PNW Update
9/09/05 0045 Hrs
No Red Flags or FWW’s for 9/09 issued
New Suppression for 9/08:
Light Initial Attack activity for Thursday 9/8, but it was the most fire activity the NWCC has had
reported to it in many days if not over two weeks. It was also the first day of more than minimal
lightning since the third week of August. In addition, this bout of convective activity in Southcentral and
Southwestern Oregon, started very late for early September (approx 1730) and was still ongoing near
2300 hours with about 140 strikes being recorded to that point. Already fires were being reported by
Medford Interagency Center and though most of the lightning was recorded on the Fremont NF, it
started late enough that Lakeview Interagency Center had left for the night when the main flurry of
lightning appeared on the lightning maps. It is expected that there may be several holdover fires
appearing later today (9/9) from this bout of lightning. Two large human caused fires also were reported
today in Oregon and Washington, one requiring a Type 2 Team. (See New Large Fires below).
Partial IA summary for 9/8:
Eugene Center: one fire reported southeast of Oakridge, OR. The fire was just north of Hills Creek
Reservoir, was human caused and of suspicious origin. The fire was caught at one acre by engines, the
assistance of a Type 2 Helicopter and a retardant drop by a large DC-7 airtanker from Redmond, OR.
Medford Center: three fires reported on the southern portion of the Rouge River NF southwest of
Ashland, OR, and two fires reported on the northern portion of the forest east of Medford.
11 new fires were reported for 1109 acres. Ongoing large fires added 521 acres for a total of
1,630 acres.
New Large Fires:
WA-NES-320
Squaw Creek Fire
600 acres
0% containment
This fire is burning in timber, brush, and grass approx. two and a half miles southwest of Methow,
WA, which is about 17+ miles south of Twisp, WA. This human caused fire started in mid-afternoon
and spread rapidly up and cross slope. Late in the evening it was beginning to burn downhill in sections
of the fire. At 1920 hours (9/8), Washington State Patrol and Emergency Ops declared the fire a
Washington Mobilization Fire. Four strike teams of engines have been ordered for this fire, and will join
approximately 12 engines already on scene, three Wash DNR Type 2 helos, and two Type 2 Crews. The
fire burned actively especially in the late evening when it jumped a dozer line. A Washington Incident
Management Team (Team 2 Reed/Holloway) has been ordered for this incident, and is expected to be
assume management of the fire from the present Type 3 organization.
89 personnel assigned.
OR-PRD-811
Pine Stub Fire
500 acres
0% containment
This fire originally began as the Pine Stub RX Burn, but the portion identified as a slop-over from the
main fire has been declared a wildfire as of 1808 hours on 9/9. Flare-ups earlier in the day had worsened
and approx 500 acres escaped from the planned perimeter of the fire. However, the fire has NOT moved
beyond the MMA area already demarcated in the burn plan. A Central Oregon Type 3 Team (Johnson
IC) has been ordered and is expected to be on the fire by 0700 hours later this morning. The fire is
burning in grass, brush, juniper, and scattered timber 9 miles of Post, OR which is southeast of
Prineviile some twenty miles. When the flare-ups began to worsen additional engines, a Type 2
helicopter, additional engines, and a heavy airtanker were ordered. T-66, a DC-7 airtanker, dropped one
load of retardant on the fire and a Type 1 heavy helicopter was ordered to do extensive bucket work. For
later this morning (9/9) two Type 2 crews, ( one an agency crew, the other a contract crew.)
31 personnel assigned.
Ongoing Suppression :
OR-WWF-925
Granite Complex
36,820 acres
0% containment
This Wild land Use fire is located 7 miles north of Hells Canyon Dam, on the Idaho side of Snake River,
in a very remote and inaccessible area. On 9/08: The fire has spread to an old 1996 burn area in Division
C, where the fire is torching small clumps of trees. Mop-up and patrol operations will continue today.A
transfer of command back to the local district was completed at 1800 yesterday, (9/8). A Wildland Fire
Use Manager will assume control at that time. A Type 2 Incident Management Team (Blue Mt. Team
Lunde IC) is currently managing the fire.
256 personnel assigned.