El incendio Pioneer arde en los espacios naturales de Lake Chelan-Sawtooth, en el Distrito de guardabosques de Chelan del Bosque Nacional Okanogan-Wenatchee y en un terreno privado a 31 millas al noroeste de Chelan. Ha sido muy limitada la actividad reciente de los incendios y el humo. Se prevén temperaturas soleadas y más cálidas para el próximo fin de semana y las comunidades de Stehekin, Chelan y Manson siguen dando la bienvenida a los visitantes para que disfruten del área.

Los directores del incendio Pioneer están utilizando una estrategia de extinción total. Su objetivo es minimizar los impactos a la propiedad privada, la infraestructura pública y los recursos naturales y recreativos, con el menor riesgo para los trabajadores de primera línea y el público. Dos de las tácticas de extinción total que se utilizan en son el ataque indirecto y la protección de la zona de puntos. Para el ataque indirecto, los bomberos trabajan más lejos del borde del incendio para formar líneas de control. Estas suelen ser mejoras de barreras naturales o artificiales, como carreteras, áreas rocosas o cuerpos grandes de agua. Incluyen la eliminación de materiales quemables como árboles, vegetación y sotobosque. Para la protección de la zona puntual, las cuadrillas están trayendo bombas, mangueras y rociadores, y en algunos casos envolturas protectoras, para mejorar la posibilidad de que una estructura o grupo de estructuras pueda resistir el fuego si llegara hasta ese punto.

Ayer, los bomberos evaluaron un puente sobre Prince Creek para protegerlo. Movierno las mangueras y las bombas a Moore Point, para preparar el equipo para futuras operaciones. Las cuadrillas trasladaron equipos adicionales desde Lucerne para la remover maleza. Hoy, continuarán trabajando para proteger las estructuras fuera del perímetro del incendio cerca de la orilla del lago. En Stehekin, trabajaron en Boulder Creek, removiendo maleza y arboles viejos y caídos. El día de hoy, continuarán implementando el plan de protección de estructuras. Se completaron dos millas de nivelación y cepillado de carreteras a lo largo de Black Canyon Road, desde Black Canyon Sno-Park, para ayudar a las operaciones terrestres desde el este.

Puede encontrar el pronóstico sobre la calidad del aire en https://bit.ly/PioneerFireSmoke. Conozca más sobre el humo en smokeready.org.

CLIMA: Hoy se esperan temperaturas más cálidas debido a que ha disminuído la humedad y la baja probabilidad de lluvia. Puede ser que los vientos aumenten y se pronostica que cambiarán de lago abajo por la mañana a lago arriba por la tarde.

EVACUACIONES: Los niveles de evacuación no han cambiado desde el 16 de junio. Visite https://t.ly/QoH9w para tener más información. 

ORDEN DE CIERRE DEl INCENDIO PIONEER: El Bosque Nacional Okanogan-Wenatchee actualizó su cierre para partes del Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness y las áreas al alrededor. Este cierre incluye cuatro campamentos, varios senderos y el sistema 8200 de carreteras (Grade Creek). Los detalles sobre las ubicaciones abiertas y cerradas, y un mapa, están disponibles en: https://bit.ly/PioneerClosure. Aún hay muchas oportunidades de recreación disponibles

From Chelan County Emergency Management:

PIONEER FIRE UPDATE: Evacuation levels are changing in the Pioneer Fire, which is burning up lake on the north shore of Lake Chelan. The Level 3 evacuation has been DOWNGRADED. The current levels are:

Level 2: Flick Creek Campground south to Fir Creek. Level 2 (in yellow) means be prepared if you should need to evacuate the area in a hurry.

Level 1 (down lake): Lone Fir Creek to Safety Harbor. Level 1 (in green) means stay alert and monitor the fire in the area.

Level 1 (up lake): Flick Creek Campground to and including the Fourmile Creek camping area. Level 1 (in green) means stay alert and monitor the fire in the area.

We are updating the Chelan County Emergency Incidents Map but please have patience. It will be updated soon.

