9/22/2017 Horse Creek Complex Fire Update
September 22, 2017 - 9:00 a.m.
Rebel Fire:
8,653 acres
Horse Creek Complex:
Olallie Lookout Fire, 1,572 acres; Roney Fire, 3,548 acres; Avenue Fire, 2,962
acres; Separation Fire, 17,747 acres; Nash Fire, 6,738 acres.
Total all fires: 41,220
acres (The last infrared flight was conducted on 9/15. No change in acreage has
been measured since 9/15.)
Resources:
Personnel, 403; Crews, 7; Helicopters, 1; Engines, 24; Water Tenders, 4;
Skidgen, 1.
Weather: Remote
weather stations in the area of the Horse Creek Complex and Rebel fire measured
precipitation from 4 to nearly 6 inches since Sunday night. Thursday brought
fewer showers and diminished clouds with occasional sunshine. A warming and
drying trend will continue through the weekend with each day gaining a few
degrees until temperatures in the 70s return early next week. Fire spread is
still not anticipated to occur even with a return of warmer and dryer weather.
Next Steps:
Firefighter crews have transitioned from protecting the public from fire to removing
equipment from the field and repairing fire lines and other disturbances left
by suppression efforts. Fire managers use the term “suppression repair” to
describe efforts taken after a fire to repair impacts to the land. Before
leaving the fire, crews may construct berms and spread brush and rocks onto the
cut lines and bare ground that were created during firefighting efforts. Water
bars may be constructed on hand and dozer lines to divert water to reduce soil
erosion and prevent gullies from forming. Also, crews will remove refuse,
flagging, and other equipment as part of their efforts to restore the land to a
more natural condition.
Current Situation: Crews
are currently being limited by their ability to get into work areas due to
snow, mud and soft roads. Where access was possible, crews pulled hose,
flagging and excess equipment, scattered debris and repaired hand lines. Rocks
and logs that had rolled out of burns were removed from roads. Equipment was
removed from Camp Malakwa and structure protection is being lifted throughout
the complex. Roads are currently too soft to support heavy equipment that is
needed to repair fire lines. Complete access won’t be possible until roads are
dryer.
Chipping equipment that has been ordered will arrive beginning Friday and crews
will be trained on equipment operation. Some slash piles built during
firefighting efforts will be chipped, others have been burned. Survey flights
are planned for Friday if weather permits. Firefighter and public welfare and
safety remains a priority. Slash removal is continuing along the Cascade Lakes
Highway.
National Forest Closure Orders:
Fire restrictions have been lifted in Willamette and Deschutes National
Forests, and campfires are now allowed. Current information about closures on
the Willamette and Deschutes National Forests is available at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/willamette/fire/?cid=fseprd552029
http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/Deschutes/alerts-notices.
Flight Restrictions: A
Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) remains in place over the fires to provide a
safe environment for firefighting aircraft operations. It is not legal to
operate any aircraft (including drones) within a TFR. More information on the
TFR is available at http://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html
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