Actualización del Incendio Lake 20 de Julio de 2024

Lake Fire Teléfono: 213-631-5455 Horas: 8 a.m. - 8.p.m

Correo electrónico de Lake Fire: 2024.lake@firenet.gov

    Inicio del Incendio Lago: viernes, 5 de julio de 2024 a las 3:48 p.m.

Causa: Bajo investigación

Localización: Cerca del lago Zaca, en el condado de Santa Barbara, al norte de Los Olivos, California.

Tamaño en el momento de la actualización: 38.663 acres

Contención: 73%

Personal: 2.055

Detalles completos del incidente: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/calpf-2024-lake-fire

Informe de Incendios de la Zona Norte: El Equipo de Gestión de Incidentes Complejo de California 2 (CA-CIMT2) tomó el mando del incendio Lake a las 7 p.m. anoche. Una advertencia de calor excesivo permanece en efecto hasta las 10:00 p.m. del miércoles. En general, la actividad del fuego permanece tranquila en toda el área del incidente. Varias cuadrillas de selección (“Hotshot”) permanecen “fuera de peligro” y continúan construyendo cortafuegos en partes escarpadas y empinadas en la parte norte del incendio. Un sistema aéreo no tripulado (UAS por sus siglas en inglés) volará hoy para ayudar a las cuadrillas a localizar y extinguir puntos calientes y brasas ardientes. Los asesores de recursos están trabajando con las cuadrillas para reparar líneas de buldócer, cercas y otras características como resultado de los esfuerzos de extinción de incendios a lo largo de las líneas de contención. Continúa la desmovilización o reasignación de recursos.

Zona Sur: Los bomberos pudieron mejorar las líneas de contención y continuar con la reparación de la supresión. Para obtener información más detallada relacionada con el Incendio Lake, visite la Oficina de Manejo de Emergencias del Condado de Santa Barbara.

Previsión para el sábado: Espere condiciones más cálidas y secas esta semana con temperaturas máximas entre 90 y cerca de 100 bajo pleno sol. Habrá bajos niveles de humedad alrededor del fuego.

Donaciones: Agradecemos el apoyo de la comunidad. Pedimos que cualquier donación o esfuerzo voluntario se dirija a los bancos de alimentos locales para ayudar a la comunidad. Los puestos de Comando de Incidentes de Lake Fire no pueden aceptar donaciones.

Cierre del área del incendio del lago: Los caminos y senderos dentro del cierre están cerrados. Consulte la Orden de Cierre y el Mapa de Orden de Cierre. Esto permanecerá en vigor hasta el 18 de agosto de 2024, o hasta que sea revisado o rescindido.

Humo: A medida que mejoran las condiciones de calidad del aire, el Distrito de Control de la Contaminación del Aire del Condado de Santa Barbara (APCD por sus siglas en inglés) - Departamento de Salud Pública del Condado de Santa Barbara y el Distrito de Control de la Contaminación del Aire del Condado de Santa Barbara (APCD por sus siglas en inglés) han levantado la Alerta de Calidad del Aire en el Valle de Santa Ynez. La vigilancia de la calidad del aire se mantendrá en todo el condado, y las condiciones de calidad del aire se prevé que sea buena a moderada en todo el condado.

Áreas de evacuación: El Sheriff del Condado de Santa Barbara ha reducido algunas de las órdenes de evacuación y advertencias. Vea las actualizaciones más recientes: https://www.readysbc.org/4275/Lake-Fire- Incident---July-2024. Regístrese para recibir alertas de emergencia en ReadySBC.org.

Cierre de carreteras: Visite el Mapa de Cierre de Carreteras del Condado para más detalles.

• Happy Canyon Road en el límite del Servicio Forestal
• Montaña Figueroa justo al norte de la escuela Midland
• Ruta forestal 10N06
• Zaca Lake Road al este de Foxen Canyon Road.

Lake Fire Incident Update July 20, 2024

Lake Fire Phone: 213-631-5455 Hours: 8 a.m. – 8.p.m

Lake Fire Email: 2024.lake@firenet.gov

Lake Fire Start: Friday, July 5, 2024 at 3:48 p.m.

