Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Closure

Trails Closed Due to Wildfire

CLOSED TRAILS:
• PCT #2000 Between Grasshopper Pass and Rainy Pass
• West Fork Methow Trail #480 From Trout Creek to PCT Tr. #2000
• Cutthroat Tr. #483 is Closed beyond Cutthroat Lake
• Easy Pass Tr. #741
• East Creek Tr. #756
• Boulder Creek Tr. #729
• Mill Creek Tr. # 755

PCT HIKERS:
EVACUATIONS could affect access, mail, and resupply in Stehekin
PCT hikers are advised to carry extra food to be able to pass through with-out resupplying in Stehekin. The PCT travels for 127.1 miles between Ste-vens Pass (mile 2467.4) and Rainy Pass (mile 2594.5). Evacuations in the Stehekin Valley may interrupt access to the community from the PCT, mail delivery, and post office access. If you find yourself at High Bridge (mile 2575) on the PCT and access to Stehekin is closed, the nearest road is 18 miles north on the PCT to Highway 20.

Suggested PCT reroutes:

PCT Trail #2000 Re-Route (South to North)

1. PCT Mile 2588.9– From Fireweed Camp, take Dagger Lake Trail to Twisp Pass.

2. Take Twisp Pass Trail #432 to Gilbert Trailhead.

3. Take North Creek Trail #413 to Cedar Creek Trail #476. Follow Cedar Creek trail #476 to trailhead.

4. Hike Down Cedar Creek Road #200 to Highway 20.

5. Hike Down Hwy 20 to Mazama, alternatively at Early Winters hike Methow Community Trail to Mazama that parallels the highway.

6. Take Lost River Road 9140 to Forest Service Road 5400 (pavement turns to gravel).

7. Follow Forest Service 5400 Road to Robinson Creek Trailhead. Alternatively, take  FS Road 5400 all the way to Harts Pass.

8. Take Robinson Creek Trail #478 to the Junction with Slate Pass Trail #478.2.

9. Take Slate Pass Trail #478.2 to Slate Pass trailhead.

10. Hike down FS Road 5400 (1 switchback down) to PCT North Trailhead.  Hike short spur trail to get back on PCT #2000 at PCT Mile 2626.1

DATE: 7/19/2024 Until Further Notice.
Methow Valley Ranger District 509-996-4000

MALHEUR COUNTY EVACUATION LEVELS UPDATE (7/21/24 3:03 P.M.):The Durkee fire burning has been stopped on the south end in the Willowcreek area. We will maintain a “GO” level while we confirm there is in fact no fire activity in this area.

On the North end of the County the fire is continuing to make its way west. We are upgrading the areas north and west of Malheur Reservoir from Willowcreek Road up Alder Creek Road to the Malheur County line and beyond to a level 3 status. This is the highest level of preparedness, or the "GO" level.

Areas to the west of Alder Creek Road are being upgraded to a Level 2 evacuation or “Get Set”.

Strong winds and dry thunder storms are expected for this afternoon and evening.

If you need shelter accommodations, call Malheur County Dispatch at (541) 473-5125. Dispatch is very busy. Do not call for anything other than shelter accommodations or emergencies.

CURRENT SITUATION: 

This morning at 6:00 AM, California Interagency Incident Management Team 5 assumed command of the Pyramid Fire. The fire is burning in old-growth forests with heavy timber and steep rugged terrain, making access difficult for firefighters. Crews have been constructing indirect containment lines using heavy equipment, opening up old roads, and clearing trails in an   effort to keep the fire from spreading into the Middle Santiam Wilderness, private industrial timberlands, and communities. The fire is being managed under a full suppression strategy, and the team has ordered more resources and equipment to battle the fire while always keeping firefighter safety in mind.

WEATHER:

A Red Flag warning is in effect until this evening for scattered thunderstorms, lightning, and critically dry fuels. Gusty outflow winds may increase fire activity throughout this period. 

