June 24, 2015
Hot spots have rekindled in a few areas within the Happy Camp Complex fire, located on the Klamath National Forest in northern California. With the coming of triple digit temperatures later this week, it is expected that more smoke will be seen over the 2014 wildfire.
“With a fire this size and the lack of snowpack from last winter, seeing a few smokes within the fire perimeter is not a big surprise,” commented Happy Camp/Oak Knoll District Ranger Tom Mutz. “We have firefighters assigned to monitor the fire and take action when needed. It is likely we will be dealing with isolated smokes and hotspots until we receive significant rainfall.”
Three “holdover” hotspots have been reported recently, burning in single snags deep within control lines. Each time a smoke is detected, it is evaluated by the incident commander and appropriate action is taken. One recent detection – a one hundred foot tall, five foot diameter dead Ponderosa Pine with smoke coming out of the top – was burning 400 feet below a road in an area of high severity burn from 2014. This snag was surrounded by a continuous landscape of dead, burned trees. Firefighters evaluated the risk of the fire moving from the single tree. Due to little or no ground fuels to carry fire in the area, coupled with significant risks to firefighter safety from falling snags, the decision was made to monitor the snag until it burns itself out.
While the weather is forecast to be very hot in the coming days, fire managers do not expect to have challenges from holdover hot spots. Control lines have been “mopped up” to over 300 feet and fire leaving the footprint of the 2014 burn is extremely unlikely. Firefighters are patrolling the fire area daily.
Forest visitors are cautioned that hazards in the burned area still exist. These include but are not limited to increased potential for falling trees, trail damage and mudslides or rockslides.
June 24, 2015
The Buckskin Fire grew slightly due to the burnout operations to 5,340 acres. Overall containment is 50%. Full suppression of this fire remains the operational objective.
Crews burned out the last section of containment line working along an unnamed ridge carrying fire from the south containment line northeast to tie into the previously burned, cold fire edge and tie into Baldface Creek to secure this line. The heli-torch worked late into the evening adding depth to this containment line.
The west fire edge has not moved nor has any heat been detected for the past week. Fire managers and Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest officials made the decision not to use a direct suppression tactic on this portion of the fire due to the risk and exposure to firefighters by falling snags. A contingency line (Trail 1233) will remain to the west until the fire is deemed controlled.
Today, operations along the east containment line will include patrolling and completing repair of dozer work including staging areas and firefighter safety zones. The heli-torch, if needed, will continue burning out pockets of fuels near the southwest containment line adding depth. Burning these areas will consume fuels between the containment line and the main fire. This will secure the containment of the fire into the Baldface Creek. Wildland Fire Modules on the western flank will continue to monitor the inactive west fire edge.
Hot temperatures, lower humidity, and winds will test the containment lines into the weekend. Firefighters are prepared and remain vigilant to take suppression actions as needed.
Resources no longer needed in the suppression of the fire are being released for reassignment or to return home.
Oregon Smoke at http://OregonSmoke.BlogSpot.com is an excellent resource for air quality information. The burnout operations might produce some level of smoke in the Illinois Valley and surrounding communities.
A Fire Area Closure Order remains in place closing forest land around the wildfire area to provide for public health and safety. For more information, please see the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, Buckskin Fire Inciweb, or Buckskin Fire Facebook web pages.
Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): A TFR remains in place over the Buckskin Fire. Please check the NOTAMs for current information.
Start Date – June 11, 2015
Location – 10 miles southwest of Cave Junction on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.
Cause – Lightning
Resources – Crews – 7; Dozers – 1; Engines – 1; Water Tenders – 7; Helicopters – 10
Total Personnel – 407
June 23, 2015
The Buckskin Fire has grown to 4,993 acres as firefighters continued burnout operations yesterday along the southern perimeter near Baldface Creek. Overall containment has improved to 45%.
Today, crews along the southwest edge of the fire will work to complete interior burnout operations. Helicopters will support the burnout with bucket drops, sling load cargo off the line and shuttle personnel. Crews working the eastern flank are in various stages of mop up, repair and monitoring. WIldland Fire Modules on the western flank continue to monitor the inactive fire edge. The fire area will continue to smolder and creep in the drainage creating visible smoke until a season ending event occurs, likely later in the Fall.
Forecasted oppressive heat, over 100 degrees will test the fire lines into the weekend. Interior fuels which have been smoldering could become more active. Fire managers will take suppression actions as needed.
Suppression repair guidelines have been prepared by resource advisors on the Buckskin Fire in conjunction with the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest specialists. Where necessary, suppression repair will be implemented by fire crews.
Oregon Smoke at http://OregonSmoke.BlogSpot.com is an excellent resource for air quality information. The burnout operations might produce some level of smoke in the Illinois Valley and surrounding communities.
A Fire Area Closure Order remains in place closing forest land around the wildfire area to provide for public health and safety. For more information, please see the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, Buckskin Fire Inciweb, or Buckskin Fire Facebook web pages.
Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): A TFR remains in place over the Buckskin Fire. Please check the NOTAMs for current information.
Start Date – June 11, 2015
Location – 10 miles southwest of Cave Junction on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.
Cause – Lightning
Resources – Crews – 10; Dozers – 1; Engines – 6; Water Tenders – 7; Helicopters – 10
Total Personnel – 497
June 22, 2015
Fire crews progressed yesterday with their burnout along the southern flank of the 4,843 acre Buckskin Fire. This controlled burning operation combined with the main fire consuming unburned pockets of vegetation increased the amount of smoke in the area. The fire is now 30% contained. Fire officials expect the burnout to be completed within the next two days before local temperatures rise back above normal levels.
Firefighters also completed a containment line in their effort to secure the southwest corner of the fire near Baldface Creek. Crews implemented a combination of indirect line and natural barriers to locate the fireline and also cut a helispot for support and safety concerns. Burnout operations will be focused in this area today.
The eastern and portions of the southern flanks of the fire are now being mopped up as firefighters continue to extinguish burning material within 300 feet of the containment lines. Danger from snags, fire-weakened trees and steep terrain will determine the depth of the mop-up. Two 10-person fire crews will continue to monitor fire behavior and weather on the west flank.
A significant warming and drying trend is forecasted for the area with poor overnight humidity recovery and temperatures greater than 100 degrees by the end of this week.
Two heliwells (self-contained water tanks used for helicopter bucket operations) will be operational today to reduce the strain on waterways used as helicopter dip sites. Water treated with a small percentage of bleach is being used to mitigate the spread of Port Orford Cedar root rot disease.
Fireline repair will continue along the eastern perimeter as conditions allow. Resource advisors worked with Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest specialists to prepare suppression repair guidelines that address suppression impacts.
The plan includes the repair of all dozer lines, trails, containment lines, spike camps and other fire suppression related activities. Primary fire lines will remain in place to assure containment until local officials deem it safe to complete suppression repair. Safeguards remain in place to reduce impacts to natural resources, including critical Coho salmon habitat.
Communities in the Illinois and Rogue Valleys may continue to be impacted by smoke until burnout is completed over the next several days. Those sensitive to smoke should be aware and take appropriate actions. Detailed air quality information can be found on Oregon Smoke at http://OregonSmoke.BlogSpot.com.
A Fire Area Closure Order remains in place closing forest land around the wildfire area to provide for public health and safety. For more information, please see the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, Buckskin Fire Inciweb, or Buckskin Fire Facebook web pages.
Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): A TFR remains in place over the Buckskin Fire. Please check the NOTAMs for current information.
Start Date – June 11, 2015
Location – 10 miles southwest of Cave Junction on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.
Cause – Lightning
Resources – Crews – 10; Dozers – 3; Engines – 6; Water Tenders – 10; Helicopters – 11
Total Personnel – 540
June 19, 2015
Firefighters initiated a burnout operation in the northeast section of the Buckskin Fire in their effort to contain the wildfire, which is now 2,635 acres and six percent contained. Ground personnel used drip torches to carry fire along the indirect containment line to just south of Buckskin Peak. A helicopter utilized a helitorch, an ignition device suspended beneath a helicopter, to ignite and consume fuels between the fireline and the main body of the fire.
The burnout progressed slowly due to strong westerly winds that blew embers across the containment line, challenging crews assigned to keep the fire within the containment lines. With the helicopter support, firefighters worked hard and kept the burnout in check.
Today, crews will continue bringing fire south by utilizing drip torches to provide a buffer and a helitorch to add depth to the burnout. This operation will likely last several days and increase the amount of smoke affecting nearby communities.
The fire continues to grow toward the south and east, but well within the containment lines. Crews continued to bolster the containment lines in this area. The wildfire exhibited minimal fire behavior along the western edge, where a contingency line is in place to provide a safeguard in the event fire activity increases in this area.Two 10-person fire crews remain on the west flank to monitor fire behavior and take suppression actions if necessary.
The 90-acre spot fire southwest of the main fire has been contained and will be monitored by aerial patrol.
Several plant and animal species remain at risk from the Buckskin Fire and deliberate measures are being taken to protect these natural resources.
Communities in the Illinois and Rogue Valleys may continue to be impacted by smoke.Those sensitive to smoke should be aware and take appropriate actions. Detailed air quality information can be found on Oregon Smoke at http://OregonSmoke.BlogSpot.com.
A Fire Area Closure Order remains in place closing forest land around the wildfire area to provide for public health and safety. For more information, log onto the Buckskin Fire Inciwebsite or Buckskin Fire Facebook pages.
Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): A TFR remains in place over the Buckskin Fire. Please check the NOTAMs for current information.
Start Date – June 11, 2015
Location – 10 miles southwest of Cave Junction on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.
Cause – Lightning
Resources – Crews – 12; Dozers – 7; Engines – 6; Water Tenders – 13; Helicopters – 11
Total Personnel – 581
