Single Publication

Cougar Creek Fire Update for August 9, 2024

Incident Commander Jeff Dimke

Complex Incident Management Team Northwest 12

509-210-2928, staffed 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.  

2024.cougarcreek@firenet.gov 

Quick Facts:

Size: 20,999 acres                

Start Date: July 15, 2024        

Cause: Under investigation

Location: SW of Clarkston, 1 mile west of Hwy 129 and Grand Ronde River intersection

Containment: 35%              

Personnel: 440                        

Fire Strategy: Full suppression                      

Resources Assigned: 7 crews, 3 helicopters, 31 engines, 12 water tenders, 13 heavy equipment

Northwest Team 12 hosted a virtual community meeting last night for the Cougar Creek Fire. The saved video of the meeting is posted on the fire’s Facebook page. 

Happy 80th Birthday, Smokey Bear! With most wildfires caused by people, Smokey’s fire prevention message is more relevant than ever. It is hot and dry right now, so we need your help to decrease new fire starts. We are asking everyone to be careful with any activity that can create a spark and be aware of active fire restrictions and fire closures before heading out to recreate on public lands. This allows firefighters to focus limited resources (crews, engines, aircraft, equipment) on the numerous existing large fires across the region.

Operations: Firefighters are continuing the ongoing firing operation near Saddle Butte as they work to keep the fire out of the wilderness. Last night crews continued the burnout operation along FSR 40 to extend the blackened line northward from Saddle Butte, reaching Saddle Springs. After the initial firing operation, fire crews will secure and reinforce the approximately 100-feet deep blackened areas along the roadside.  

Further north, firefighters completed a firing operation at the FSR 43-40 junction, heading southward from Snow Spring to the Three C Spring/FSR 020 area. Mop up is nearly complete on the existing spot fire south of DeSpain Spring as crews work to fully secure this area. Fire equipment, remaining hoses, and litter is being collected and removed from control lines, roads, and staging areas across the swath of fire perimeter north of Grouse Flats and along Grande Ronde Road. Firefighters are also continuing to masticate and chip remaining activity fuels along the eastern and northeastern fire flanks. 

Evacuations and Closures: Forest closure descriptions and maps are available online on the Umatilla National Forest closure website. In Washington, evacuation notices are posted on the Asotin County Sheriff website and Asotin County Emergency Management Facebook website. Grande Ronde Road is closed from Troy, Oregon, to the Highway 129 junction in Washington. A level 2 evacuation remains in effect for all of Grouse Flat. The TFR remains in effect: https://bit.ly/4duptei. Drone activity is prohibited under the TFR as firefighting aircraft cannot fly with unauthorized drones present. Please respect road and area closure orders and use extra caution while driving for your safety as well as our firefighters.

Weather and Smoke: There is a slight chance of thunderstorms tomorrow. No wetting rain is expected on the fire. Relative humidity remains fairly steady as ridge top temperatures cool into the 70s next week. Learn more about smoke at http://wasmoke.blogspot.com/.