Wildfire Archives - Page 35 of 151

Elmo Fire spreads toward Lake Mary Ronan in Montana

Bill GabbertAugust 4, 2022August 4, 2022WildfireElmo Fire, evacuation, Montana, opinion18 Comments

We discovered it is difficult to find evacuation information

Updated 4:33 p.m. MDT August 4, 2022

Elmo Fire map, north end, 3-08 p.m. Aug. 4, 2022 — Elmo Fire map, north end. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 3:08 p.m. Aug. 4, 2022. The fire continues to spread closer to Lake Mary Ronan.

A satellite overflight at 3:08 p.m. MDT Thursday detected heat from the Elmo Fire very close to the south end of Lake Mary Ronan.

There are many structures on the east side of the lake. The Incident Management Team said Thursday morning they hoped to keep the fire from spreading beyond Camp Tuffit Road.

Updated 3:23 p.m. MDT August 4, 2022

Elmo Fire 3-D map 4:39 a.m. Aug. 4, 2022.

The Elmo Fire which started July 29 continues to spread north toward Lake Mary Ronan. The south edge is secure along Highway 28, but firefighters are having a difficult time stopping the northward progression through the timber as it approaches the lake.

The fire was mapped Wednesday night at 20,616 acres. The east side of the fire is very close to Flathead Lake and it appears likely that the north side will reach Lake Mary Ronan.

Elmo Fire map 5:02 a.m. Aug. 4, 2022 — Elmo Fire map. The red dots represent heat detected by satellites at 5:02 a.m. Aug. 4, 2022. The white line was the perimeter at 12:53 a.m. August 1, 2022.

On Wednesday winds increased out of the southwest in the afternoon resulting in upslope runs, spotting, and significant growth on the north side, limiting firefighters’ ability to engage directly on the fire’s edge. All areas of the fire were supported by numerous aircraft dropping water and retardant.

On Thursday firefighters are focusing on Camp Tuffit Road and are working to hold the fire as it approaches the southeast shore of Lake Mary Ronan. Firefighters are prepping structures and constructing secondary firelines.

The Flathead Beacon reported that four homes have been destroyed, quoting an information officer at the fire.

Evacuations
It is not easy to find up to date evacuation information for this incident. At InciWeb the last time it was mentioned was on August 2, 2022 (no time was included). It listed a change, then said “all prior evacuations are in effect.” But there was no link to “prior evacuations”. The change at that time was to include “all residents residing north and south of Hwy 352 (Lake Mary Ronan Road) and all residents who live along Lake Mary Ronan. ”

Another announcement on InciWeb said, “At approximately 2 PM, Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 7 recommended the evacuation of the Lake Mary Ronan corridor to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.”

No date or time was included in the announcement, other than “three days ago.”

Our take
Ordering the public to evacuate and leave their homes is an earth-shattering event for most residents. It can mean the difference between life and death. Then there are the practical logistics of hauling off your critical medicines, documents, family photos, electronics, and pets, then finding a place to shelter which may involve a large expenditure of money.

For the Incident Management Team to treat the evacuation so casually, is not acceptable.

Firefighters do not order an evacuation. They may recommend it, but it can only be ordered and implemented by law enforcement. If the Incident Management Team does not have the current information, they should at least provide a link so someone can easily find this critical data. Assuming that the general public visiting InciWeb will happily mentally cut and paste little bits of evacuation information from multiple web pages to form a complete picture of whether they have to evacuate or not, is poor incident management.

I conducted a search in an attempt to find the information that may have been posted by a law enforcement or emergency management agency, with no success.

When I discovered this issue, I asked the Incident Management Team if they knew of one place where a citizen could get the information, and was told that it was on their InciWeb page under “Announcements.” The email reply was not signed by a person, just “Public Information, Northern Rockies Team 7.” Apparently no one there wants to be held accountable.

“If the announcement is a couple days old, then no changes have occurred to evacuations,” the reply said. “We will continue to post Evacuation updates here as soon as we hear from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.”

