USDA Forest Service

Pacific Northwest Region

Media Contact: Jennifer Risdal 

sm.fs.r6pressoffice@usda.gov

www.fs.usda.gov/r6 

PORTLAND, Ore., August 8, 2024 —Fire Managers in the Pacific Northwest predict that many wildfires currently burning in Washington and Oregon, and potentially new ones, will persist until the region experiences significant rain or snow this fall.

Firefighters are actively battling these fires. With widespread lightning expected this month, fire managers will be adopting a strategic approach to integrate risk management, ecosystem resilience, and community involvement on long-duration fires before typical east wind events potentially arrive around the beginning of fall.

“Our planners are taking a realistic look at current wildfires, expected new fires, and the resources we have to help us safeguard human lives and property while enhancing our ability to respond to wildfires in high-risk areas,” said Jacque Buchanan, Regional Forester for the Pacific Northwest Region of the Forest Service.

Among other tactics, firefighters working long-duration wildfires will focus on identifying and preparing a network of primary and contingency containment lines to help stop fires as they approach critical areas like communities, powerlines, water supply systems, and natural and cultural resources.

“Firefighting is inherently risky. Our role as fire managers is to develop strategies that maximize success while minimizing the risk of injury or death to emergency responders,” said Kelly Kane, Acting Fire, Fuels and Aviation Director for the Pacific Northwest and Alaska Regions. “There is no structure that is worth the life of the sons, daughters, parents, siblings and friends that make up our wildland firefighting workforce.”

Long-duration fires are typical in timber-dominated forests, such as those found in Oregon and Washington, particularly along and west of the Cascades. These areas provide ample fuel that can sustain fires for extended periods and hold heat deep within the interior of a wildfire until conditions either escalate or moderate fire activity.

The steep, remote locations also make it difficult for firefighters to access wildfires on National Forest lands and present significant hazards, including rolling rocks and logs that can cause injuries. Extracting injured firefighters from these areas is also challenging and increases the risk of complications. Despite these challenges, suppression efforts to protect communities and critical areas will continue.

"Communities will likely face prolonged smoke and other impacts from these fires,” said Kane. “Large and long-duration fires vary in intensity and will continue to produce smoke as they move with wind and terrain until extinguished by significant rain or snow.”

Helpful tips from our partners on what you can do to prepare:

• Create Defensible Space: Clear vegetation and debris around your home to create a buffer zone that can help slow the spread of fire.
• Prepare an Emergency Kit: Include essentials such as water, food, medications, important documents, and personal items.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest fire information and evacuation orders from local authorities.
• Install Smoke Alarms: Ensure your home has working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Have an Evacuation Plan: Plan and practice multiple evacuation routes with your family.
• Protect Your Air Quality: Use air purifiers and keep windows closed to reduce smoke exposure indoors.

Information on preparing for and staying safe from wildfire smoke are available at Smoke- Ready Toolbox for Wildfires | US EPA <https://www.epa.gov/air-research/smoke-ready-toolbox-wildfires>.

Support firefighters engaged in this challenging fire season by respecting emergency closures and adhering to fire restrictions. Do your part to prevent human-caused wildfires. Learn more at: https://smokeybear.com/en/prevention-how-tos.

For more news & information about National Forests in the Pacific Northwest, visit our news page at https://www.fs.usda.gov/news/r6/news-events or our home page, at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r6. For more information about the USDA Forest Service visit https://www.fs.usda.gov.
 

Datos clave 

Tamaño: 36970 (No se actualizaron las imágenes infrarrojas)     Fecha de inicio: 8 de junio de 2024            Ubicación: 31 millas al NO de Chelan, WA       Contención: 13 porciento          Personal: 653        Causa: De orígen humano, a ser determinada 

SITUACIÓN ACTUAL: Permancen las fuentes de calor dispersas por todo el borde del incendio debido a las condiciones estacionalmente secas y la vegetación que no se ha quemada, especialmente en las áreas de aguas cabeceras de Prince Creek y aproximadamente a una milla y media al sureste en las aguas cabeceras de Purple Creek. La intensidad del fuego a lo largo de la cresta entre Imus y Purple Creek sigue siendo la más activa, con una propagación cuesta arriba mientras que el fuego se desplaza hacia densas secciones de árboles. Un viento persistente río arriba causará dificultad a los bomberos, ya que una combinación que no se ha visto de fuego, viento y terreno pueden contribuir a un mayor intensidad de fuego.