CLOSURES:

On July 19th the Willamette National Forest issued an emergency closure order for the Pyramid Fire for public and Firefighter safety. Read the full Forest Order closing the area at https://www.fs.usda.gov/.../FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1194122.pdf

EVACUATIONS:

On July 17th, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with the Forest, issued a level 3: Go Now Evacuation Alert for the closure area affected. Sheriff Duncan wants everyone to know that the large evacuation area is necessary to give wildfire response teams enough space to safely travel and fight the fire. The fire itself is much smaller than the evacuation area.

No residential structures are in jeopardy of the fire. This LEVEL 3: GO NOW! Evacuation Alert is primarily impacting forest and recreation areas.

Please refer to the Linn County Fire Map https://tinyurl.com/LinnCoFireMap for full details of the issued evacuation area (which will appear in red).

Follow the Linn County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LinnSheriff

FIRE RESTRICTIONS:

Effective July 17, 2024, fire restrictions apply to all lands within the Willamette National Forest, including the Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, Waldo Lake, and Diamond Peak Wilderness areas. Read the full restriction at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/willamette/alerts-notices/?aid=81487

Miners Complex fires

2:00 PM, July 21, 2024

Estimated size: 500 acres

Start Date/Time: July 17, 2024

Area of Origin: 21 air miles east of Darrington WA

Cause: Lightening

Fuels/Topography: timber, rugged terrain

Structures Damaged: None, there are no homes threatened at this time.

The Miners Complex consists of nine wildfires caused by lightning strikes in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The fires included in the complex are: Miners Fire, Vista Ridge Fire, Dolly Creek Fire, Sulphur Three Fire, Sulphur Four Fire, Sulphur Thirty-Four Fire, Upper Sulphur Thirty-Two Fire, Lower Sulphur Thirty-Two Fire, and Plummer Fire.

Closures:

Trails: Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail #2000.2 from Mica Lake to Suiattle Pass, Suiattle River Trail #784, Miners Ridge Trail #785, Buck Creek Pass Trail #789, Miners Cabin Trail #795, Grassy Point Trail #788, and Sulphur Mountain Trail #794.

Campgrounds and Roads: Cascade River Road at and including Marble Creek Campground, Mineral Park Campground, and all tributary roads, trailheads, and trails.

Full closure orders available at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/mbs

Evacuations: None, there are no homes threatened at this time.                                                                                           

Update:

Yesterday: Fire managers reported active fire growth for a second day in a row on multiple lightning fires burning in and around the Glacier Peak Wilderness. During a recon flight, another fire was discovered in the Miners Complex called Plummer Fire. Extremely dense, record dry timber spurred fire growth on the Miners Complex of wildfires burning along Sulphur Mountain near the top of the Upper Suiattle Valley in Snohomish County. While crews continued sweeping popular trails for backpackers, helicopters dropped water to cool off hot spots.

“Wildfires love hot weather and bone-dry forests,” said Kit Moffitt, Interim Fire Staff Officer for the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. “Add dense forests and steep slopes to the mix and we’re bracing for these fires to be extremely difficult for the foreseeable future.”

To help increase public safety, backcountry permits are no longer being issued for areas within the closure orders and road access along the Cascade River Road is fully blocked to up-river entry at Mable Creek Campground (Mile Post 8). Hikers with vehicles currently parked above the road closure will be allowed to leave for their own safety.

Today: Western Washington Type 3 Incident Management Team took over command of the Miners Complex beginning July 21, 2024. With this added support, firefighters will continue to engage where terrain and conditions allow them to safely do so. However, few natural holding features and no existing roads in deep Wilderness severely limit effective options to quickly corral any of these fires. In other words, traditional firefighting tools to put in containment lines like dozers, water tenders, and engines are not an option.

“Our goal in responding to these wildfires is life-safety above all else- firefighters, pilots, hikers and more,” added Moffitt. “We’re going to protect what we can but nothing out there is worth a life.”

Additional dry lightning storms are forecasted for the area on Sunday followed by increasing winds into Monday all adding to the difficulty of these fires.

