This photo of the Cow Fire in Eastern Oregon was uploaded to InciWeb August 20, 2019. It appears that there are at least one and possibly two spot fires near the bottom of the photo.
During this very slow fire season in the West, there may be some wildland firefighters that have time to think about a tabletop exercise.
How would you deal with the spot fires?
Assumptions:
- You are the Division Supervisor.
- Time and date: 4:40 p.m. August 24.
- The fire has been burning for 24 hours.
- The strategy is full suppression.
- Location: Eastern Oregon, at 6,000 feet.
- Two spot fires were just discovered by Air Attack about 75 feet apart on a west-facing slope 300 feet below the 50-acre main fire. The photo is looking toward the east.
- The main fire has a slow to moderate rate of spread with occasional multiple tree torching.
- Wind: a general wind is not a factor, however typical local diurnal slope and canyon winds can be expected for the next two days.
- Relative humidity for the next two days: high of 45% at night, low of 28% in the afternoon.
- Temperature for the next two days: high 85, low 62.
- The main fire is 1/4 mile from the nearest road.
- Firefighting resources on the fire now include one Type 1 hand crew, four Type 2 hand crews, four 3-person engine crews that are dismounted and working as a hand crew, one Firehawk helicopter with bucket, and one Huey helicopter with bucket.
- The two helicopters, the Type 1 crew, and one of the Type 2 crews have been working on protecting critical habitat for the endangered Blue-Spotted Achilles Butterfly on the east side of the fire.
- Additional ground resources are available that could be on scene at noon tomorrow. A BAe-146 air tanker could be over the fire, if ordered, within 90 minutes. A Type 1 helicopter, a K-MAX, could be on scene at 7 p.m. if it was ordered.
- The drainage bottom, which has a very small creek with water, is 600 feet below the spot fires.