Keep up on the fire at Pioneer Fire Information #pioneerfire2024

Chelan County Emergency Incidents Map: https://chelangis.maps.arcgis.com/.../media/index.html...

U.S. Forest Service - Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest

Chelan County Emergency Management Facebook 

The Complex Incident Management Team 3, cooperators, and agency administrators are working closely using an Incident Strategic Alignment Process to evaluate the strategic plan and firefighting tactics daily. The ISAP process analyzes critical values at risk, strategy and strategic actions, risk to responders and the probability of success. Working together through this process ensures an alignment of management decisions and communications. Learn more about the ISAP process through the ISAP story map at https://bit.ly/45Rmp9q.

Current Situation
Yesterday, firefighters constructed handline along the fire’s edge on the east perimeter in Division K. Crews will continue to strengthen portions of this containment line and are planning to burn out some areas between the containment lines and the fire's edge to minimize the risk to the community of Beulah. Burning out these areas allows firefighters to use containment lines that are in more favorable terrain and fuels to increase the likelihood that the lines will hold and to improve firefighter safety. Line construction in Division A progressed to the west toward the division break with Division U. At this point, escape routes or areas to establish adequate safety zones do not exist due to the rugged terrain and fuel density. Working directly on the fire’s edge is not an option for firefighter safety. Airtankers established a solid line of retardant around the fire perimeter to slow the spread of the fire to the west. Helicopters will continue to drop water along the fire perimeter to cool down areas of heat and help slow the fire’s spread in all areas of the fire.

Firefighters completed placement of structure protection measures around homes inside the Middle Creek Canyon Road evacuation area. The structure protection group is working today in Beulah Highlands to build upon existing defensible space to further mitigate the risk of fire to structures. This includes the placement of hoselays, pumps and sprinklers and removal of additional fuels where needed.

Weather & Smoke Information: Warmer and drier conditions are expected today. There’s a potential for brief showers and thunderstorms developing in the afternoon that can produce wind gusts up to 40 mph.

The U.S. Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program is now producing a daily smoke outlook report specific to south central Colorado and the Oak Ridge Fire. You can read and download the outlook by going to https://outlooks.airfire.org/outlook/d9fa3c77.

Closures: The Middle Creek Road is closed. The San Carlos Ranger District of the Pike and San Isabel National Forests issued an area, trail and road closure effective June 26, 2024. Go to www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/psicc/alerts-notices to read and download the entire order.

Evacuations: Homes along the Middle Creek Canyon Road are under a mandatory evacuation. The following are in a pre-evacuation status: Vine Mesa, Cascade Ave., Pine Ave., and Beulah Highlands Rd. Go to www.puebloemergency.info for all evacuation information.

Temporary Flight Restrictions: There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over the fire area. If you FLY, we CAN’T. Do not fly or operate your own drones in this area, as it will impede firefighting efforts and ground our aircraft.

OAK RIDGE FIRE INFORMATION
Fire Information Phoneline: 719-315-1536 Time: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Facebook: @OakRidgeFire2024 Email: 2024.oakridge@firenet.gov
InciWeb: www.inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/copsf-oak-ridge-fire

The Pioneer Fire is burning in the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness Area on the Chelan Ranger District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and on private land 31 miles northwest of Chelan. Recent fire activity and smoke have been very limited. Sunny, warmer temperatures are forecasted for the upcoming weekend and the communities of Stehekin, Chelan, and Manson continue to welcome visitors to enjoy the area.

Pioneer Fire managers are using a full suppression firefighting strategy. They aim to minimize impacts to private property, public infrastructure, and natural and recreation resources, with the least risk to responders and the public. Two of the full suppression tactics being used on the fire are indirect attack and point zone protection. For indirect attack, firefighters work further away from the fire’s edge to establish control lines. These lines are typically improvements of natural or human-made barriers such as roads, rocky areas, or large water bodies. Improvements include removing burnable materials like trees, vegetation, and duff. For point zone protection, crews are bringing in pumps, hoses and sprinklers, and in some cases protective wrapping, to increase the chance that a structure or group of structures will withstand fire if it reaches that location.
 