Smoke: In Western Washington, air quality is likely to remain “good” to “moderate” over the weekend across the lowlands. There could be some wildfire smoke/haze from larger Oregon fires passing through at upper levels of the atmosphere on Sunday. So, skies might look a bit less blue than normal but it’s unlikely to affect surface air quality. That being said, those folks seeking out recreation activities in higher elevations of the Olympics and Cascades could have some air quality impacts on Sunday similar to those described for the eastern half of the state.  For more information on smoke and air quality please visit: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/

Air Space Restrictions: There are no air space restrictions at this time.

Campfire Restrictions: The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie will be elevating to a full campfire ban, even in developed campgrounds, starting Wednesday July 24, 2024 to help prevent human-caused starts in this critically dry period. Additional details at: www.fs.usda.gov/mbs

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Red Fire Community Meeting

Monday, July 22, 2024 6:00 PM

Central Cascades Fire & EMS Community Service Center

20400 Crescent Lake Hwy Crescent Lake, OR 97733

You may also call in.

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Meeting ID: 242 945 695 422

Passcode: 7sMQNq

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+1 929-336-2435,,737434186# United States, New York City

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Phone conference ID: 737 434 186#

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John Day River Closures in Effect 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced an emergency public land closure for the John Day River area. Effective immediately, the public lands described in the attached documents are closed to all forms of public access due to an active fire in the area. The link to the closure is here: https://www.blm.gov/.../Prineville%20District%20Closure...

Agency: Bureau of Land Management, Prineville District, Oregon

Action: Temporary Closure of Public Lands

Summary: To reduce conflicts with emergency crews, allow for fire suppression, and ensure public safety, land health, and resource integrity, the BLM is temporarily closing these public lands.

Stay safe and follow all guidelines from local authorities. For more information, please refer to the official notice shared by the Bureau of Land Management.

#JohnDayRiver #PublicSafety #BLM #FireSuppression #StaySafe

RED FIRE UPDATE

July 21, 2024

Fire Information Line - 541-316-7711

centraloregonfire.org x.com/CentralORFire

Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-news/ordef-red-fire

Size: 350 acres | Location: 5 miles west of Crescent Lake Junction, Oregon

County: Klamath | Start Date: July 17, 2024 | Containment: 0% | Cause: Lightning

Total Personnel: 92

La Pine, Oregon — The Red Fire is located within the Diamond Peak Wilderness on the Deschutes National Forest, on the southwest slope of Redtop Mountain. The fire is being managed under a full suppression strategy. The Southern Area Gray Incident Management Team, led by Incident Commander Fulton Jeansonne, assumed command of the fire on Friday, July 19, at 6:00 a.m. local time. Public and firefighter safety is the highest priority in managing this fire. The Diamond Peak Wilderness encompasses 52,500 rugged acres straddling the crest of the Cascade Mountains. It was designated in 1964 by the Wilderness Act, to be stewarded in its natural, undeveloped condition. Motorized equipment, motor vehicles, and aircraft are prohibited in Wilderness by federal law, with narrow criteria for exceptions. The USDA Forest Service has authorized the use of chain saws, portable pumps, fire retardant, and aircraft landings by firefighters on the Red Fire since initial attack.

Yesterday’s Activities – Firefighters continued to build on prior suppression efforts and scout for containment line opportunities close to the current fire footprint in the Diamond Peak Wilderness. Firefighters also continued performing structure assessments in the communities on the east side of the fire around Odell Lake, Crescent Lake Junction, and Crescent Lake. In addition, work started on a shaded fuel break on National Forest System land west of those communities and outside of Wilderness. In addition, a reconnaissance flight was conducted over the Red Fire, allowing Gray Team Operations personnel to better assess fire size and activity.

Today’s Activities – Firefighters will continue to assess and scout opportunities for containment lines in the Wilderness. Structure assessment work will continue in the area of Odell Lake, Crescent Lake Junction, and Crescent Lake. Construction of a shaded fuel break will continue along the west side of the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and the north side of Forest Service Road 60.

Weather – Mostly sunny with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms late in the afternoon. High temperature near 80, minimum humidity 40-45 percent, winds light in the morning, becoming west to northwest, 5-9 mph later.

