(The map was created at 6:37 p.m. MDT August 19, 2017 by NOAA)
Wildfire smoke map, August 19, 2017
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Uncategorized9 Comments on Wildfire smoke map, August 19, 2017 Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Uncategorized9 Comments on Wildfire smoke map, August 19, 2017 Update on Lolo Peak Fire south of Missoula, Saturday evening
(Originally published at 8:22 p.m. MDT August 19, 2017)
(All of the articles about the Lolo Peak Fire have the “Lolo Peak Fire” tag, and can be found here, with the most recent news at the top.)
The Lolo National Forest says this video is a synopsis of the operations that occurred on the Lolo Peak Fire today (Saturday August 19).
Satellite photo of Oregon wildfires, August 19, 2017
(Originally published at 6:30 p.m. PDT August 19, 2017)
The satellite photo shows smoke from wildfires in Oregon and Northwest California during the afternoon of August 19,2017.
Nena Springs and Whitewater Fires are within Oregon’s total eclipse area
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Uncategorized1 Comment on Nena Springs and Whitewater Fires are within Oregon’s total eclipse area 
Above: Map showing the approximate, not exact, locations of the Nena Springs and Whitewater Fires within the eclipse path of totality. August 19, 2017.
(Updated at 6:29 p.m. PDT August 19, 2017)
Two large Central Oregon wildfires are inside the path of totality (POT) for Monday’s eclipse — the 7,500-acre Whitewater Fire 6 miles east of Idanha and the 66,000-acre Nena Springs Fire 14 miles north of Madras.
The Nena Springs Fire was very active on Thursday and Friday, adding another 19,000 acres. A large airtanker was used Friday evening to strategically place a line of retardant along a ridgeline where the fire crossed the Warm Springs River. The fire ran less than a half mile before this action effectively stopped the run. Two Bureau of Land Management engines also successfully extinguished a fire that had grown to ¼ acre across the Deschutes River.
Ten structures have been destroyed on the Nena Springs Fire.
The Whitewater Fire a mile east of Highway 22 is actively burning near the Whitewater Trailhead in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness east of Detroit. On Friday firefighters conducted both hand and aerial firing operations to reinforce the southwest control lines. On Saturday crews will construct more control lines and continue planned tactical hand and aerial firing operations.
There are no reports of major highways being closed due to the wildfire activity in Oregon except for Oregon Highway 242, near the Milli Fire, which remains closed from Sisters west to Hwy 126. The Milli Fire is just outside the eclipse path of totality.
Milli Fire mapped at 7,800 acres southwest of Sisters, Oregon
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Uncategorized7 Comments on Milli Fire mapped at 7,800 acres southwest of Sisters, Oregon 
Above: An air tanker maneuvers over the Milli Fire, August 18, 2017. Photo by Tommy Schroeder, PIO.
(Updated at 6:32 p.m. PDT August 19, 2017.)
The Milli Fire in Central Oregon was very active Thursday and Friday spreading to the east, growing to 7,800 acres. Friday night it was 4 miles southwest of Sisters and 16 miles northwest of Bend.
Strong winds Friday afternoon led to a spot fire across a containment line, pushing the fire 2 to 3 miles southeast toward the city of Sisters. The run triggered evacuations affecting approximately 600 people.
Crews overnight worked to build a direct line on the leading edge of the fire, with engine crews patrolling the area and dozer crews constructing fireline. Temperatures today (Saturday) are expected to be a few degrees cooler with higher humidity. However, the winds that pushed the fire on Friday will be back, with gusts up to 22 miles an hour, from around 10 am to 9 pm. Temperatures should range from 70 – 75 degrees, with humidity ranging from 22 to 26%.
The wind could cause more spot fires to develop and firefighters will be actively identifying them and containing them where possible. Also, today firefighters will be working to contain the area where the fire extended yesterday and will be constructing new containment lines between the fire’s edge and the communities that are threatened.
Engine task forces from the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office will be working in the evacuated neighborhoods, treating spaces around homes to provide better defensible space.
Aviation resources have been very important in fighting this fire. Three air tankers and one VLAT (very large air tanker) have been making repeated drops of fire retardant, creating fire lines and assisting our crews in inaccessible areas.
Oregon Highway 242 remains closed from Sisters west to Hwy 126. There are no reports of structures being destroyed in the fire.
The fire is just south of the eclipse path of totality. Highway 20 between Bend and Sisters is still open, but if it closes it could have an impact on eclipse viewers.
Here’s a #timelapse of the #MilliFire near Sisters. We spoke with a few folks evacuated today and they say this is tough to watch. pic.twitter.com/TNwBAAehWI
— John Hendricks (@JohnKPTV) August 19, 2017
Lolo Peak Fire causes more evacuations, Highway 12 closed
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Uncategorized5 Comments on Lolo Peak Fire causes more evacuations, Highway 12 closed 
Above: Lolo Fire at 6:25 p.m. MDT August 18, 2017 as seen from the Missoula area. Photo by Dick Mangan.
(Originally published at 7:28 a.m. MDT August 19, 2018)
(All of the articles about the Lolo Peak Fire have the “Lolo Peak Fire” tag, and can be found here, with the most recent news at the top.)
The Lolo Peak Fire eight miles southwest of Missoula, Montana roared across an additional 9,000 acres Friday to bring the total burned area to 27,900 acres. Officials closed Highway 12 and evacuated additional locations on the north side of the highway on Sleeman Creek Road and west of Stella Blue. Old Hwy 93 is closed from the intersection of Long Lane in Florence north through Missoula County.
There has been no report of the fire crossing Highway 12.
Strong winds pushed the fire farther to the north and the east from the Mill Creek area towards Travelers Rest. (See the map below.)
The Lolo Peak fire is being managed as a full suppression fire, but Greg Poncin’s Northern Rockies National Incident Management Team has been describing it as a “long duration wildfire with the potential to reach the corridors of Highway 12 and Highway 93”. Ten structures have burned in the fire.
Continue reading “Lolo Peak Fire causes more evacuations, Highway 12 closed”
