Tag: Modoc July Complex

Above: The Cove Fire in northeast California. Uncredited and undated; posted to Inciweb August 2, 2017.

(Originally published at 12:25 p.m. PDT August 2, 2017)

One of the fires in the Modoc July Complex of fires on the Modoc National Forest in northeast California was extremely active Tuesday and Tuesday night. The Cove Fire, now three miles northwest of Adin, population 272, spread two to four miles to the southwest and one mile southeast, doubling in size. It added another 10,000 acres to bring the size to about 22,000 acres. All of the fires in the Complex combined have burned a total of 73,465 acres.

The Cove Fire became plume dominated Tuesday and by evening had generated cloud-to-cloud lightning and increased winds as a result of the intense heat buildup and atmospheric conditions. Extreme fire behavior in the form of fire whirls and spotting caused the fire to further advance southwest towards a prepared dozer line near County Roads 90 and 87. Resources were immediately deployed to connect the dozer line around the fire’s southwestern edge and protect structures. They utilized tactical firing to reinforce and create a buffer inside the dozer line.

The additional growth moved into lighter fuels which should offer less resistance to control.

Another fire in the Complex, the Steele Fire east of Clear Lake, was active but remained within the constructed fireline around the northeast corner of the fire. Crews put in handline along the east side to tie two dozer lines together and Wednesday will be working on fireline along the entire eastern edge.

All of the articles about the Modoc July Complex of fires can be found here, with the most recent at the top. 

Above: Cove Fire, July 29, 2017. Uncredited photo on Inciweb.

(Originally published at 11:28 a.m. PDT July 31, 2017)

Two of the wildfires in the Modoc July Complex of fires in northeast California were very active Sunday, adding a combined 11,293 acres to bring the total burned area to 50,916 acres.

The Type 2 Incident Management Team transitioned to a Type 1 Team Monday morning, so we are in the usual dead zone for up to date fire information — yesterday was a time when the previous team does not want to step on the toes of the incoming team and today the new team is still getting their feet on the ground. This transition period can also be a time of heightened danger for firefighters out on the fire.

But the new team provided some additional information after 11 a.m. today, Monday.

But we do know, thanks to overflights of the fires by a satellite and fixed wing aircraft, that the Cove Fire spread aggressively to the east and southeast. It is now about five miles northwest of Adin, a town that had 272 residents in the 2010 census.

Conditions Sunday along the southern edge permitted tactical firing operations from the 40N14 Road to the 40N09 Road to aid in securing the southern edge of the fire. Firefighters also conducted firing operations from the 40N14 Road to the 40N12 Road to strengthen firelines. The northern fireline held overnight with no additional fire spread.

The other active fire in the Complex was the Steele Fire which also grew on the southeast side but did not spread as much as the Cove Fire farther south. Northeast winds pushed the fire across the 136 Road to the south in an additional location. Crews and dozers contained the 40-acre slopover and by Monday morning had mopped up 50 feet inside the line.

There has been very little growth on the Lake and Rimrock fires.

The weather forecast for Monday through Thursday for Canby, north of the Cove Fire, calls for temperatures around 100 with relative humidities about 10 percent. The wind, at 2 to 6 mph, will be from variable directions during the period. An Excessive Heat Warning is in effect for Tuesday through Thursday.

All of the articles about the Modoc July Complex of fires can be found here, with the most recent at the top. 

Above: Fire engines on the Cove Fire, part of the Modoc July Complex of fires in northeast California: ANF E31 and ENF E364. Uncredited/undated photo on Inciweb.

(Originally published at 9:08 a.m. PDT July 30, 2017)

The Complex of lightning-caused wildfires in Modoc County in northeast California grew by almost 20,000 acres on Saturday, bringing the total to 39,623 acres.

Most of the fires are west of Highway 395 and east of Highway 139, but the Cove Fire that had burned approximately 3,500 acres as of 2 a.m. Sunday is south and west of highway 139, nine miles southwest of Canby. It was extremely active Saturday night advancing to the southeast. Firefighters are working to create a fireline by utilizing the existing Forest Service Road 40N14.

The map below shows the locations of the fires in Modoc County, California.

One of the fires in the Complex, the Steele Fire east of Clear Lake, is currently 29,779 acres. On Saturday it crossed County Road 136 to the south, but crews and dozers were able to put a line around 75 percent of the slopover.

On Monday NorCal Incident Management Team 2 will turn over command of the fire to a Type 1 organization, the California Interagency Incident Management Team 4.

All of the articles about the Modoc July Complex of fires can be found here, with the most recent at the top.