Community Meeting – A Red Fire Community Meeting has been scheduled for Monday, July 22, at 6:00 p.m. at: Central Cascades Fire & EMS Community Service Center, 20400 Crescent Lake Hwy, Crescent Lake, OR 97733.

Evacuation Notice – WILDFIRE! Level 1 - BE READY to evacuate. Klamath County Emergency Management has issued a WILDFIRE! Level 1 - BE READY to evacuate notice for the following areas: Crescent Lake, Odell Lake, Crescent Junction.Klamath County Emergency Management. INCENDIO FORESTAL! Nivel 1 - ESTÉ PREPARADO para evacuar de las siguientes zonas: Crescent Lake, Odell Lake, Crescent Junction. Plan to go to the Crescent Community Club if a Level 3: Go Now! evacuation is issued. There will be more information, respite, and disaster case management in-processing. ADA: Yes.

Fire Restrictions – Public use fire restrictions are currently in effect for the Deschutes National Forest. Visit CentralOregonFire.org or the Deschutes National Forest’s website (fs.usda.gov/detail/deschutes/home/?cid=stelprdb5297376) for more information.

Air quality information can be found at https://fire.airnow.gov/.

If you fly, we can’t. Unauthorized drone flights (UAS) pose serious risks to firefighter and public safety and the effectiveness of wildfire suppression operations. Aerial firefighting is suspended when unauthorized UAS are in the area, allowing wildfires to grow larger.

Circle Fire Update Sunday, July 21, 2024

Start Date: Friday, July 19, 2024                                                                                                                      Cause: Undetermined 

Location: 14 miles south of Kearny                                                                                                                  Acres: 2,800 

Personnel Assigned: 90                                                                                                                                    Containment: 0%

Evacuation: SET for 3C Ranch 

Summary: The fire was discovered Friday, July 19, 2024 with an unknown cause. When it is safe to do so, an investigation will be conducted to determine the cause. The fire is burning in grass and brush northeast of the Freeman Fire that occurred last week. 

On Saturday, crews had a productive shift working to secure the south end of the fire that was initially estimated at 100 acres burning at the base of Antelope Peak. Firing operations were utilized to strengthen line on the southern perimeter as well as the east side. A thunderstorm moved over the fire area in the early evening, producing gusty, erratic winds up to 50 mph. These outflow winds created a 180-degree wind shift that pushed the fire east. On the east end of the fire, two dozers worked ahead of the wind-driven fire to widen a two-track road. This road was connected to a wash and as of yesterday evening, the fire had not crossed this containment line. The fire moved through pockets of heavy fuel, burning within mesquite, grass, brush, and desert shrub. Dozer operations allow for faster suppression work in areas suitable for the heavy machinery. Firing operations and weather influence throughout the day produced a column of smoke visible to the surrounding communities of Oracle, Mammoth, Kearny and those traveling SR 79 and SR 77.

Today, operations will continue to secure the fire’s edge using crews and a dozer. With close proximity to the Romero Fire, resources may move between the two fires to provide support based on operational needs. Aircraft is available to support the fire with a mapping mission planned for later today. 

Communities within proximity of the fire may see smoke and flames today as temperatures warm up and likely increasing fire activity. Storm chances are increasing with the possibility for high winds over the fire area later this afternoon. Outflow winds could result in extreme fire behavior similar to yesterday. 

At this time there is no threat to nearby communities. The fire is approximately 14 miles from Kearny. Residents in Pinal County can sign up for emergency alert notifications at: https://www.pinal.gov/1335/PENS---Pinal-Emergency-Notification-Syst. 

Closures: Freeman Road is closed. Deputies will be placed at roadblocks throughout the fire area. The public is asked to avoid the fire area, including Barkerville and Willow Springs Roads. The AZT (Arizona Trail) is closed between Oracle and Kearny. Hikers should plan an alternate route.

Weather: Yesterday, thunderstorms moved into the area late in the evening and scattered precipitation was received. The amount is unknown but fire behavior did moderate during the storm. Sunday weather will be mostly sunny with a chance of thunderstorms moving in this afternoon.