Cause: Under investigation

Location: Near Zaca Lake in Santa Barbara County, north of Los Olivos, California

Size at time of update: 38,663 acres
Containment: 73%

Personnel: 2,055

Full Incident Details: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/calpf-2024-lake-fire

North Zone Fire Report: California Complex Incident Management Team 2 (CA-CIMT2) took command of the Lake Fire at 7 p.m. last night. An Excessive Heat Warning remains in effect until 10:00 pm Wednesday.  Overall fire activity remains quiet across the fire. Several Hotshot Crews remain “spiked out”, continuing to construct firelines in steep, rugged portions in the northern part of the fire. An Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) will fly today to assist crews in locating and extinguishing hotspots and smoldering embers. Resource Advisors are working with crews to repair dozerlines, fences, and other features as a result of the firefighting efforts along containment lines. Ongoing Demobilization or reassignment of resources continues.

South Zone: Firefighters were able to enhance containment lines and continue suppression repair. For more detailed information about the Lake Fire, visit the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management.

Forecast for Saturday: Expect the warmest and driest conditions this week with highs in the mid-90s to near 100 under full sunshine. There will be low humidity levels across the fire.

Donations: We appreciate the outpouring of support from the community. We ask that donations or volunteer efforts be directed to local food banks to assist the community. Lake Fire Incident Command posts cannot accept donations.

Lake Fire Area Closure: Roads and trails within the closure are closed. Refer to the Closure Order & Closure Order Map.  This will remain in effect until August 18, 2024, or until revised or rescinded. 

Smoke: As air quality conditions improve, the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) —Santa Barbara County Public Health Department and the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) have lifted the Air Quality Alert in the Santa Ynez Valley. The Air Quality Watch will remain in place countywide, and air quality conditions are forecasted to be good to moderate throughout the county.

Evacuation Areas: The Santa Barbara County Sheriff has reduced some evacuation orders and warnings.  See the most recent updates: https://www.readysbc.org/4275/Lake-Fire-Incident---July-2024. Register for emergency alerts at ReadySBC.org. 

Road Closures: Visit the County Road Closure Map for details. 

• Happy Canyon Road at the Forest Service Boundary.
• Figueroa Mountain just north of Midland School
• Forest Route 10N06 
• Zaca Lake Road east of Foxen Canyon Road.

Easy and Pioneer Fires Update for July 20, 2024  

Incident Commander Jeff Dimke

Complex Incident Management Team Northwest 12

541-861-5808, staffed 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 2024.pioneer@firenet.gov 

A new fire start was spotted in the aftermath of the lightning storm that moved through the Methow Valley on July 17. NW Team 12 has taken command of the Kitling Peak Fire and will manage it along with the Pioneer and Easy Fires. Last night, helitack firefighters were sent to the Kitling Peak Fire via helicopter, to attempt access on the ground to extinguish the fire while it remains very small (approximately 1 acre). The Pioneer Fire remains the top priority as additional resources become available. NW Team 3 arrived and will spend the day today working alongside NW Team 12. They will transition to take over management of the fires as NW Team 12 completes their 14-day assignment and returns home. 

Easy Fire: Size: 150 acres | Cause: Lightning | Containment: 0% | Total personnel: 20
There was little movement on the Easy Fire on Friday. Firefighters identified two avalanche chutes on either side of the fire that can be prepared and used as fire control lines. Additional resources will be required to complete this work, which are currently unavailable due to other wildfires across the state. Fire managers will work to free up these crews in the coming days and complete these control lines.

Pioneer: Size: 26,407 acres | Cause: Human-caused | Containment: 14% | Total personnel: 783
Firefighters made progress strengthening and improving containment lines around structures in Stehekin and are continuing to explore all possible options to protect Stehekin in cooperation with local residents. Yesterday, firefighters used a tactical firing operation near Hunts Bluff to remove available fuels with lower intensity burning, putting only necessary fire on the ground to carefully complete the operation. Crews also performed mop-up in previously burned areas around Moore Point. A heavy helicopter lost a water bucket over the fire yesterday due to a mechanical hook failure. Helicopters are using water bucket drops today at the northern perimeter of the fire near Hunts Bluff, and firefighters are prepared to initiate additional limited firing operations if needed to secure portions of the fire edge.