Yesterday, firefighters assessed a bridge up Prince Creek. They moved hoses and pumps to Moore Point, to stage equipment for future operations. Crews moved additional equipment from Lucerne for brush removal. Today, they will continue working to protect structures outside the fire perimeter near the lakeshore. In Stehekin, crews worked up Boulder Creek, clearing brush and snags. Today, they will continue to implement the structure protection plan. Two miles of grading and road brushing were completed along Black Canyon Road, from the Black Canyon Snow Park to support ground operations from the east. The air quality outlook is at https://bit.ly/PioneerFireSmoke. Learn more about smoke at smokeready.org.

WEATHER: Expect warmer temperatures today with decreased humidity and a low probability of rain. Winds
may increase and are predicted to shift from down lake in the morning to up lake in the afternoon.

EVACUATIONS: Evacuation levels are unchanged since June 16th. Visit https://t.ly/QoH9w for updates.

PIONEER FIRE CLOSURE ORDER: The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest updated their closure for portions of the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness and surrounding areas. The closure includes: Prince Creek, Cascade Creek, Moore Point and South Navarre campgrounds; several trails; and the 8200 (Grade Creek)
road system. Further details, including maps, are available at: https://bit.ly/PioneerClosure.

6/28/24 - Morning update: Crews will be conducting mop-up operations today, diligently searching for any remaining hot spots in and around the Village of Wilsonia. Additionally, they will focus on retrieving and organizing hose lines from the prescribed burn perimeter. Firefighters diligently preparing for the prescribed burn months ahead of the operation. They strategically create firebreaks (handline) and set up hose lines to help maintain the fire within its designated perimeter.

Smoke and fire are expected around the General Highway and Highway 180 areas. Firefighters will be on site, so please drive cautiously, use headlights, and comply with instructions from firefighters and park rangers for safety.

2024 Park Ridge Prescribed Fire - June 28, 2024

Fri, 06/28/2024 - 12:14

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2024 Park Ridge Prescribed Fire - June 28, 2024

Firefighters diligently prepared for the prescribed burn months ahead of the operation. They strategically create firebreaks (handline) and set up hose lines to help maintain the fire within its designated perimeter.

Southwest Area

Incident Management Team

TEAM 5 – Dave Gesser– INCIDENT COMMANDER

As more areas reopen, caution is advised

Daily Update, Friday, June 28, 2024

Mescalero Apache Tribe Emergency Operations Center: 575-464-9214 (8am-12am)

Village of Ruidoso and Lincoln County Emergency Operations Center: 575-258-6900 (7am-10pm)

Fire Information Phone: 575-323-8378 or 575-323-8258 (8am-8pm)

Media Information Phone: 575-323-8053 (8am-8pm)

Email: 2024.southfork@firenet.gov

Acres:  South Fork – 17,569; Salt – 7,939

Start Date: June 17, 2024

Location: South Fork – Ruidoso Area; Salt – 7 mile west of Mescalero, NM

Personnel: 860

Containment: South Fork – 73%; Salt – 71%

Fuels: mixed conifer, grass, pine/juniper                                             

Resources: The South Fork and Salt fires are currently staffed with 21 crews, 4 helicopters, 36 engines, 5 bulldozers, and 11 water tenders.

Highlights:

Reentry: As exclusion zones re-open, please remember that there are still firefighters, firefighting equipment, utility company workers and vehicles working in the area. Their work is critical to restore utilities and services, and conditions in the exclusion zones pose a safety risk to the emergency personnel as well as the public. Please be patient and allow them to complete their work in Upper Canyon and Cedar Creek.

"NO ENTRY/EXCLUSION ZONES" remain in place in some areas of the village. Visit https://www.ruidoso-nm.gov/south-fork-fire or contact the Village of Ruidoso and Lincoln County Emergency Operations Centers for more information.