Safety: A TFR (Temporary Flight Restriction) is in place over the fire. Firefighting aircraft and drones are a dangerous combination. Drones in the area could lead to accidents or slow down wildfire suppression operations. If you fly…we can’t.

Fire Restrictions: Stage 1 fire restrictions in effect on State Trust lands in Pinal County. Restriction info: http://wildlandfire.az.gov/.

Incident Information: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/aza3s-circle

Twitter: @azstateforestry: https://twitter.com/azstateforestry

Facebook: Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management: https://www.facebook.com/arizonaforestry

Ready, Set, Go: https://ein.az.gov/ready-set-go

Actualización del incendio Easy       
21 de julio de 2024

Datos clave
Tamaño: 286 acres                         Fecha de inicio: 17 de julio de 2024         Ubicación: 17 millas al oeste de Mazama, WA
Contención: 0%                Causa: Rayos      Número de personal asignado: 31

SITUACIÓN ACTUAL: Esta mañana el Equipo 3 de Gestión de Incidentes del Noroeste, a mando del Comandante de incidentes Lonnie Click, tomó el mando de las operaciones en el incendio Easy a las 6:00 a.m.

Ya que hubo un cambio a un nuevo equipo, se tomó la decisión de brindar informes diarios y estrategias por separado tanto para el incendio Pioneer como para el incendio Easy. El equipo pudo confirmar el sábado que el incendio Easy se ha extendido sobre la cresta de la montaña Hardy y ahora amenaza el sendero Pacific Crest Trail, mientras que se desplaza cuesta abajo hacia la carretera 20.

Además del incendio Easy, los bomberos respondieron a dos fuegos pequeños provocados por rayos en la zona de Kitling Peak. Para finales del turno del sábado, el incendio de Kitling Peak tiene una contención de 100%. Seguirá monitoreado junto con otro pequeño fuego causado por un rayo identificado el sábado. El nuevo incendio (#454) se encuentra en una zona remota, de difícil acceso, rodeada de rocas y se prevé que no se propagará.

ACTIVIDADES DE HOY: En el incendio Easy, los bomberos trabajarán sobre la carretera 20 para remover combustibles y retirar árboles quemados para evitar que el fuego llegue a la carretera y continuarán protegiendo estructuras y otros recursos que podrían estar amenazados. A medida que recursos adicionales llegan a estar disponibles, las cuadrillas comenzarán a remover el combustible de los brotes de avalanchas a ambos lados del incendio.

Se recomienda que los automovilistas en la carretera 20 no se detengan a lo largo de la carretera en la zona donde están trabajando los bomberos.

CLIMA: Las condiciones meteorológicas críticas continúan provocando áreas de mucha actividad de fuego. El Servicio Meteorológico Nacional ha emitido una advertencia de calor excesivo hasta el lunes a las 8 pm.  Hoy hay una advertencia de bandera roja por causa de las condiciones cálidas, secas e inestables. Las temperaturas se mantendrán entre los 90 y los 100 grados, y se espera que enfriarán para principios de la próxima semana.

EVACUACIONES: No hay evacuaciones vigentes para el incendio Easy. Cualquier persona que se recree en el área debe estar al tanto de sus alrededores y mantenerse alejado de las áreas cerradas. Visite https://t.ly/QoH9w para aprender sobre los niveles de evacuación.

CIERRE DE BOSQUES: Se pueden ver cierres actuales para el Parque Nacional de los North Cascades en: https://www.nps.gov/noca/index.htm. El Bosque Nacional Okanogan-Wenatchee tiene una orden de cierre en efecto para gran parte de la zona del incendio: https://bit.ly/PioneerClosure. Se proíben las fogatas. Hay una Restricción temporal de vuelo (TFR, por sus siglas en inglés) sobre el incendio: https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_6779.html. Está prohibida la actividad no autorizada con drones bajo el TFR.

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/wases-pioneer 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560760893080 

Línea de información de incendios: 541-861-5808, 8 AM to 8 PM

Correo electrónico: 2024.pioneer@firenet.gov