Safety and Closures: The National Park Service-North Cascades has expanded their list of closures: https://www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/fire-closures.htm. The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has a closure order in place for much of the fire area: https://bit.ly/PioneerClosure. Camp fires are also prohibited. There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in place over the fire: https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_6779.html. Unauthorized drone activity is prohibited under the TFR.

Evacuations:  Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuation levels remain in effect around the Pioneer Fire. There are no evacuations in place for the Easy Fire. Please visit https://t.ly/QoH9w for more information.

Weather and Smoke: The National Weather Service issued an Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM Monday: https://bit.ly/46byTZw. Fire activity could increase and become erratic as the higher temperatures and increased instability move into the area over the weekend. The air quality outlook can be found at: https://bit.ly/PioneerFireSmoke. Learn more about smoke at http://wasmoke.blogspot.com/. The fire marshal issued fire danger ratings and restrictions: https://t.ly/WLBds.

Falls Fire Update for July 20, 2024   

Size: 114,236 Start Date: July 10, 2024 Location: 13 Miles NW of Burns, Oregon 

Containment: 10% Total Personnel: 1,661 Cause: Human-caused, under investigation 

Structures Triaged: Residences: 261; Commercial: 58; Outbuildings: 414 

Resources Assigned: 47 hand crews, 105 engines, 27 bulldozers, 32 water tenders 

Aerial resources available to the fire: two helicopters, and four single-engine air tankers (SEATs).

Yesterday, for the second consecutive day, fire growth on the Falls Fire was moderated by a persistent heavy smoke layer coming in from other fires in the region keeping wind and temperatures lower over the fire. Night shift and day shift operations have been taking advantage of this opportunity to increase containment and establish direct control lines ahead of the fire. The fire is burning approximately 13 miles north of Burns, 11 miles southwest of Seneca, 7.5 miles south of Izee, and 3 miles west of Highway (Hwy) 395.

A community meeting will be held this afternoon, July 20 at 3 p.m. at the Grant County Regional Airport in John Day.  The meeting will be live-streamed on the Malheur National Forest and Falls Fire 2024 Facebook pages.

Yesterday evening, a successful tactical burnout operation was conducted in the northeast portion of the fire. The objective was to protect private property to the north, including the Izee area, south of Forest Service Road (FSR) 68 between FSR 4790 road and FSR 47. Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) crews continued to provide point protection to structures, enhance surface preparation, and extend structure surveys along Highway 395, throughout Seneca, Izee, and surrounding areas. Resources continued constructing direct line with dozers and hand crews on FSR 4785 up to Burnt Mountain. Dozers established a contingency (secondary) line along 4781 toward Snow Mountain.  Fire crews and equipment also continued to establish control line along the northern flank of the fire extending along FSR 3750 and connecting up with the northern portions of FSR 37 and FSR 31. In the northeast corner, Crews and dozers worked off the east side of FSR 31 to build line around a 200 acre slop-over, just south of Myrtle Park Meadows, to tie it back into FSR 31. The line is nearly complete and preparations are underway to conduct a small tactical burnout operation within this slop-over area to help secure the control line.

Control lines along much of the south and west portions of the fire, along FSR 43, continue to hold firm as mop-up operations continue. OSFM crews positioned along FSR 31 assisted with mop up and conducted patrols along existing lines. Firefighters also scouted for additional contingency line opportunities. OSFM crews faced active fire behavior and supported efforts to complete fire line East of the 47 road, North of Sugarloaf Mountain and along the southeast edge of the fire.