An Incident Management Team should either:

Provide accurate, complete, easy to understand, current evacuation information. OR:
Provide a link to a website that has the information.

If an Incident Management Team finds that their recommendation for evacuation has not been implemented, or has not been communicated to the public in a useful way, the Incident Commander should follow up. Maybe the local jurisdiction rarely has to implement evacuations and does not have a check list of all the steps that must be taken. It can be turned into a teachable moment. But the follow up must occur.

Two wildfires are burning in Ellensburg, Washington area

Bill GabbertAugust 4, 2022WildfireCow Canyon Fire, Vantage Highway Fire, Washington1 Comment

Cow Canyon and Vantage Highway Fires. Evacuations are in effect for the Cow Canyon Fire.

Cow Canyon & Vantage Hwy Fires 402 a.m. Aug. 4, 2022 Ellensburg Washington — Cow Canyon & Vantage Highway Fires. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 4:02 a.m. PDT Aug. 4, 2022.

Two wildfires are burning in central Washington.

Cow Canyon Fire
The Cow Canyon Fire eight miles southwest of Ellensburg spread rapidly after it was reported Wednesday August 3 at 2:45 p.m. It is spreading through brush, grass, and timber and has grown to approximately 1,500 acres.

Water-scooping air tankers are using Wenas Lake to refill. Recreational boaters are being warned to be aware of aircraft operations and to keep a safe distance. At least three large air tankers were also used on the fire Wednesday, reloading at the airport at Moses Lake, Washington, including a 737, BAe-146, and a DC-10.

Cow Canyon Fire, August 3, 2022. Washington DNR photo.

Evacuations orders are affecting about 50 homes for a 1.5 mile radius from the intersection of Malloy Road and North Wenas Road. Yakima County Emergency Management has more information. An emergency shelter has been established at the Selah Civic Center. Anyone displaced by the fire can call the American Red Cross at 509-457-1690.

Spectacular smoke plume from the #CowCanyonFire southwest of Ellensburg, as captured by GOES-West satellite before sundown tonight. More on the fires burning east of the Cascades on @KIRO7Seattle at 11 and tomorrow at 4:30 am. #wawx #wafire pic.twitter.com/tvk1kb5J3H

— Morgan Palmer (@MorganKIRO7) August 4, 2022

Vantage Highway Fire
The Vantage Highway Fire 17 miles east of Ellensburg has burned 26,490 acres of brush north of the Vantage Highway since it started August 1. Most of the spread on Wednesday was on the northwest side.

The Northwest Interagency Coordination Center reports that one residence and one outbuilding have been destroyed.

The Vantage Highway will remain closed until at least 3:00 p.m. Thursday, at which point the Southeast Washington Type 3 Incident Management Team, Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office, and Kittitas County PUD will assess if it is ready to open. The highway is closed from Parke Creek Road through Recreation Drive except for local traffic. There are no evacuation orders in effect for the Vantage Highway Fire.

Weather
The weather forecast for the Cow Canyon Fire on Thursday predicts mostly sunny skies, 79 degrees, 30 percent relative humidity, and 15 to 20 mph afternoon winds gusting to 35 mph.

Fish Fire grows rapidly south of Sundance, WY

Bill GabbertAugust 2, 2022August 3, 2022WildfireFish Fire, Wyoming6 Comments

A Type 1 Incident Management Team will assume command Wednesday

Updated 8:28 a.m. MDT August 3, 2022

Incident Command Post on the Fish Fire, Wednesday August 2, 2022. IMT photo.

The Fish Fire south of Sundance, Wyoming slowed Tuesday night as the winds decreased and the relative humidity rose to 75 percent.

The updated forecast for Wednesday predicts mostly sunny skies with a high near 84 with a 6 to 13 mph east wind becoming west or southwest after 11 a.m. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph as the relative humidity drops to 25 percent.

briefing Fish Fire — Briefing on the Fish Fire, Wednesday August 3, 2022. IMT photo.

