09-17-17 Chetco Bar Fire Updates (east and west)
09-16-17 Chetco Bar (East) Update Josephine County
The Indigo Fire (784 Fire) was active again yesterday, expanding mostly to the west, reaching 578 acres. This fire is located midslope along the west side of the West Fork of Indigo Creek and has not crossed east into Josephine County. Fire crews are building containment lines by widening and removing brush along existing forest roads on both its east and west sides. Although there is a significant amount of heat and burning potential present, the Indigo Fire’s activity is expected to diminish due to cooler, wetter weather starting today.
The Chetco Bar Fire is currently 189,562 acres (same official size as yesterday) and has reached 43% containment. The most significant portion of its East Zone activity was within the horseshoe bend of the Illinois River at the north end of the fire. Here, the fire has been creeping northeast, smoldering and occasionally torching trees. Fire containment line is now completed from the California border to the Bear Camp area. Threat from the fire to homes and communities along Hwy 199 is minimal at this time. Fire containment lines are being extended northwest of the fire from Bear Camp to Fish Hook Peak.
The southern edge of the fire is quite cold, hasn’t spread for several days, and is expected to stay quiet. Therefore, instead of proceeding to build and reopen additional containment lines south of the fire, fewer firefighters will locate and flag a potential containment line route. They will identify action points that would trigger crews to re-initiate fireline construction if the fire becomes active in the future.
Weather: It will be slightly cooler and more humid today compared to yesterday, with a chance of rain by evening. An inch of rain is forecast to fall by Thursday, which is less rain than areas further north will receive, but will have a positive effect to suppress fire activity. High temperatures will be about 66 degrees on the ridges and 70 degrees in the valleys. Minimum relative humidity (RH) will be approximately 40%. Afternoon winds will be light, 4 to 8 miles per hour.
Smoke: Because the winds will be so light, it’s likely that significant amounts of smoke will collect and linger in the valleys. Even though the local fires do not continue to spread, there is still significant smoldering and consumption occurring in interior areas. Smoke is also coming in from other nearby fires. The Illinois River Valley will have air quality that’s unhealthy for sensitive groups today. For current air quality information and forecasts go to http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com
Closures and Restrictions: A broad area of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest is closed around the Chetco Bar Fire. Private land along the Illinois River Road within the National Forest is at a Level 2 “Get Set” Evacuation status; only residents and fire personnel can enter this area. There are currently no closures around the Indigo Fire. More details and maps are https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/5385/41275/
Fire at a Glance:
Size: 189,562 acres
Started: July 12, 2017 by Lightning
Containment: 43%
Assigned Resources:
Helicopters shared across the Chetco Bar Fire: three Type 3; three Type 2; one Type 1; three National Guard Type 1.
Ground resources on the Chetco East Zone: 14 Type 2 crews; 6 Engines; 3 Fallers; 1 Feller Buncher; 3 Dozers; 2 Water Tenders; 5 Masticators; 2 Chippers; 1 Skidder; 1 Grader; 1 Excavator
The Chetco Bar Fire is currently 189,562 acres (same official size as yesterday) and has reached 43% containment. The most significant portion of its East Zone activity was within the horseshoe bend of the Illinois River at the north end of the fire. Here, the fire has been creeping northeast, smoldering and occasionally torching trees. Fire containment line is now completed from the California border to the Bear Camp area. Threat from the fire to homes and communities along Hwy 199 is minimal at this time. Fire containment lines are being extended northwest of the fire from Bear Camp to Fish Hook Peak.
The southern edge of the fire is quite cold, hasn’t spread for several days, and is expected to stay quiet. Therefore, instead of proceeding to build and reopen additional containment lines south of the fire, fewer firefighters will locate and flag a potential containment line route. They will identify action points that would trigger crews to re-initiate fireline construction if the fire becomes active in the future.
Weather: It will be slightly cooler and more humid today compared to yesterday, with a chance of rain by evening. An inch of rain is forecast to fall by Thursday, which is less rain than areas further north will receive, but will have a positive effect to suppress fire activity. High temperatures will be about 66 degrees on the ridges and 70 degrees in the valleys. Minimum relative humidity (RH) will be approximately 40%. Afternoon winds will be light, 4 to 8 miles per hour.
