Fire web site |
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Tiller Complex (Umpqua National Forest): 43,440 acres at 40 percent contained. This complex, consisting of eight large and numerous small fires, is on the Tiller Ranger District and in the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness Area, 25 miles east of Canyonville. Heavy fuel loading and very steep, inaccessible terrain are hampering containment efforts. Crews are building indirect and direct attack fireline and burning out where appropriate. Structure protection is in place in Ash Valley. The Whie, Falcon, Skim, Seneca, Fawn, Boze and Blink fires have been contained. Information: Call (541) 825-3201 or visit the Tiller Complex web site |
Utah |
Number of Fires: 2 |
Acres: 8,325 |
New Fires: 1 |
Fires Contained: 0 |
NEW - Brownie (Ashley National Forest): 153 acres at 50 percent contained. This fire is 22 miles northwest of Vernal. Crews are hot-spotting and mopping up spot fires. | ||||
Sequoia (Dixie National Forest): 8,172 acres at 97 percent contained. This fire is 26 miles southwest of Cedar City. Information: Visit the Dixie National Forest web site |
Washington |
Number of Fires: 1 |
Acres: 40,665 |
New Fires: 0 |
Fires Contained: 0 |
Deer Point (Wenatchee National Forest): 40,665 acres at 75 percent contained. This fire is burning seven miles northwest of Chelan. Information: Call (509) 687-1031 or visit the Deer Point Fire web site |
Wyoming |
Number of Fires: 1 |
Acres: 400 |
New Fires: 0 |
Fires Contained: 0 |
Vengence (BLM Rock Springs Field Office): 400 acres at 85 percent contained. This fire is burning 19 miles south of Rock Springs. Personnel are mopping up. |
Click on Picure to get the info.
EBUCK
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Joint Information Center Coordinator: Media Inquiries: Media Liaison: Fax: |
EBUCK
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