Since it started Sunday July 31 at 11:30 a.m. it has burned 6,476 acres on private and National Forest lands.

The Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1 will assume command of the fire Wednesday morning.

5:30 p.m. MDT August 2, 2022

Fish Fire map, 3:58 p.m. Aug 2, 2022. — Fish Fire vicinity map, 3:58 p.m. Aug 2, 2022.

The Fish Fire eight miles south of Sundance, Wyoming was much more active Tuesday than in previous days. At 3:58 p.m. it was mapped at 6,476 acres, about eight times larger than it was Monday evening.

To see all of the articles on Wildfire Today about the Fish Fire, including the most current, click HERE.

Monday afternoon and into the evening it was pushed by winds out of the north and northwest gusting to 30 mph. That caused it to spread rapidly throughout the night and by 4 p.m. Tuesday it had grown about 2 miles to the east and four miles south. It spread east across Canyon Springs Road and south across Cold Springs Road. At that time it was still east of Highway 585.

On Tuesday after 9 a.m. there was a 100 percent cloud cover over the area. In the afternoon winds were out of the northwest at 10 to 15 gusting at 28 to 34 mph while the temperature was 88. The relative humidity rose from 20 percent at 6:30 a.m. to 38 percent at 5 p.m. The forecast for Wednesday calls for mostly sunny skies, 84 degrees, 22 percent RH, and winds from the southwest at 5 to 10 mph.

Evacuation information may be posted on the Crook County Emergency Management Facebook Page, or, Weston County Emergency Management’s Facebook page.

Kim Hemenway, a spokesperson for the fire, said a Type 1 Incident Management Team will arrive Tuesday night and assume command from the Type 3 Team at 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Approximately 250 personnel are assigned.

The article was edited at 7:22 p.m. MDT August 3, 2022 to reflect that the Incident Management Team said their reference to a “Critical Incident Management Team” should have been “COMPLEX Incident Management Team.”

300 firefighters working to contain the Elmo Fire near Flathead Lake in Montana

Bill GabbertAugust 1, 2022August 1, 2022WildfireElmo Fire, Montana7 Comments

Updated at 9:30 p.m. MDT August 1, 2022

Tim Sheehy, CEO of Bridger Aerospace, said each of the CL-415EAF scoopers dropped 101 times Monday. That is more than half a million gallons of water on the fire.

1:56 p.m. MDT August 1, 2022

Elmo Fire map 12:53 a.m. August 1, 2022 — 3-D map of the Elmo Fire, looking east at 12:53 a.m. August 1, 2022.

Since the Elmo Fire started Friday afternoon July 29 it has burned nearly 13,000 acres a half mile from the southwest shore of Flathead Lake 22 air miles south of Kalispell, Montana. Firefighters were able to hold the south side at Highway 28 but it spread north uphill into timber and more rugged terrain.

On Sunday the fire grew by about 2,000 acres and was most active in the northwest side in the Cromwell Creek area. Similar fire behavior is expected today, Monday, with short crown runs occurring in narrow strings of timber.

Firefighters were assisted Sunday by four single engine air tankers and four scooping twin engine air tankers, CL-415EAFs, operated by Bridger Aerospace. At times the CL-415EAFs worked together when refilling by scooping on Flathead Lake and dropping in sequence. Sometimes called “super scoopers”, they can each carry up to 1,425 gallons.

Scooping air tankers Elmo Fire Flathead Lake Montana — Scooping air tankers reload with water on Flathead Lake, Montana while working on the Elmo Fire. Bridger Aerospace photo.

The incident management team reported that the Bitterroot Hotshots worked Sunday in the northwest portion of the fire holding and improving existing line as fire activity allowed. On the northeast side of the fire the Idaho Panhandle Hotshots constructed line to the west.

Crews engaged directly on the fire’s east edge as well with a Type 2 Initial Attack crew working their way to the north. Numerous engines continued to patrol along Highway 28 extinguishing any remaining heat close to the road.