Smoke: Because the winds will be so light, it’s likely that significant amounts of smoke will collect and linger in the valleys. Even though the local fires do not continue to spread, there is still significant smoldering and consumption occurring in interior areas. Smoke is also coming in from other nearby fires. The Illinois River Valley will have air quality that’s unhealthy for sensitive groups today. For current air quality information and forecasts go to http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com
Closures and Restrictions: A broad area of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest is closed around the Chetco Bar Fire. Private land along the Illinois River Road within the National Forest is at a Level 2 “Get Set” Evacuation status; only residents and fire personnel can enter this area. There are currently no closures around the Indigo Fire. More details and maps are https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/5385/41275/
Fire at a Glance:
Size: 189,562 acres
Started: July 12, 2017 by Lightning
Containment: 43%
Assigned Resources:
Helicopters shared across the Chetco Bar Fire: three Type 3; three Type 2; one Type 1; three National Guard Type 1.
Ground resources on the Chetco East Zone: 14 Type 2 crews; 6 Engines; 3 Fallers; 1 Feller Buncher; 3 Dozers; 2 Water Tenders; 5 Masticators; 2 Chippers; 1 Skidder; 1 Grader; 1 Excavator
09-17-17 (West) Curry Chetco Bar Fire Update
*New West Side Information Line: 541-412-8531*
Crews continue to strengthen control lines along the northwest perimeter near Snow Camp Mountain, making significant progress in containing the existing fire. As of yesterday, two hotshot crews connected firelines in what is called a ‘handshake’, securing a significant section of the western perimeter. Some mop up operations have commenced in this area, including hand line rehabilitation in the Snow Camp meadows. Crews plan to unwrap most structures, lookouts and campground signs along the northern perimeter starting today.
*New West Side Information Line: 541-412-8531*
Crews continue to strengthen control lines along the northwest perimeter near Snow Camp Mountain, making significant progress in containing the existing fire. As of yesterday, two hotshot crews connected firelines in what is called a ‘handshake’, securing a significant section of the western perimeter. Some mop up operations have commenced in this area, including hand line rehabilitation in the Snow Camp meadows. Crews plan to unwrap most structures, lookouts and campground signs along the northern perimeter starting today.
Patrol and mop up operations continue along the western side of the fire. The focus of operations in these areas is shifting from fire suppression to suppression rehabilitation. Crews are working to repair hand and dozer lines, retrieve hoses, and install water bars to prevent erosion in areas blacklined across the perimeter.
As cooler temperatures move through the region, active surface fires give way to smoldering and creeping. Fire activity in the Mt. Emily area amounts to very steep, rugged terrain where the fire continues to back gently downslope toward drainage bottoms. Fire suppression efforts are concentrated in this area, where firefighters strive to gain containment using a variety of tactics. As cooler, moist weather increases, more containment will be achieved, strengthening control lines on the southern perimeter, along the 1205 (Mt. Emily Road), and southwest towards Wheeler Creek.
Chipping operations have commenced on the 1207 Road along the East side of the Winchuck drainage, and are finishing on Forest Road 305 on the California border. The purpose of these operations is to mitigate existing fuels so the fire stays contained within the existing lines.
Smoke impacts continue to be light to moderate in communities surrounding the fire, but overall air quality continues to improve. Smoke plumes are expected to remain visible from within the fire perimeter until there is a major, season changing event. While next week’s cooler temperatures and precipitation events will dampen the fires, smoke plumes are expected to remain visible from within the fire perimeter through the season end.
Closures and Evacuations: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Coos Bay District’s temporary emergency closure of public lands in Curry County, Oregon remains in effect. This closure affects public lands within and adjacent to the Chetco Bar Fire.
Level 1 and Level 2 evacuation orders remain in effect for portions of Brookings-Harbor and the Upper Winchuck areas. Forest area, road, and trail closures are still in effect. For further information visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/rogue-siskiyou/alerts-notices
Weather: The extended forecast indicates the fire area could receive scattered rain showers beginning Sunday and continuing through Wednesday of next week. Lower temperatures, higher humidities and possible wetting rain will assist in fire suppression.
Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) are in effect over the Chetco Bar Fire area. For more information see: http://tfr.faa.gov/
Fire Size: 189,562
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