Today, crews will continue constructing and securing direct dozer line along FSR 4785, as well as an alternative contingency line on FSR 4781 out to Snow Mountain. Along the eastern portion of the northern flank of the fire, dozer and handline will be constructed with the objective of tying in line around Burnt Mountain. Crews and equipment will continue establishing control line along the northern flank of the fire extending along FSR 3750 and connecting toward FSR 37 and FSR 31.  Firefighters are preparing to conduct a series of tactical burnout operations along this road system to secure control lines when conditions are favorable. On the northeastern portion of the fire, just south of Myrtle Park Meadows, work will continue on the two-day old 200 acre slop-over along the FSR 31 Road.

Firefighters will continue to hold, improve, and mop-up control lines along the westerly and southern areas of the fire. In the southeast corner of the fire, work will continue on securing dozer line and mopping-up hotspots in the Red Hill area.

Today, a Red Flag warning is in effect for dry and unstable conditions. Fire weather is predicted to be similar to the past two days – warm, with some terrain-driven (diurnal) wind, being moderated by a persistent heavy smoke layer.  These conditions may inhibit fire behavior and help firefighters to make progress on containing the fire. Winds on the fire today will transition starting in the evening from terrain-driven to predominantly easterly (wind coming from the east) with possible gusts up to 18 mph. Temperatures will be in the 90s and relative humidity will be very low.  A Heat Advisory is in effect for the area starting today and extending into Monday with temperatures possibly over 100 degrees.

Evacuation notices remain in effect in Grant and Harney Counties. For the most accurate evacuation information, please visit the Harney County Sheriff’s evacuation map here: https://tinyurl.com/3zst4sjy, or the Grant County Emergency Management Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068819321423.

The Malheur National Forest issued a fire area closure. A detailed map and additional information about the fire area closure are available at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/malheur/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD1189259.  

A temporary flight restriction (TFR) remains in place over the fire area. 

U.S. Forest Service fire investigators are seeking the public’s assistance with any tips or information pertinent to the start of the Falls Fire on the Malheur National Forest. Please submit any information that could assist fire investigation efforts to SM.FS.R6TipHotLine@usda.gov.   

Pioneer and Easy Fires Update for July 20, 2024  

Incident Commander Jeff Dimke

Complex Incident Management Team Northwest 12

541-861-5808, staffed 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 2024.pioneer@firenet.gov 

A new fire start was spotted in the aftermath of the lightning storm that moved through the Methow Valley on July 17. NW Team 12 has taken command of the Kitling Peak Fire and will manage it along with the Pioneer and Easy Fires. Last night, helitack firefighters were sent to the Kitling Peak Fire via helicopter, to attempt access on the ground to extinguish the fire while it remains very small (approximately 1 acre). The Pioneer Fire remains the top priority as additional resources become available. NW Team 3 arrived and will spend the day today working alongside NW Team 12. They will transition to take over management of the fires as NW Team 12 completes their 14-day assignment and returns home. 

Pioneer Fire: Size: 26,407 acres | Cause: Human-caused | Containment: 14% | Total personnel: 783
Firefighters made progress strengthening and improving containment lines around structures in Stehekin and are continuing to explore all possible options to protect Stehekin in cooperation with local residents. Yesterday, firefighters used a tactical firing operation near Hunts Bluff to remove available fuels with lower intensity burning, putting only necessary fire on the ground to carefully complete the operation. Crews also performed mop-up in previously burned areas around Moore Point. A heavy helicopter lost a water bucket over the fire yesterday due to a mechanical hook failure. Helicopters are using water bucket drops today at the northern perimeter of the fire near Hunts Bluff, and firefighters are prepared to initiate additional limited firing operations if needed to secure portions of the fire edge.

Easy Fire: Size: 150 acres | Cause: Lightning | Containment: 0% | Total personnel: 20
There was little movement on the Easy Fire on Friday. Firefighters identified two avalanche chutes on either side of the fire that can be prepared and used as fire control lines. Additional resources will be required to complete this work, which are currently unavailable due to other wildfires across the state. Fire managers will work to free up these crews in the coming days and complete these control lines.

Safety and Closures: The National Park Service-North Cascades has expanded their list of closures: https://www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/fire-closures.htm. The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has a closure order in place for much of the fire area: https://bit.ly/PioneerClosure. Camp fires are also prohibited. There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in place over the fire: https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_6779.html. Unauthorized drone activity is prohibited under the TFR.