Elmo Fire near Flathead Lake, Montana. Bridger Aerospace photo.

Today firefighters along with heavy equipment and aviation resources will continue to hold and improve previously constructed fireline. Crews will construct direct fireline where possible and scout for other opportunities as needed.

Map Elmo Fire August 1, 2022 — Map of Elmo Fire, morning of August 1, 2022.

Highway 28 is now open, but drivers may experience low visibility due to smoke.

Resources on the fire Sunday evening, in addition to the air tankers, included a Type 2 incident management team (Northern Rockies Team 7), six hand crews, 26 engines, and 3 helicopters for a total of 293 personnel.

Two people found dead in McKinney Fire

Bill GabbertAugust 1, 2022August 1, 2022WildfireCalifornia, McKinney Fire

Northern California

7:16 a.m. PDT August 1, 2022

McKinney fires on the Klamath Fires, 9:32 p.m. July 31, 2022 — McKinney and other fires on or near the Klamath National Forest, 9:32 p.m. July 31, 2022.

The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office announced early Monday morning that at about 10 a.m. Sunday two individuals were found deceased in a burned vehicle in the path of the McKinney Fire in Northern California. The vehicle was in a residential driveway along Doggett Creek Road off Highway 96 west of the community of Klamath River, California.

To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the McKinney Fire, including the most recent, click HERE.

Rain on the west side of the fire very early Sunday morning and a heavy smoke inversion helped limit growth Sunday, but also kept aircraft mostly grounded. The weather station on Mt. Baldy on the western edge of the fire received just over half an inch, Scott Barr three miles west of the fire got 0.19″, and Oak Knoll off Highway 96 received 0.01″. Several locations near Yreka recorded no precipitation.

Map McKinney Fire at 9:32 p.m. PDT July 31, 2022 — Map of the McKinney Fire at 9:32 p.m. PDT July 31, 2022. The brown areas represent intense heat.

The fire was mapped Sunday night at approximately 55,493 acres. It is being managed under Unified Command with the US Forest Service and the CAL FIRE.

Saturday night the McKinney Fire was:

5 miles from Yreka
6 miles from Interstate 5
9 miles from Fort Jones
4 miles from Scott Bar
2 miles from Horse Creek

The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office ordered evacuations of more than 2,000 people near Yreka. Details can be found on their Facebook page. A Zonehaven Aware map is also available.

The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that several structures have been destroyed. Sheriff’s office Spokeswoman Courtney Kreider said residences along Highway 96 in the Klamath River drainage burned. She did not have a specific number. An online video shows that the Community Hall in Klamath River burned.

At least 10 fires, including the McKinney Fire, were burning in Siskiyou County as of late Sunday night, according to the Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services.

Fire officials said the spread of the Alex Fire near Condrey Mountain four miles north of the McKinney Fire has been stopped. It was mapped at about 140 acres.

The China Fire west of Seiad has burned 1,989 acres south of Highway 96.

The Kelsey Fire was 10-15 acres Sunday afternoon and has evacuation orders in place. Numerous resources are on scene and more continue to arrive. It is west of Scott River Road nine air miles southwest of Scott Bar.

Highway 96 is closed and Interstate 5, which is six miles east of the fire, remains open.

Monday’s weather forecast calls for a 25 percent chance of showers and isolated thunderstorms with a high of 80 to 93 degrees with the humidity dropping into the 20s in the lower elevations. The wind will be out of the west at 4 to 7 mph with gusts to 14 mph.

Fish Fire near Sundance, Wyoming prompts evacuations

Bill GabbertJuly 31, 2022August 2, 2022WildfireCarter Canyon Fire, Fish Fire, Nebraska, Wyoming9 Comments

Another fire, the Carter Fire, has burned more than 10,000 acres near Scotts Bluff, Nebraska

Updated 8:46 p.m. MDT August 1, 2022

Fish Fire

The Fish Fire eight miles south-southeast of Sundance, Wyoming spread to the east Monday threatening the Canyon Springs subdivision. Crews are working in the area to provide protection to the structures. Monday afternoon it had burned about 750 acres.