ACTIVIDADES DE HOY: Las cuadrillas se concentrarán en construir líneas de mano alrededor del área de Little Boulder Creek para que el fuego se mantenga al sur del arroyo y evitar que se propague más hacia la comunidad de Stehekin. En coordinación con los recursos en tierra los medios de aviación continuarán vertiendo agua para enfriar y detener el fuego. 

CLIMA Y HUMO: El clima hasta el viernes será cálido y mayormente seco los próximos días. Los vientos de 5 a 10 mph se desplazarán hacia el norte por el lago durante la mayor parte del día. Hay un 10 por ciento de probabilidad de tormentas eléctricas por la tarde el jueves, y esta aumentará al 50 por ciento para el viernes. Cualquier tormenta que afecte el incendio resultará en una amenaza de ráfagas de viento, lluvias fuertes y relámpagos. 

Puede esperar ver vientos del este que despejen el humo y mejoren la calidad del aire en la mayor parte de las comunidades al este de los incendios Pioneer y Easy por la mañana. A medida que los vientos cambian hacia el noroeste, traerán niveles ligeros a moderados de humo de los incendios regionales a las comunidades en el valle de Okanogan y el área de Chelan por la noche. Es probable que en Stehekin el nivel de humo sea ligero a moderado durante la mayor parte del día y la noche. 

EVACUACIONES: Los niveles 1, 2 y 3 de evacuación siguen vigentes alrededor del incendio Pioneer. Comuníquese con el Departamento de gestión de emergencias del condado de Chelan o visite https://t.ly/QoH9w para obtener más información. 

CIERRE DEL BOSQUE: Cierres vigentes del Parque nacional North Cascades: https://www.nps.gov/noca/index.htm El Bosque Nacional Okanogan-Wenatchee ha emitido una orden de cierre sobre gran parte del área afectada por el incendio: https://bit.ly/PioneerClosure. Las fogatas están prohibidas. Hay una restricción temporal de vuelo (TFR, en inglés) sobre el área del incendio: https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_6779.html. La actividad de drones no autorizados está prohibida por la TFR.

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/wases-pioneer Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560760893080 Línea de información sobre el incendio: 541-861-5808, de 8 AM a 8 PM Correo electrónico: 2024.pioneer@firenet.gov

Quick Facts

Size:  36,970 acres          Start Date: June 8, 2024          Location: 31 miles northwest of Chelan, WA      Containment: 13%          Personnel: 653          Cause:  Human-caused, under investigation

CURRENT SITUATION:  Scattered heat sources remain across the fire perimeter due to seasonally dry conditions and unburnt vegetation, particularly in the north end of the fire at Purple Creek and south to Prince Creek. Fire activity along the ridgeline between Imus and Purple Creek remains the most active with uphill spread as fire gets into dense pockets of trees. A persistent uplake wind will challenge firefighters as previously unseen alignments of fire, wind, and terrain may contribute to increased fire behavior.

TODAY’S ACTIVITIES:  Crews will focus their efforts constructing handlines around the Little Boulder Creek area to keep the fire south of the creek and prevent further movement into the community of Stehekin. Aviation assets will continue working in the area with water drops to cool and slow the fire in coordination with resources on the ground.

WEATHER AND SMOKE:  The weather through Friday will be warm and mostly dry over the next few days. Winds of 5 to 10 mph will move north up the lake for most of the day. There is a 10 percent chance for afternoon thunderstorms on Thursday increasing to 50 percent on Friday. Any storms impacting the fire will bring a threat of gusty outflow winds, heavy downpours, and lightning. 

Expect winds out of the east to scour the smoke and improve air quality across most of the communities east of the Pioneer and Easy fires in the morning. As winds shift to out of the northwest, they will bring light to moderate levels of smoke from regional fires to communities in the Okanogan Valley and Chelan area overnight. Stehekin will likely have light to moderate levels of smoke throughout most of the day and evening. 

EVACUATIONS: Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuation levels remain in effect around the Pioneer Fire. Please contact Chelan County Emergency Management or visit https://t.ly/QoH9w for more information.

FOREST CLOSURE: Closures for the North Cascades National Park: https://www.nps.gov/noca/index.htm

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has a closure order in place for much of the fire area: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest - Alerts & Closures (usda.gov). Campfires are 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.

The Shoshone National Forest implemented Stage 1 fire restrictions on July 30 due to very dry conditions of fuels and continued hot, dry weather. 

A copy of the order (#02-14-04-24-04) can be found at https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1197676.pdf or printed from the PDF file below.

See attached PDF.