Evacuations:  Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuation levels remain in effect around the Pioneer Fire. There are no evacuations in place for the Easy Fire. Please visit https://t.ly/QoH9w for more information.

Weather and Smoke: The National Weather Service issued an Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM Monday: https://bit.ly/46byTZw. Fire activity could increase and become erratic as the higher temperatures and increased instability move into the area over the weekend. The air quality outlook can be found at: https://bit.ly/PioneerFireSmoke. Learn more about smoke at http://wasmoke.blogspot.com/. The fire marshal issued fire danger ratings and restrictions: https://t.ly/WLBds.

Cougar Creek Fire Update for Saturday July 20, 2024 

Clarkston, WA – The Cougar Creek Fire continues to burn in rugged rangeland in Southeast Washington along the Washington – Oregon border, approximately 40 miles SW of Clarkston, WA. County, district, state, and federal crews are engaged in full suppression tactics to minimize the number of acres burned. The fire is now at 7% containment. 

In addition to the crews engaging the fire on the ground, multiple aviation resources are playing an integral role in establishing containment lines. Some of the air resources assisting the incident include helicopters, Large Air Tankers (LATs), and Very Large Air Tankers (VLATs). To date, more than 24,000 gallons of retardant have been dropped, primarily on the northern edge of the fire where fire activity is more active. Helicopters and fixed wing aircraft work in close coordination with ground crews to perform high precision drops of water or fire retardant. Working in tandem, they can slow fire growth and extinguish hot spots.  

Incident objectives include protecting assets such as timber, rangeland, and livestock by minimizing fire growth and acres burned. On the northeast corner, crews are building containment lines and strategically burning out fingers of vegetation ahead of the main fire.  To the west, structure prep and protection is taking place and crews are working diligently to prevent the fire from crossing Wenatchee Creek. To the south, crews are controlling and monitoring fire spread along the Grande Ronde River system.  

WEATHER: Weather will remain hot and dry well into next week. Temperatures will continue in the triple digits with relative humidity in the low teens. There will be some minor weather relief after the middle of next week, but it will still be hot with temperatures in the 80s. RH will remain in the teens through next week. With the exception of some afternoon diurnal wind gusts, winds will remain relatively light. This weekend’s extreme heat and dry conditions will continue to produce an environment that will support very active fire behavior. 

SAFETY: There are evacuations in effect, please see the evacuation notice from Asotin County Sheriff and Asotin County Emergency Management. The county has established an animal shelter at the Asotin County Fairgrounds. 

SMOKE:  Smoke will continue to be moderate across the area near Clarkston, WA for the next few days. If you are “unusually sensitive” to particle pollution, consider reducing your activity level or shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors. Smoke levels can change rapidly depending on weather. Check current conditions on AirNow.gov. 

CLOSURES: The Grande Ronde Road is closed from Troy, Oregon to the Highway 129 junction. Forest officials are temporarily closing the southeastern portion of the Pomeroy Ranger District located in Asotin County and small portions of Garfield County and Wallowa County on Umatilla National Forest Lands to ensure public safety. This temporary closure will also ensure the safety of firefighters engaged in operations to suppress the Cougar Creek Fire. Fire managers are continually assessing resource needs based on fire spread and behavior. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. 

LONE ROCK FIRE UPDATE July 20, 2024

Location: Lonerock, Oregon to west of Hwy 207 | Size: 83,922 acres | Containment: 40% Cause: Under Investigation 

Start Date: July 13, 2024 | Total Personnel: 800

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orprd-lone-rock-fire 

Fire Information Line: 541-208-4369 | Email: 2024.0404rvlonerock@firenet.gov

There will be a community meeting today at 6:00 p.m. at the Grade School Gym located at 392 Main Street, Fossil, Ore. The meeting will also be available on the Lone Rock Fire Facebook page. The community is encouraged to attend and receive firsthand updates from the unified command of the Northwest (NW) Team 2 and the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Red Team.

