7/26/05 0630Hrs
Pendleton Fire Weather has issued ...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON TO THURSDAY EVENING FOR LOW HUMIDITIES AND
HAINES 6 FOR ALL PENDLETON FIRE WEATHER ZONES.
New Suppression on 07/25/05: Light initial attack on 7/25. Ten new starts were
reported, eight of which were Class AB fires. Two new large fires were reported
in Washington.
New Large Fires for 7/25/05 :
The Finley Fire was reported by Benton County Emergency Operations Center
on 7/25. The fire was located south/southeast of Finley, WA, which is
approximately 15 miles southeast of the Tri Cities area. The fire is suspected to
have been started by farm equipment in nearby fields. Size is approximately
3,000 acres. A Single Engine Air Tanker from Pendleton, OR made several drops
on this fire on 7/25. No information on containment or other resources assigned
is available, but Benton County spokesmen indicated that the fire did not appear
to be a major problem.
The Badger Road Fire was reported in Douglas County, WA, approximately 5
miles east of Wenatchee, WA. Size is estimated at 2,000 acres. There are 30
homes in the area, and 50 people are reported to have been evacuated. This fire
may also have been called Rimrock Palisades.
The Washington Fire Mobilization Act was invoked on 7/25 to provide assistance
to this fire.
Ongoing Suppression :
OR-SIF-011
Blossom Complex 188 acres 0% containment
This complex consists of three fires totaling 188 acres. They are the Blossom Fire at 118
acres, the Solitude Fire at 62 acres, and the Huggins Fire at 8 acres. All of the fires are
burning in the Wild Rogue Wilderness approximately 25 miles NE of Gold Beach, OR.
The Solitude and Huggins fires are on the south side of the Rouge River, while the most
problematic fire, the Blossom Fire, is on the north side of the river. At 1800 hours on
7/25 management of the fire transitioned to the ORCA Type 2 Team (Paul).
Approximately 16 lodges and residences along with numerous outbuildings are
threatened by these fires. Plans for today’s operations are to staff the Solitude Fire, and
continue line construction on the Huggins Fire. Three Type 1 IHC Crews and 101 other
personnel assigned, including three Type 2 Crews, along with numerous aviation
resources.
Weather near this fire:
Today: Sunny. Northeast wind 16 mph. High 85.
Tonight: Clear. North wind 18 mph. Low 55.
Wednesday: Sunny. North wind 17 mph. High 84
WA-WFS-501 Wood Gulch Fire
5,400 acres 90% containment
This fire is burning in grass and scattered brush on private land south/southeast of
Bickleton, WA, and approximately 3 miles north of the Columbia River and the towns of
North and West Roosevelt WA, in Wood Gulch. The Fire Mobilization Act has been
authorized and numerous cooperating agencies have responded.
Washington Incident Management Team 4 (Johnson) transitioned with a local Type 3
organization on 7/25 to assume command of this fire. The fire became active in the
Northwest corner on 7/25 but overall there was little activity on the fire. Six Type 2
Crews, Three Type 2 Helicopters, 24 Engines, 15 tenders, and 3 Dozers are assigned to
this incident, with 377 personnel total assigned.
Weather near this fire:
Fire Weather Watch Wednesday 12:00pm PST to Thursday 9:00pm PST
Today: Sunny. Highs 91 to 96 light wind..
Tonight: Clear. Lows 60 to 65 light wind..
Wednesday: Sunny. Highs 93 to 98 light wind
OR-WSA-O55- Schoolie Rim Fire 1,237 acres 60% containment
This fire is located on the Warm Springs Agency, five miles northwest of Warm Springs.
Fire is burning primarily in grass and sagebrush with very scattered timber along water
courses. The fire containment lines held on 7/25 after another very quiet afternoon.
Mop-up operations continued. 50 personnel assigned to this fire.
OR-WSA-057- Rattlesnake Springs Fire
1,170 acres
60% containment
This fire is located approximately 10 miles northeast of Warm Springs at the east end
of SR 200 on the Warm Springs Agency. Fire is on lower elevation ground burning in
grass, sage, and scattered juniper. On 7/25, the fire remained quiet and mop-up and
securing of the fire perimeter continued. Fire has 37 personnel assigned.
OR-WSA- 056 Shitike Creek Fire
412 acres 60% containment
This fire is located approximately 2-3 miles west/northwest of Warm Springs in the
Shitike Creek Canyon and is burning in grass, brush, and scattered timber. The fire was
calm on 7/25 but mop-up and hazard reduction in the creek bottom have continued
under difficult conditions. All lines at the top of the creek canyon rim, which is the most
vulnerable part of the perimeter and biggest threat to the town of Warm Springs and
several subdivisions, are secure. 70 personnel are assigned.
Weather near these fires:
Fire Weather Watch Wednesday 12:00pm PST to Thursday 9:00pm PST
Today: Sunny. East wind 7 mph. High 87.
Tonight: Clear. North wind 6 mph. Low 49.
Wednesday: Sunny. East wind 6 mph. High 95
Weather Synopsis: Thermal trough will set up through central Oregon and Washington
today. This will result in an unstable airmass in C2, C1, and E1.. A weak upper trough
will drift through the region on Thursday with the liklihood of thunderstorms in Eastern
Oregon on both Thursday and Friday. For now the activity looks as though it willl be in
the isolated to widely scattered category.
Large Fire Potential: C2 will be in the high risk potential today for active burning and
possible significant growth on fires currently in progress there due to warm and very dry
conditions coupled with instability from thermal trough over the area.
Otherwise large fire potential is low to moderate. We will need to keep a close eye on
lightning in eastern Oregon both Thursday and Friday. As mentioned above current
thinking is that the lightning will be isolated to widely scattered keeping it below our
critieria for a "high risk" for large fires...but the situation will need to be monitored
carefully and could be upgraded as we approach the event.