Efforts to construct, strengthen, and mop up the fire line will continue today. Repair to areas damaged by suppression efforts will also be a focus for crews. 

The steep terrain within the Tuolumne River Canyon continues to be the most difficult challenge for firefighters.

Temperatures are expected to cool slightly today and be in the upper 80's to low 90's. Winds will remain light throughout the day, gusting up to 10 mph.

Focus moves to the northside of Battle Mountain Complex 

Total Complex Estimated Acres: 182,855  
Location: Ukiah, Oregon 
Cause: Under Investigation 
Personnel: 1463
Containment: 68% 
Estimated Cost: $59 million 
Resources: 41 crews | 71 engines | 6 helicopters | 34 water tenders | 21 dozers

Highlights: Resources that worked the south side of the fire are being reprioritized to aid the northern half.

Operations: Fire continues to burn on the north side, mostly in Swale, Ditch, Gilbert and Potamus drainages. The constructed containment lines are holding, but these drainages are challenging. Crews are continuing to extinguish hotspots near the containment line to reduce the chance of spread to the north. At the same time, they are working on back-up lines should they be needed.

Several National Forest system roads including the 2105 and 040 are being prepared in the event they may be needed. This effort is to further protect wildlife habitat and an important seed bank that is vital to reforestation efforts in the area. The work of preparing these contingency lines includes removing small trees, thinning dense vegetation and piling brush mostly with heavy equipment. Removing these fuels along the roads will make them more defensible in the event they are needed. 

Across the rest of the fire crews received instructions from Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, and Oregon Department of Forestry for what suppression repair work needs to be completed. Crews and equipment will implement the plans by removing dozer berms, scattering or piling brush, and fixing stream crossings. Some areas have been identified for re-seeding to prevent invasive species from spreading. Resources Advisors and Archaeologists are also instructing crews on how to implement the repair plans.

After tonight, all night shift resources will be moved to day shift. 

Weather: Scattered clouds will move across the area during the afternoon with skies clearing overnight. Temperatures ranging from upper 70s to lower 90s through Wednesday will cool off late in the week following the passage of a dry cold front. An isolated late afternoon shower or thunderstorm will be possible on Monday and Tuesday, but unlikely. No rainfall is expected. 

Smoke: Smoke has moderated but is expected to persist from regional fires in the area. Residents can expect to continue to see smoke from interior pockets of unburned fuel. To see a detailed smoke outlook visit: https://linktr.ee/battlemntcomplex2024

Public Land Closures: The Bureau of Land Management and the Umatilla National Forest have closed public lands in the fire area. Visit https://linktr.ee/battlemntcomplex2024 for more information.

Road closures and fire restrictions: https://linktr.ee/battlemntcomplex2024 

Grant, Morrow and Umatilla County Evacuations: https://linktr.ee/battlemntcomplex2024

Fire Location: 11 miles west of Wapiti, WY
Size: 1,896 acres
Containment: 43%
Personnel: 142
Start Date: 7/19/24
Cause: Lightning
Incident Commander (IC): Ron Steffens, Wyoming Type 3 Team

Operations
Much of yesterday’s work focused in the Elk Fork Campground area, where crews cut burned trees that could be a safety hazard when the campground eventually reopens. Crews also cleared brush and other debris and improved handline south into the Elk Fork drainage. The incident management team continues seeking opportunities to minimize spread on the fire’s southern perimeter.  

Due to heavy fuels in steep, inaccessible terrain, the fire is likely to burn and smolder for some time in conifer forest, brush, and dead and down logs even if cooler temperatures and precipitation prevail.    

Closures
Elk Fork Campground is closed indefinitely; Wapiti Campground and Clearwater Campground are closed until fire conditions allow otherwise. A road and trail closure are in effect at NFS Road #424, Elk Fork Road and NFS Trail # 760, Elk Fork Trail.  Click here to view the closure order (#021404-24-03). For safety reasons, the public is asked to respect closed campgrounds and trails. A temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in effect until August 19, 2024. 

Weather | Anticipated Fire Behavior
Today’s weather shows a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Thunderstorms will create gusty and erratic winds which may create smoke dispersal in the area and winds may affect fire behavior and growth.   

Safety Information
The Shoshone National Forest implemented Stage 1 fire restrictions due to very dry conditions of fuels and continued hot, dry weather. Click here to view a copy of Stage 1 Fire Restrictions order (#02-14-04-24-04).  

A USFS law enforcement officer continues to monitor traffic on Highway 14 to ensure drivers are traveling at a safe speed and watching for fire crews working near or on the roadway. 

Fire activity remains high throughout the western U.S. and Canada, resulting in widespread smoke. Use the Air Now link to check air quality conditions; click here to view an overview map of fire activity. 

