CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS : InciWeb: Fletcher Wildland Fire - 7,600 acres - 40%

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

InciWeb: Fletcher Wildland Fire - 7,600 acres - 40% - Into Oregon

InciWeb: Fletcher Wildland Fire: Fletcher Wildland Fire

Fletcher Wildland Fire

INCIDENT UPDATED 18:30 HRS

The Fletcher Fire created tornado-like winds on Monday
Credit: Kellie Carlsen, Oregon Department of Forestry

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Summary

The Fletcher Creek has burned about 7,600 acres. Nor Cal Team II (Kaage), is managing the suppression efforts. The Lake County Sherrif's Office reports there are no new evacuations today. Monday's tornado-like wind up-rooted trees and caused tree tops to explode. Seven structures were destroyed by the fire on Monday, including five at the Point Ranch. The southwest end of the fire is holding well. Progress was made on the rest of the fire today using air support followed by hand crews and dozersto complete the fire line around the entire fire.

Basic Information

Incident Type	Wildland Fire
Cause	Under Investigation
Date of Origin	07/10/2007 at 1315 hrs.
Location	20 miles North West of Davis Creek
Incident Commander	Bill Kaage, Norcal 2

Current Situation

Total Personnel	409
Size	7,600 acres
Percent Contained	40%
Estimated Containment Date	07/20/2007 at hrs.
Fuels Involved	Timber (Jeffrey pine, white fir, juniper) and grass
Fire Behavior	Late Monday afternoon, fire crews near Point Ranch, along the California-Oregon border, observed extreme fire behavior. The fire produced tornado-like winds that up-rooted trees and caused tree tops to explode. On Tuesday, fire behavior was more moderate.
Significant Events	Significant progress was made on the fire today. Air support dropped fire retardant along the perimeter, followed by hand crews and dozers building fire line.

Outlook

Planned Actions	Winds Monday afternoon pushed the fire to approximately 5,800 acres, crossing the Oregon border. Structure protection is in place in the Cove Ranch area. Evacuations are in place for parts of Modoc County and Lake County along the westside of Goose Lake. At this time, no evacuation is planned for the town of Lakeview, Oregon. Fire crews will continue to construct a combination of direct and indirect dozer line. Firefighters are strengthening the northwest and northeast flanks of the fire.
Projected Movement	Some spread may occur along the Dry Creek Rim where steep terrain and dense vegetation are more difficult areas to access.
Growth Potential	Extreme
Terrain Difficulty	High
Containment Target	7/20/07
Remarks	The fire has destroyed seven structures, including five at Point Ranch. California and Oregon agencies are working together and providing assistance in containing the fire. Road closures are in effect: Modoc County Road 48, five miles west of Davis Creek; Crowder Flat Road at Forest Road 136; and the Westside Road near the California-Oregon border near the northwest side of Goose Lake. Oregon Department of Forestry, the Fremont-Wileama National Forest, and the Bureau of Land Mangement in Oregon are providing resources to assist with the suppression effort.

Weather

Current Wind Conditions	10 mph S
Current Temperature	55 degrees
Current Humidity	45 %

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