Tribal evacuation and donation sites: Evacuation sites on the Mescalero Apache Reservation will be closing operations by Sunday, June 30, 2024. These sites include the Mescalero Community Center and the Inn of the Mountain Gods' convention center.

As of Friday, June 28, 2024, all donations and tribal distribution of donated items to persons/families affected by the fires will be at the Inn of the Mountain Gods' convention center from 8 AM - 6:30 PM daily.

Fire Activity: The South Fork and Salt fires experienced limited fire activity as storms moved over the area on Thursday. With those storms, several lightning strikes occurred, causing one confirmed fire, which crews suppressed immediately after discovery. Firefighters will monitor for additional ignitions as wet fuels begin drying out through the day on Friday.

Weather: Much of the fire area will continue a slight drying trend until isolated afternoon showers and thunderstorms return. Rain chances increase again on Saturday, with slow moving storms capable of producing high rain rates and flash floods.

Smoke: Smoke will continue to have the biggest impact during the late overnight and morning hours for areas near the fires. Additional details are available at https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook/430b2c05.

Closures: A South Fork Fire Emergency Closure Order was issued on June 20, 2024, for national forest lands within the Smokey Bear Ranger District. The identified areas, and roads and trails therein, are closed to public access to allow firefighting personnel to work and through the fire area safely. More information is available at www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/lincoln/alerts-notices/?aid=88199. 

A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the fire area. Public/commercial drone flights are also prohibited within this area. If you fly, we may have to ground our air resources. Visit https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html for more information.

More information:

Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmmea-south-fork-and-salt

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SWIMT5 

Smoke Outlook: https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook/430b2c05

Lincoln County Government: www.lincolncountynm.gov

Mescalero Apache Tribe: https://mescaleroapachetribe.com 

Village of Ruidoso: www.ruidoso-nm.gov/south-fork-fire

INCIWEB UPDATE

SOUTH FORK AND SALT BAER ASSESSMENTS

JUNE 27, 2024

The South Fork and Salt Fires BAER Team members are working together on a common post-fire rapid assessment process under unified command, with a co-lead each from Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS). BAER specialists from BIA and USFS are sharing the same spatial mapping system to collect supplemental data for a remotely sensed soil burn severity (SBS) map on the South Fork Fire, which is expected to be completed within the next week. A similar map for the Salt Fork Fire requires additional data collection, because cloud cover to date obscured collection of satellite imagery. The SBS maps help locate hillslopes most likely to increase post-fire erosion. The SBS is the most important input to a science-based data model that predicts areas and magnitude of downstream flooding. BAER specialists are also collecting input from cooperators to identify potential “critical values at risk” -- specific locations where life, property, or natural or cultural resources are threatened by post-fire flooding and debris flows. All points of concern, whether on federal or non-federal land, are being mapped so that risk can be evaluated by the flood prediction model. 

Although rain over parts of the fire area has been limited to less than an inch, BAER specialists observed evidence of debris flow and soil erosion in severely burned areas within the South Fork Fire. Specialists drove and hiked to observation points and entered burned areas on both Mescalero Apache Reservation and Lincoln National Forest to assess viability of roads and culverts to sustain increased flows and to examine the position of trails, campgrounds, structures, and sites of cultural significance to make preliminary plans for which of these values need protection. Field validation and data collection will continue over the next few days.

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/abq/.

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Clear Fire and McDonald Fire Merge as Fire Activity Increases

Size: 107,391 acres 
Personnel: 83 
Start Date: June 8, 2024 
Cause: Lightning

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – Fire behavior continues to be active on the McDonald Fire. Both the Clear Fire and McDonald Fire saw growth yesterday, and as of today’s shift the fires have merged. Pioneer Peak and Midnight Suns hotshot crews continue to focus their efforts on securing fireline and providing structure protection on cabins along 5 Mile Creek and military infrastructure. Plumas Hotshots will join the crews’ efforts this afternoon and an additional Wildland Fire Module is set to join Friday. 