Photos
Below are links to several pictures of the Horseshoe Meadow crew working in the Elk Fork Campground on Saturday, August 10. (Note: Due to the size of the files, each picture may take a few seconds to load.)

• A member of the Horseshoe Meadow crews fells a burned tree in the Elk Fork Campground for safety mitigation
   
• A Horseshoe Meadow crew works on felling and moving burned trees in the Elk Fork Campground

Fire Location 

• Dollar: 18 miles NE of Cascade, Idaho
• Snag:  11 miles E of Cascade, Idaho

Size 

• Dollar: 1,377 acres
• Snag:  10,571 acres

Containment 

• Dollar: 0%
• Snag:  0%

Personnel 

• Dollar: 0
• Snag:  21

Start Date 

• Both Fires: 8/5/2024 

Cause 

• Both Fires: lightning 

Incident Commander 

Tony DeMasters, Great Basin Complex Incident Management Team #2

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Snag Fire: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idbof-snag-fire 

Last night, firefighters patrolled the Warm Lake Highway to monitor fire behavior. In the Warm Lake residential area, firefighters worked to stage equipment, such as water pumps and hose, if needed for future structure protection actions. A confinement strategy is underway to create a containment boundary around the southern fire perimeter to protect the resources around Horsethief. Indirect line to the south will be utilized to further this containment boundary. Fire movement continues in all directions, with the biggest growth occurring in the northeast corner.  Incident responder and public safety remain the highest priority while also protecting energized power lines along the Warm Lake Highway leading to Yellow Pine, private structures, and the Warm Lake Highway itself.   

Dollar Fire: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idbof-dollar-fire 

The Dollar Fire saw minimal growth yesterday. The fire line reached an old burn scar to the top of the eastern ridgeline, and the fire is expected to burn itself out in that area. Firefighters are keeping an eye on the fire’s movement towards the Dollar Trailhead and a nearby drainage.   

SNAG FIRE EVACUATION INFORMATION 

The Valley County Sheriff’s Office issued a “ready” evacuation order for Warm Lake residents and the North Shore Lodge at Warm Lake on August 7th. This map can be found on Inciweb: https://tinyurl.com/42auxnk8. A second “ready” evacuation order was issued on August 8th for the Horsethief area, including the YMCA Camp, and areas of Scott Valley. This map can also be found on Inciweb, with the relevant areas outlined in purple:  https://tinyurl.com/4vfj657x. 

Ingress along the Warm Lake Highway on the east side of Scott Valley is closed. Currently, westbound traffic toward Cascade along the Warm Lake Highway is allowed. Residents and recreators in the area will be notified of the closure. Residents not currently at their homes will be granted one-time access into the Warm Lake area to retrieve animals and other property if they can provide a valid address. Anyone who remains in the area should be prepared for a full closure of the Warm Lake Highway and have enough fuel to exit the area via the Deadwood area or Lick Creek Road. As a reminder, the South Fork Road remains closed due to construction unrelated to the Snag Fire. 

Review the READY, SET, GO evacuation procedure for Valley County: https://www.co.valley.id.us/ReadySetGo 

For timely information on evacuations, check out your county’s emergency alert system.  

• Valley County: https://www.co.valley.id.us/CompleteEmergencyNotificationandAlerting 
• Adams County:  https://public.alertsense.com/SignUp/PublicUser.aspx?regionid=1077 

FOREST CLOSURES 

Snag Fire Closures: The Boise National Forest has issued closure order # 0402-04-100 for the National Forest System (NFS) roads, trails, and lands around the Snag Fire. 

For maps and more detailed descriptions of the closures on the Payette National Forest, please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/payette/alerts-notices 

For maps and more detailed descriptions of the closures on the Boise National Forest, please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/boise/alerts-notices  

Fire Restrictions: Stage 1 Fire Restrictions have been issued for the Payette Fire Restrictions Area on the Payette National Forest and the West Central Mountains Fire Restrictions Area on the Boise National Forest.  For more information on the restrictions and a very helpful interactive map, visit https://www.idl.idaho.gov/fire-management/fire-restrictions-finder/ 

Important Links 

• Payette National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/payette 
• Payette National Forest Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PayetteNationalForest 
• Boise National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/boise 
• Boise National Forest Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BoiseNationalForest 
• Idaho Department of Lands: https://www.idl.idaho.gov/fire-management/ 

Level 3 (GO NOW): The area South of FS Road 7735, 77 road to where it crosses Summit Creek then south of Carson Creek to the Pine Valley floor. The area west of Carson Creek from West Carson Road to Valley View Lane, sest of Mining Channel ditch from Valley View Lane to Jackson Lane, west of Foothill Ditch from Jackson Lane to the ODF Boundary Line, then west of the ODF boundary line to Highway 86. The area North of the ODF Boundary from Highway 86 to the 77 Road to Immigrant Gulch, north of where the Brooks Ditch crosses the Eagle Valley Rural Fire Protection District Boundary to Summit Creek where it meets Summit Creek Road, north of Summit Creek Road to Eagle Creek Road, then north of the Idaho Power line from Eagle Creek Road to Sparta Lane. The area east of Sparta Lane from the Idaho Power Line to Mitchell Road. East of Mitchell Road to Eagle Creek. Then east of 7737 to the 7737 and 7735 intersection. 

