09-18-17 Chetco Bar Fire Updates (east and west)

09-18-17 Chetco Bar Fire Updates (east and west)

09-17-17 (West) Curry Chetco Bar Fire Update

Yesterday’s precipitation event sets the stage for this week’s activity across the Chetco Bar Fire area. We can expect light wetting rains to continue to dampen fire activity through Wednesday. Fire containment is now at 53%, up from 43% yesterday.

Smoke impacts will remain light to moderate in communities near the fire perimeter, and smoke will remain visible from within the fire perimeter until there is a major, season ending event.

Crews continue to strengthen control lines along the northwest perimeter near Snow Camp Mountain. Hand line rehabilitation proceeds in the Snow Camp meadows, and crews continue to remove reflective fire wrap from structures, lookouts and campground signs along the northern perimeter.

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.

Fire crews are working to strengthen and improve containment lines along the southern perimeter near Mt. Emily. Today, firefighters expect to complete mop up and grading operations along the 305 Road south to the California border and along the 240. Dozer operations have been completed along the junction of 1106 and 1205 (Mt. Emily Road). Crews will monitor as conditions change.

Fire in the Mt. Emily area continues to back gently downslope toward drainage bottoms. 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.

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/

09-18-17 Chetco Bar (East) Update Josephine County

With just a few patches of fuel noticeably burning due to cooler, wetter weather, yesterday’s fire activity in the Indigo Fire (784 Fire) was minimal. It is 578 acres and has not crossed the West Fork of Indigo Creek into Josephine County. Fire crews have nearly finished indirect containment lines to the east of the fire by widening and removing brush along forest roads 055 and 510. Crews have also progressed with similar work to the west of the fire on the 2308 and 076 roads between Bear Camp and the Fish Hook Peak area.

The Chetco Bar Fire is currently 53% contained at 189,787 acres. Fire activity in the East Zone was

relatively quiet due to the weather. However, there were some small areas of active fire north of Pearsol Peak and near the Illinois River south of Deadman Bar east of the horseshoe bend in the river.

Yesterday, fire crews finished work to improve the completed fire containment line east of the fire from the California border to the Bear Camp area. On the north end of the fireline, crews finished brush removal with chainsaws and masticators up to FS Road 23. Approximately 100 miles of fireline have been completed on the East Zone of the fire. Near California, crews have finished tying together and improving fireline between Rough and Ready Creek and Diamond Creek.

Today, some fire crews and equipment that have completed work on the fireline east of the fire will move west into Curry County to work on roads used as indirect containment lines west of the Indigo Fire south to the Fish Hook Peak area. High daytime humidity and cool temperatures will allow firefighters to make progress without any expected initial attack activity. Action points along the southern edge will be monitored, but little fire movement is expected in this area.

Weather and expected fire behavior: There is a 70% chance of showers today, with about 1/10 inch of precipitation expected in the fire area. Daytime relative humidity will be higher than yesterday at around 50- 60% and high temperatures in the fire area will reach about 60 degrees. Winds will be out of the west at 5-15 mph on ridges. These conditions will reduce fire activity somewhat today, but there will still be hotspots of burning that may generate smoke. One-quarter to ½ inch of rain is expected in the fire area Tuesday and Wednesday. This is likely to significantly dampen fire activity for two days.

Smoke: Light rain on Monday should clear some smoke from the air. However, heavy fuels under the canopy are still burning and smoke may move in from other nearby fires. Monday morning observations in the Illinois River Valley indicate good air quality. 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 theChetco 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 at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/5385/

Fire at a Glance: Size: 189,787 acres Started: July 12, 2017 by Lightning Containment: 53%

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: 10 Type 2 Crews; 6 Engines; 1 Dozer; 1 Water Tender;

1 Masticator; 1 Chipper; 1 Excavator.