CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS: Inciweb Update: Elk Complex Wildland Fire - 8,337 acres

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Inciweb Update: Elk Complex Wildland Fire - 8,337 acres - 20%

Elk Complex Wildland Fire

INCIDENT UPDATED 1 MIN. AGO

ANNOUNCEMENT

Elk Fire Complex Community Meeting 7/24/07
There will be a community meeting regarding the Elk Fire ComplexTuesday July 24, 2007 at 7pm, held at the Happy Camp Grange Hall. Representatives from the fire management team, local ranger district a... more

Elk Complex Area Map
Credit: USFS

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Summary

The top priority is the protection of the Happy Camp, Hamburg, and Elk Creek communities. Yesterday, crews made great progress and constructed ten miles of fireline (see list below).

As conditions dry, the fire will become noticible more active. Smoke from the firew will become more visible and health issues may again be of concern.

As conditions change, local communities will be updated regularly. The public is invited to attend another informational meeting at the Happy Camp GrangeTuesday, July 25at 7 p.m.

A new call center with the latest information has been established in the Klamath National Forest Supervisor's Office at (530) 841-4451.

For information on smoke or air quality, please call Siskiyou County Air Pollution Control District at (530) 841-4025 or visit them on the web at http://www.co.siskiyou.ca.us/agcomm/airpollution.htm

Complex Fire Details

Of the thirty identified fires in the Elk Complex, 23 fires are 100% contained. The fires will continue to be monitored, patrolled and staffed as resources allow. The remaining seven fires are as follows:

Little Grider Fire (approx. 1298 acres) 10% contained, crews are constructing direct line on the northwest, southwest and west portions of the fire. The plan is still to burn the Perkins Creek area in order to secure the eastern perimeter and provide a buffer to the community from the fire.

King Creek II Fire (approx. 2779 acres): 5 % contained, firefighters are planning to work directly on the fire's edge.

Wingate (approx. 909 acres) 0% contained

Elk Fire (approx. 1166 acres) 0% contained

Titus Fire (approx. 2026 acres): 5% contained. There is also a recommended evacuation for homeowners, campers, and miners from Five Mile Bridge to Norcross Campground on the Elk Creek Road. Firelines have been constructed around structures.

Hummingbird Fire (approx. 80 acres) 0% contained

Walker Fire (approx. 1 acre) 95% contained

The remaining small fires will continue to be monitored, patrolled and staffed as resources allow.

Evacuation Planning:

The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office has taken steps to locate an evacuation center at Seiad Elementary School in the event evacuation becomes necessary. Individuals with special needs, such as those requiring mobility assistance, need to notify the Sheriff's Office ahead of time.

In the event of an evacuation, small animals will be accepted at Seiad Elementary and large animals may be taken to the Karuk Ranch at China Grade Road at the two-mile marker. All animal owners are asked to be responsible for the feeding and care of their pets at both locations.

Basic Information

Incident Type	Wildland Fire
Cause	Lightning
Date of Origin	07/10/2007 at 00 hrs.
Location	Happy Camp Ranger District
Incident Commander	Mike Dietrich

Current Situation

Total Personnel	1,172
Size	8,337 acres
Percent Contained	20%
Estimated Containment Date	07/29/2007 at hrs.
Fuels Involved	Mature heavy timber overstory with brush understory, large quantities of dead fuels and snags.
Fire Behavior	Continued smoldering in heavy fuels and roll-out on steep slopes.
Significant Events	Continue with driect line contruction on Little Grider fire in Branch 2 and northern porimeter on Branch 1. Continue towards completion of contigency line in southern part of Branch 1.

Outlook

Planned Actions	Initiate burnout on Branch 2 as conditions allow. Continue direct attack on the Wingate fire on Branch 1. Continue direct and indirect line contruction on the Kings Creek 2 fire in Branch 1 and the Little Grider fire in Branch 2.
Projected Movement	12 hours: Fine fuels becoming receptive to active fire. Limited spread expected. 24 hours: Fine fuels becoming receptive to active fire. Limited spread expected. 48 hours: Continued spread expected due to further drying of fuels and potential burnout/backfire operations. 72 hours:Continued spread expected due to further drying of fuels and potential burnout/backfire operations.
Growth Potential	High
Terrain Difficulty	Extreme
Containment Target	Likely to meet objectives based on current weather projections.
Remarks	Expect an increase in containment as direct strategy continues. A total of forty-two miles of fire line has been contructed to date. This includes twenty-one miles of dozer line and twenty-one miles of handline and brushed roads. Fire acreages and containment: Of the thirty identified fires in the Elk Complex, 24 fires are 100% contained. The remaining six fires are as follows: Little Grider 1, 303 acres-30%; Titues 2,026 acres-5%; Wingate 914 acres-5%; King Creek 2 2,779 acres-5%; Elk 1,166 acres-0%; Hummingbird 80 acres-0%.

Weather

Current Wind Conditions	Not available
Current Temperature	60 degrees
Current Humidity	70 %

California Fire News Blog

How fires get their names

Every year in California thousands of wildfires start throughout the state. In most cases, the dispatch center sending the initial resources to a wildland fire will designate a name for the fire, but the first on scene engine or fire official can also name the incident. Fires are usually named for the area in which they start – a geographical location, local landmark, street, lake, mountain, peak, etc. Quickly naming the fire provides responding fire resources with an additional locater, and allows fire officials to track and prioritize incidents by name. For example during the Southern California Fire Siege of 2003, the largest wildland fire in California history, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, was named after the Cedar Creek Falls area where it started. The destructive Old Fire, which burned during the same time period in San Bernardino County, was named after the road along which it started - Old Waterman Canyon Road.

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