Condon, Oregon — The Lone Rock Fire is being managed under a full suppression strategy by the unified command of the Northwest (NW) Team 2 and Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Red Team.

Yesterday’s Activities: On Friday, extreme fire behavior began earlier in the day compared to recent days. This extended the duration of extreme fire behavior and the hot, dry conditions led to fire spread to the south. OSFM resources, including several enhanced taskforces, provided structure protection to dwellings south of Forest Road 25 to Spray, Ore. An east-northeast wind component pushed the fires' southern perimeter south towards Spray, Ore. Throughout the day, firefighting conditions were extremely hazardous, forcing firefighters to temporarily disengage for their safety. Three more taskforces arrived yesterday bringing the total count of structural taskforces to 11. Firefighters were able to contain multiple areas that slopped over containment features along Forest Service Road 21. OSFM task forces worked in Lonerock, Ore. to continue mop-up operations and hold the progress that was made through the week. The northern area of the fire continues to hold and firefighters remain on the scene to ensure the fire's perimeter remains secure.

Today’s Activities: Fire behavior is elevated to critical levels with the Red Flag Warning with fire conditions near or above record highs. The dry fuels and forecasted weather are favorable for extreme fire behavior which will be resistant to control. Firefighters are focused on fundamental firefighting practices which include prioritizing safety, having backup plans, and using effective tactics to ensure a high probability of success. This pattern of extreme fire conditions is anticipated to amplify over the weekend. Thus, continued extreme fire behavior and additional fire growth is expected. Operations Section Chief Sonny Caldwell stated, “we are experiencing fire behavior that is exceeding all of our current modeling data.” However, firefighters and the entire incident management team remain agile and focused on protecting human life and minimizing fire spread with strategy and tactics likely to ensure a high probability of success. Today, OSFM taskforces will have a significant presence in and around the town of Spray, Ore. They will also integrate with their wildland partners to work the southwest side of the fire and southeast side of the fire from Winlock Road to the Morrow County OHV Park. Two additional taskforces will be sent to the

Boneyard Fire to provide day and night coverage to the Monument community as an additional incident management team is expected to arrive on that fire later today.

Three helicopters are assigned to this incident and will concentrate on dropping water over the southern area to support and enhance the efforts of the firefighters on the ground.

Evacuations:

• Level-3 Evacuations – GO NOW! Level-3 Evacuate immediately for the following areas:

o Gilliam County: residences South of Lonerock. Visit Gilliam County Sheriff's Office Facebook page o Wheeler County: North of Hwy 207 and East of Hwy 19 from Service Creek to the Winlock Rd,

Including City of Spray, Ore. and from Alder Creek along Hwy 19-2 07 E to Hwy 2 07 at the Heppner junction, Hwy 207 N to mile post 39. Alder Creek North to the Windlock intersection to include city of Spray.

o Morrow County: from the West County Line along Buttermilk Canyon to HWY 207, Mile Post 10 South of Hardman to the South Morrow County line. The Red Cross will be setting up a temporary shelter at the Heppner Elementary School. For more information on evacuations, visit Morrow County Sheriff's Office Facebook page.

• Level-2 Emergency Alert – GET SET! Level-2 Be set to evacuate at a moment’s notice for the following areas:

o Gilliam County: residences North of Lonerock.
o Wheeler County: the area 5 miles South of Hwy 207, East of Service Creek and West of Bologna

Rd/Balm Creek and the area extending 5 miles west of Hwy 19 south of Rowe Cr and Northwest of Hwy 207.

• Level 1: Be Ready - Prepare to Evacuate. Level 1 Be ready to evacuate in the following areas:

o Wheeler County: the area East of Richmond/Tamarack Cr and West of Misery Mtn/Johnson Cr. 5-7 mi South of Hwy 207

Shelters:

• An evacuation center has been set up at the Wheeler High School (600 E B Street, Fossil, Ore.). A large animal shelter is available at the County Fairgrounds (720 E 3rd Street in Fossil, Ore.).

• The Red Cross will be setting up a temporary shelter at the Heppner Elementary School.