Level 2 (BE SET): North of Shanghai Creek on the west side of the fire and then north of Carson creek on the east side of the fire. The area east of the headwaters of Puzzle Creek to Dempsey Creek, then east of Paddy Creek. The area south of the FS Road 7725/77 intersection to Fuller Creek. The area west of Cornucopia Highway between Fuller Creek and West Carson Lane. 

Level 1 (BE READY): West of the Cornucopia Highway starting near the intersection of the Cornucopia Highway and Allstead Lane all the way to Highway 86. West of Highway 86 to Immigrant Gulch. North of the intersection of Immigrant Gulch and Highway 86. North of the rock pit and the Tobin Ditch to Carnahan Lane. North of Sparta Lane from Old Foothill Road to the intersection of Sparta Lane and the Idaho Power line. From this intersection, the boundary becomes the Idaho Power Line to Thorn Gulch over to Gem Mine Road. East of Sparta Butte Road, FS Road 7005 to Forshey Meadow and then east of the FS Road 70 to the FS Road 7015. South of Empire Gulch on the west side of the fire and the intersection of Allstead Road and the Cornucopia Highway on the east side of the fire. 

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FOREST SERVICE: BASIN POST-FIRE BAER ASSESSMENT REPORT SUMMARY RELEASED

The Forest Service—Sierra National Forest completed a BAER post-fire assessment of the Basin Post-Fire burned area and affected watersheds to determine their response, soil conditions, potential threats, and recommended BAER emergency stabilization measures and actions on National Forest System (NFS) lands. BAER emergency treatments and activities are designed to decreased possible impacts to critical values from the burned areas during rainstorm events such as: life and safety, property, critical natural resources, and cultural resources.

NOTE: Attached below as “Related Information” is a PDF document called “Basin Post-Fire BAER Assessment Report Summary_PUBLIC”.

BAER SAFETY MESSAGE: Everyone near and downstream from the burned areas should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains and increased water runoff. Flash flooding may occur quickly during heavy rain events--be prepared to act. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service website: www.weather.gov/hnx/.

Firefighters spent the day validating handlines and widening those needing additional work. Hose lays are also in place all around the perimeter of the fire. Crews began mopping up today, cooling hot spots and smoldering areas within 200 feet of the containment lines. In addition, suppression repair started today.

The steep terrain within the Tuolumne River Canyon continues to be the most difficult challenge for firefighters.

Fire behavior continues to be low to moderate, with a slow rate of spread. The weather was hot and dry again today, but is expected to cool tomorrow. Winds were generally light throughout the day, gusting to 14 mph in the late afternoon.

All Evacuation Warnings were lifted at 1800 today.

Hunting and Fire Danger in Oregon - Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW)

Hunters, anglers, wildlife watchers: What to know about wildfires‌. Wildfire season is hitting Oregon hard. Here's what hunters and anglers should know:‌

"As early season hunters know, dry conditions and the associated wildfire danger can have a large impact on your hunting opportunity. Check below for resources for finding fire closures and restrictions, and for ODFW's policy on tag refunds and restoration of preference points."

You can check for the latest fire updates and closures using the links on the ODFW webpage. This page will also describe ODFW policies on refunding tags and reinstating preference points. Also check out the ODFW Facebook Page.

CLOSURES and ACCESS:

ODFW does not close hunting seasons due to fire danger. But hunters may face access restrictions as areas close due to active fires, firefighting activity or fire danger. Know before you go – use these links to check for closures beforehand.

* National Forests in Oregon (U.S. Forest Service)

* Bureau of Land Management

* Oregon Department of Forestry fire restrictions

* Private forestland closure information
 

A&H properties in NE Oregon remain closed indefinitely due to significant fire danger.

_____

Stay safe and informed, and thank you for your continued support.

Fire Information Line: 541-208-4370, staffed 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Email: 2024.Falls@firenet.gov

Falls and Telephone Fires Facebook Page 

#fallsfire2024

#TelephoneFire2024

#Oregonwildfires2024