To see all of the articles on Wildfire Today about the Fish Fire, including the most current, click HERE.

Residences from Canyon Springs Road to the south end of the fire and east of Wyoming Highway 585 are still under evacuation.

The fire started on private land and was human-caused.

A Wyoming Type 3 incident management team is expected to arrive and in-brief Monday at 6 p.m.

The smoke from the fire is blowing east into South Dakota toward Lead and Rapid City .

It is a fairly big air show for that part of the country. We checked a flight tracking app late in the afternoon Monday and spotted four large air tankers at the fire or at the Rapid City Tanker Base 63 miles to the southeast — two BAe-146s and two RJ85s. Tanker 168, an RJ85, flew up from Abilene, dropped, and headed to Rapid City. There are also two Type 1 helicopters and a Type 3 helicopter assisting firefighters.

The state of Colorado’s PC12 multi-mission aircraft is also on scene for mapping and intelligence support. It found that at noon the fire had burned 527 acres.

Monday afternoon the Four Corners weather station south of the fire recorded 88 degrees, 13 percent relative humidity, and 10 to 20 mph winds gusting out of the west and northwest up to 32 mph. The forecast for the fire on Tuesday predicts 87 degrees, 21 percent RH, and 10 to 15 mph south winds shifting to the west in the afternoon gusting up to 20 mph.

Carter Canyon Fire

The Carter Canyon Fire seven miles southwest of Scotts Bluff, Nebraska has grown to 15,592 acres. The blaze destroyed three homes and damaged several more in the Carter Canyon community that was evacuated Sunday.

The temperature at the fire reached 102 degrees Monday with 16 percent RH and winds gusting at 10 to 15 mph. The National Weather Service forecasts temperatures around or in excess of 100 degrees over the next six days.

Large air tankers have also been assisting firefighters on the Carter Canyon Fire.

Updated at 9:54 a.m. MDT August 1, 2022

Fish Fire, July 31, 2022. Photo by Scott McDermid, Air Attack.

The map below shows heat detected by a satellite as it passed over the Fish Fire at 2:37 a.m. Monday.

Fish Fire map, 2:37 a.m. MDT Aug. 1, 2022 Wyoming — The red dots on the map represent heat detected by a satellite on the Fish Fire at 2:37 a.m. MDT Aug. 1, 2022.

We will update this article as more information becomes available.

10:20 p.m. MDT July 31, 2022

map location fish fire wyoming — Map showing the location of the Fish Fire at 12:43 p.m. MDT July 31, 2022.

The Fish Fire 8 miles south-southeast of Sundance, Wyoming is prompting evacuations south of the city. Evacuation orders are in effect from south of Canyon Springs Road to the south end of the fire, and east of Wyoming Highway 585.

Since it was reported at about 11:30 Sunday morning it burned approximately 500 acres on the Black Hills National Forest by 7 p.m., according to fire officials. Air tankers and at least one Type 1 helicopter are assisting firefighters.

A Wyoming Type 3 incident management team is expected to arrive on Monday.

Another fire in the Northern Great Plains has been burning since 6:30 p.m. on July 30 seven miles southwest of Scotts Bluff, Nebraska. The Carter Canyon Fire has grown to approximately 13,000 acres, with part of it being within the Cedar Canyon Wildlife Management Area south of Carter Canyon.

Single engine air tankers as well as large air tankers have been working on these fires, flying out of Rapid City and Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (Jeffco) near Denver. An air attack aircraft flew over from Cody, Wyoming to assist with the Fish Fire on Sunday.

Carter Canyon Fire 12:41 p.m. MDT July 31, 2022 — The symbols represent heat detected by satellites on the Carter Canyon Fire as late as 12:41 p.m. MDT July 31, 2022. Parts of the fire are in light vegetation such as grass that cools quickly after burning rapidly and can be missed by the twice daily satellite overflights.

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