• Memorial Hall in Condon was previously identified as an evacuation shelter. Since no evacuees have checked

  in, Memorial Hall is now being utilized by firefighters working the Lone Rock Fire and is no longer available for evacuees. If evacuees have questions or concerns, they can call non-emergent dispatch at 541-384-2080.

  Weather: A Red Flag Warning for hot, dry, and unstable conditions is in place from 11:00 a.m. Saturday through 11:00 p.m. Sunday with a dry cold front passage Sunday evening.

  An offshore flow under a ridge of high pressure will result in breezy east to northeast winds over the weekend. It will also be hot, dry, and unstable with critical fire weather conditions expected through Sunday evening. A cold front late Sunday afternoon into Sunday evening will bring the potential for virga showers and a small threat (up to 10% chance) for isolated thunderstorms. Any showers or thunderstorms that develop will bring a threat for gusty and erratic winds Sunday evening into Monday. Cooler temperatures are expected next week with a return of northwest winds.

  Smoke Information: Visit https://fire.airnow.gov/ for local air quality information.

  Flight Restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place above the Lone Rock Fire area. 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.

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Incident Commander J. Willoughby
Location:  southeast of Butte, MT between Interstate 90 and Highway 2
Start Date: 7/19/2024 
Cause: Unknown
Size: estimated at 96 acres (overnight infrared mapping flight)
Resources on Site:  3 engines, 1 type 1 “hotshot” hand crew, 2 type 2 hand crews
Resources on Order:  3 type 1 “hotshot” crews, 2 type 2 hand crews, 3 large helicopters, Scoopers

KEY MESSAGES:  
The Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement Department has issued an evacuation warning for Blacktail Canyon Road southeast of Homestake Road and Homestake Road east of Blacktail Canyon Road. This warning means residents should be prepared to evacuate but are not yet under an evacuation order.

CURRENT STATUS: 
Seven Large Air Tankers (LAT) and a Very Large Air Tanker (VLAT) dropped fire retardant during the afternoon and evening hours yesterday. Six helicopters provided aerial support through water bucket drops to help cool hot spots. Engines crews, a 20-person crew, and other firefighters assisted on the ground. Additional large helicopters, water “scooper” airplanes and additional crews are on order and should arrive today.

Firefighters are currently scouting for areas to access the fire and to locate safe anchor points for fireline construction. Hotshot crews are currently looking for opportunities to safely construct fireline, tying into existing roads/trails, to prevent progression of the fire northward. Helicopter rappelers will work to construct a helispot at the heel of the fire on the top of Blacktail Canyon. Other crews will continue to assess critical values at risk in the Blacktail Canyon, Passmore Canyon, and Toll Mountain areas. The fire is burning in large amounts of dead and down lodgepole pine trees, creating additional hazards and affecting progress.

Working in cooperation with the Butte-Silver Bow community officials, fire managers have identified and prioritized critical values at risk, focusing available resources and current efforts on the protection of the private structures in the Blacktail Canyon and Homestake Road areas. Local Fire Department engines provided structure protection in these areas. Additional resources, including three type 2 hand crews, have been ordered. As they arrive, fire managers and agency officials will collaborate to utilize resources to protect the prioritized values.

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
Fire behavior was active yesterday, with single tree and group torching and short-range spotting observed. Fire crews remaining on-site overnight experienced dry lightning and gusty outflow winds until the early morning hours. Fire behavior is expected to be similar to yesterday. Hot, dry conditions will persist over the weekend and into much of next week. Relative humidity recovery overnight will be poor, especially at upper elevations. Winds will be from the northeast at 5-15 mph. There is a slight chance for afternoon thunderstorms over the weekend.
 