Fact Sheet

BLM Arizona – Colorado River District Office

Media Contacts: Dolores Garcia, dagarcia@blm.gov, (602) 828-8734
Jason VanBuskirk, jvanbuskirk@blm.gov (928) 466-6938

August 8, 2024

Wildfire Fact Sheet – Element Fire
 

Fire crews continue to be deployed to the most active area on the northwest side of the Element Fire near the Mount Tipton Wilderness to improve containment and slow its progression to the north. Helicopters are assisting firefighting efforts on the ground with water bucket drops. Firefighters continue with structure protection in the Vock Canyon area as well as residences west of Stockton Hill Road.

Start Date: August 6, 2024
Location: About 12 miles north of Kingman, west of Stockton Hill Road.
Jurisdiction: Kingman Field Office, Bureau of Land Management
Fire Size: 3,986 acres.
Containment: 5%
Cause: Lightning/Natural
Fuels: Lower Elevation-Grass/Brush; Higher Elevation-Chaparral/Pinyon Juniper.
Structures: Vock Canyon and homes west of Stockton Hill Road between milepost 18-23 currently in “SET” status.
Closures: Big Wash Road from the water tank junction (CM1470) to the Cherum Peak Trailhead; CM1364 to Big Wash Road; Packsaddle Campground; Windy Point Campground; and Cherum Peak Trailhead.
Fire Resources: 2 water tenders, 6 engines, 2 Interagency Hotshot Crews, 2 Department of Corrections crews, 1 suppression module crew, 2 helicopters, total personnel 145.
Safety: No injuries reported. Fire managers are asking for the public’s assistance by avoiding the area to allow crews and resources to access and mitigate the fire.
Wildfires are a no drone zone. Flying drones near wildfires is dangerous for pilots and firefighters and can bring wildfire suppression efforts to a halt. If you fly, we can’t.
Updates will be posted to InciWeb.

Fire Closure Order Number. AZ-CRD-2024-01

PUBLIC LAND CLOSURE 

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

COLORADO RIVER DISTRICT

KINGMAN FIELD OFFICE

INSERT LANGUAGE REGARDING RESCINDING OF PREVIOUS ORDER. REFERENCE ASD ORDER FOR HOW THIS WAS DONE.

Under the authority of the Federal Land Management Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) and pursuant to 43 CFR 9212.0-6 and 43 CFR 9212.1-4, this Fire Prevention Land Closure applies to lands administered by the Kingman Field Office. Notice is hereby given that the Colorado River District (BLM) will immediately close selected public lands to public access in Mohave County, AZ.

Due to the extreme fire conditions and activity currently in this area and in the interest of public safety, the following areas will be temporarily closed until the end of the current fire emergency.

(1) BLM Road CER 7005 (Big Wash Rd.) from the intersection of CM1470 to the Cherum Peak Trailhead totaling 10.48 miles.
(2) BLM Road CM1364 where the route starts on BLM managed lands in T. 23N, R. 18W, Section 1 SW1/4SW1/4 to the intersection of BLM Road CER 7005 (Big Wash Rd.) totaling 3.26 miles.
(3) Packsaddle and Windy Point Campgrounds.
(4) Cherum Peak Trailhead.

This closure will be in effect on August 7th, 2024, at 0900 for the purpose of protecting the public and shall stay in effect until rescinded. The Colorado River District Fire Management Officer and Kingman Field Manager will make the determination as to when the closure will be rescinded based on public safety. The map of the closure area is attached to this order.

(1) Persons exempt from the closure and that are allowed in the closed area without written permission include the following:
a) Emergency vehicles, equipment, and personnel.
b) Government employees acting in the performance of their duties.
c) Grazing permittees in the performance of permitted acts.
d) Utility companies and other right of way holder employees acting in the performance of their duties.
(2) Private landowners shall be allowed access to their private property across BLM
lands, on established roads. Deviation from the shortest, most direct travel route to their property will be considered a violation of the closure and may be subject to the penalties as described in 43 CFR 9212.4
(3) The closure also applies to special recreation permit holders who are authorized to conduct activities on BLM land.
(4) This closure follows provisions of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43
U.S.C. 1701) and 43 CFR 9212.0-6 and 43 CFR 9212.1-4. The penalties of this Fire Prevention Order are provided in 43 CFR 9212.4. Any person who knowingly and willfully violates the regulations at 9212.1 of this title shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not more than $10,000 or to imprisonment of not more than 12 months or both.

Due to the extreme danger associated with flash flooding as a result of the Ridge Fire and in the interest of public safety this closure shall be implemented immediately to protect human life.

/S/Chris Bryan
Assistant Field Manager
Kingman Field Office