One Alaska Department of Forestry & Fire Protection (DOF) engine and the 11-person White Mountain Module will continue to patrol the Richardson Highway and adjacent subdivisions. Two lookouts are providing timely fire behavior updates to firefighters on the ground. 

The fire remains west of the Tanana River. Fire danger in the area remains critically high Thursday and into the weekend. 

Smoke moving into the Fairbanks area will impact air quality estimated through Thursday. Please use caution and turn on headlights while driving as smoke may impact visibility. 

Weather: RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 A.M. TO 10 P.M. THURSDAY. Thursday to expected to be hot once again with a minimum humidity 31% and expected and light winds increasing slightly from the east this afternoon. Scattered wet thunderstorms are likely near the fire Thursday afternoon and overnight. These storms may come with hail, heavy rain, frequent lightning and erratic wind gusts to 50 mph. Thunderstorms will lessen in coverage after midnight with a lingering shower possible, then isolated wet thunderstorms will be possible again Friday afternoon. Temperatures are expected to begin cooling this weekend. 

Burn Permits: The DOF has issued Burn Permit Suspensions for Fairbanks, Salcha, Delta, Tok, and Railbelt areas. The fire danger in these areas remains HIGH. Please check https://dnr.alaska.gov/burn/fireareas or call the burn permit hotline for the Fairbanks Area Forestry at (907) 451-2631 for the most current updates. 

Air Quality: An Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) air quality advisory is in effect for the Central and Eastern Alaska due to wildfire smoke through 2 p.m., Thursday, June 27. Low-level smoke during the evening/early morning hours will affect communities near the McDonald Fire. The ADEC expects increased smoke production from wildfires in Canada and Alaska during the advisory period. Find information on how to protect yourself from wildfire smoke at the Smoke Management page on https://akfireinfo.com/smoke-management/ 

Evacuation Notices: The Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) issued a Level 2: SET evacuation notice for the approximately 20 cabins that are near the fire’s southern edge. The FNSB also has areas along the lower Salcha River, Harding Lake, Hollies Acres, Canaday, Salcha and Johnson Road neighborhoods in a READY status. Find more information and an interactive map (Find My Neighborhood (arcgis.com)) of these areas on the Fairbanks North Star Borough Emergency Services website. 

Temporary Flight Restriction: Location is 30 nautical miles southeast of Fairbanks to provide a safe environment for firefighting aircraft.

6-27-24 – Evening Update – After careful consideration, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park leaders and fire management staff have decided to postpone the Big Stump East project scheduled for Friday. Instead, they will prioritize mopping up efforts around the Park Ridge Prescribed Burn. Crews worked diligently today on starting this mop up process. 

Prescribed burns are conducted under monitored conditions to achieve specific land management goals, such as reducing fuel loads, restoring ecosystem health, or promoting certain plant species. 

After the prescribed burn has achieved its objectives and the desired fire behavior has been achieved, mop up involves:

1. Ensuring Complete Consumption: Fire crews will extinguish any remaining flames and ensure that all intended vegetation or fuel within the burn area has been sufficiently consumed.
2. Securing the Perimeter: Crews will patrol the burn perimeter to prevent any fire from escaping the designated area, especially if conditions change unexpectedly.
3. Monitoring Hot Spots: They will identify and address any smoldering areas or hot spots within the burn area that could potentially re-ignite and spread fire beyond the intended boundaries.
4. Smoke Management: Managing smoke is also a part of mop up during prescribed fires, ensuring that any lingering smoke does not impact nearby communities or roadways.
5. Documentation and Reporting: Finally, crews will document the burn operation, including mop up activities, for evaluation and future planning purposes.

Mopping up during a prescribed burn is critical to ensure that the fire achieves its management objectives safely and effectively, while minimizing the risk of unintended escaped fires or environmental damage.

2024 Park Ridge Prescribed Fire - June 24, 2024

Thu, 06/27/2024 - 12:36

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2024 Park Ridge Prescribed Fire - June 24, 2024

You can see fuels being consumed around the Park Ridge Prescribed Burn. Photo by Whiskeytown Crew Member Depue