Video Update: https://fb.watch/ts9Z6maOs1/ 

Deadman, McGhee, Prairie, and Four Mile Fires 

Bureau of Land Management Montana-Dakotas State Office 

Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation 

Fire Information 406-924-3831  2024.Deadman@firenet.gov 

https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/mtmts-deadman-fire www.facebook.com/RosebudCountyDisasterAndEmergencyServices 

Saturday, July 20, 2024 

Northern Rockies Team 3, Incident Commander Mike Behrens  

Location:  South of Birney, Montana and north of Tongue River Reservoir in Rosebud and Big Horn Counties 

Start Date: 7/12 and 7/13/2024 

Cause: Lightning    

Size:   Deadman: 19,982   McGhee: 19,223   Prairie: 6,540   Four Mile: 2,082  

Completion/Containment:   Deadman: 35%   McGhee: 9%   Prairie: 100%   Four Mile: 100%   

KEY MESSAGE  

By this morning, crews had completed burnout operations along the Tongue River Road and the Hanging Woman Creek Road on the McGhee Fire. Yesterday, firefighters also mopped up around the residences where they had conducted protective burnouts along the east flank. On the southwest corner of the Deadman Fire, the fire crossed into dry grass on the west side of the Tongue River during Thursday night’s thunderstorm, and the smokejumper module with the support of engines was able to confine it to an eight-acre area Friday morning. Mopping up continued on the north edges of the Prairie Fire while information was gathered for suppression repair needs, and the Prairie Fire is now contained. The Four Mile Fire is also completely contained.  

CURRENT STATUS 

The hotshot crews and engines will secure and hold the areas where firing has been conducted during the previous few shifts. Mop up of residual hotspots will begin on the perimeter of the McGhee Fire. Unburned islands of pine and juniper trees still exist in the interior of the McGhee Fire, with the potential for spotting up to ½ mile. Areas for suppression repair actions are being scouted on the Prairie Fire. There is a temporary flight restriction (TFR) over the fire area and initial attack resources assigned to these fires will help with any new lightning starts within the TFR. 

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR 

Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 88 F and 28 percent relative humidity. Winds will generally be north-northeasterly, with gusts to 18 mph. Thunderstorms are likely this afternoon with a chance of wetting rain at 10 percent.  Individual tree torching has the potential to create spot fires, which will readily sustain spread. Smoke from regional fires in Canada is making its way into the area.  

CLOSURES AND SPECIAL MESSAGES 

Stage 1 fire restrictions are in place in Bighorn County. Visit www.mtfireinfo.org for current Montana fire restrictions information. 

The Big Horn County Sheriff has lifted its evacuation warning for the Four Mile Fire and Tongue River Reservoir area. 

The Rosebud County Sheriff has lifted the evacuation warning for the area north of the McGhee Fire. 

Texas Fire – Update
July 20, 2024, 8:30 AM PT                     Information Line: 208-901-7295                    Email: 2024.texas@firenet.gov 

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idids-texas-fire
Date of Origin: Monday, July 15, 2024
Location: East of Kendrick, Idaho
Cause: Human
Size: 1,575 acres Containment: 10% Personnel: 189 

Current Situation: 

Fire activity remains minimal, with very little open flame observed by firefighters yesterday. The fire continues to creep and smolder in areas with heavy brush or a thick layer of duff. Yesterday, firefighters completed handline around the entire fire perimeter of the eastern spot fire. Mop-up operations continue around the fire’s edge with crews walking up to 200 feet interior to check for smoking debris or hot spots, such as ash pockets or smoldering roots. Aircraft was not utilized on the fire yesterday, as aerial support was not requested by firefighters on the ground. Today, firefighters will focus on removing and mitigating hazards to ensure public safety in the fire area. Crews are falling trees near private property and along steeper sections of major roadways. Sprinklers will be installed and utilized to safely and effectively cool areas difficult for firefighters to engage such as thick brushy areas or areas that include hazards. Availability of water in the form of Engines, water tenders, hose lays, and portable water tanks has been key for firefighters to effectively extinguish lingering pockets of heat where the fire’s edge meets constructed fireline and into the interior. Due to the increased temperatures today, firefighters will look for and address areas of heat during cooler parts of the day and monitor for any noticeable fire activity later in the day, when temperatures are at their highest. 

Weather: Temperatures will increase today, and relative humidity will be slightly decreased from the past few days. Winds remain fairly light and generally terrain driven. There is a heat advisory in effect until noon today shifting to an excessive heat warning in effect from noon today until 9:00 PM Monday.