InciWeb
Wildfire
Prescribed Fire
Burned Area
Response
Other
The Cougar Creek Fire began July 15, 2024 and is currently being managed under a full suppression strategy. Complex Incident Management NW Team 12, with Incident Commander Jeff Dimke, assumed command of this fire at 7 p.m. PST on July 31st, 2024.
The Washington Department of Natural Resources, Oregon Department of Forestry, US Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management are cooperating to manage this fire.
| Current as of | Sun, 08/11/2024 - 23:38 |
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| Incident Time Zone | America/Los_Angeles |
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
| Cause | Undetermined |
| Date of Origin | |
| Location | 1 mile west of Hwy 129 and Grand Ronde river intersection |
| Incident Commander | Jeff Dimke - Incident Commander Bob Shindelar – Deputy Incident Commander Northwest Complex Incident Management Team 12 |
| Coordinates |
46° 2' 20'' Latitude
-117° 19' 4
'' Longitude
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| Total Personnel: | 373 |
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| Size | 22,376 Acres |
| Percent of Perimeter Contained | 50% |
| Estimated Containment Date | 10/01/2024 |
| Fuels Involved | Timber (Grass and Understory) The primary carrier of the fire is grass in lower elevations. Progression up slope will take the fire into timber stringers and isolated areas of dense timber and brush stands. As the fire moves into these dense stands, the rate of spread will decrease while intensity increases. The primary carrier of the fire in the timber stands will be down and dead woody material, needle litter or brush. Fuels above 5,000 foot elevation and with a north aspect appear to be greener and may reduce progression. |
| Significant Events | Active This fire lies north from the Grande Ronde River and up-slope to the 43 Road ridgeline. The overall aspect is southeast. Steep incised canyons dissect a mixed topography of ridgelines, benches, plateaus and secondary drainages. All dead fuels are dry and available for consumption. Abundant steep topography is available to aid in rapid fire progression. |
| Projected Incident Activity |
12 Hours: Minimal fire behavior in timber litter fuels is anticipated with smoldering, backing, and flanking with occasional torching through much of the night, and limited creeping under the timber canopies. Fire spread by flanking, backing and roll outs is anticipated in the timber litter fuels during the night in the thermal belt. Poor to moderate relative humidity recovery overnight will contribute to continue drying of live and dead fuels. Conditions will be favorable for limited firing operations. Chances of thunderstorms overnight. 24 Hours: Continued elevated fire behavior potential with 24 hours drying of live and dead fuels due to lower daytime relative humidity and nighttime poor to moderate recoveries. Primarily minimal fire behavior anticipated with pockets of interior active fire behavior. Smoldering and creeping fire behavior with flanking and backing along with occasional torching in afternoon in available timber litter fuels. Areas of interior fire growth expected in connected timber stringers interior to fire lines in Division Golf. Isolated fingers will experience upslope growth. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. |
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| Weather Concerns | The upper-level disturbance will strengthen on Monday and Monday night. In addition, mid-level moisture will increase. This will destabilize the atmosphere and support a better chance for showers and embedded thunderstorms Monday night and Tuesday. In fact, Tuesday looks like the best opportunity for any precipitation. Temperatures will be cooler by a few degrees on Monday and as cloud cover increases Monday night temperatures will be much cooler for Tuesday. High temperatures will only manage to get into the 70s on Tuesday. Relative humidity will be in the 20-35 percent |
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