CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS : Inyo Complex Wildland Fire - Update

Sunday, July 8, 2007

Inyo Complex Wildland Fire - Update - 34,093 acres

Inyo Complex Wildland Fire

8% contained - 34,093 acres

Includes: Irish Heat fire, Sage Fire (6,597 acres), Seven Oaks Fire (27,522 acres), Seven fire, Oaks Fire, Franks fire, Davis Fire .

INCIDENT UPDATED 0100

Summary

A thunder and lightning storm moved quickly through the Eastern Sierra Friday afternoon, July 6, 2007, igniting approximately 10 fires being managed as the Inyo Complex. As of Saturday evening, the three biggest fires still actively burning are: 1) The Oak Fire burning west and north of Independence, on both sides of US 395 2) The Seven Fire burning west and north of Independence 3) The Sage Fire burning in Big Pine Canyon. The Oak and Seven Fire have merged into one fire known as the Seven Oaks Fire.Both the Sage and Seven Oaks fires burned aggressively all day on Saturday.

Evacuations: The following areas have been evacuated - Baker Creek Campground, Big Pine Canyon including all campgrounds, Glacier Lodge, Bernasconi Center, North Fork of Oak Creek Canyon including Oak Creek Campground, Upper and Lower Grey's Meadow Campground, Onion Valley Campground, Seven Pines, Independence Creek Campground,

Black Rock and Mt. Whitney Fish Hatcheries, and Fort Independence.

The residents that had been evacuated from Independence were allowed back to their homes at 9:00 pm, and the evacuation center in Lone Pine Stathem Hall was shut down.

US 395 has been re-opened to CHP escorted vehicles.

The roads up Big Pine Canyon, the North Fork of Oak Creek Canyon, and Onion Valley Road are also closed to the public.

When conditions are safe people will be escorted up Big Pine Canyon to retrieve their belongings.

No wilderness permits for the John Muir Wilderness are being issued for the trailheads between Baker Creek and Georges Creek, until at least July 12.

The Sage Fire has now burned 6,597 acres and the Seven Oaks Firehas burned 27,522 acres.

Basic Information

Incident Type	Wildland Fire
Cause	Lightning
Date of Origin	07/06/2007 at 130 hrs.
Location	w/sw of Big Pine, n/nw of Independence
Incident Commander	Unified Command

Current Situation

Total Personnel	425
Size	34,000 acres
Estimated Containment Date	07/21/2007 at hrs.
Fuels Involved	Brush, timber, and grass
Fire Behavior	Extreme and erratic fire behavior; errtic winds with long range spotting.
Significant Events	Evacuations are currently in effect for Baker Creek, Oak Creek, Upper and Lower Greys Meadow and Onion Valley Campgrounds; Seven Pines; Big Pine Canyon Campgrounds,Black Rock and Mt. Whitney Fish Hatcheries, and Glacier Lodge. Numerous road closures.

Outlook

Planned Actions	Structure protection, line construction, burnout, perimeter control and containment.
Projected Movement	Significant movement is expected.
Growth Potential	Extreme fire behavior will limit control efforts.
Terrain Difficulty	Extreme, steep, difficult access.
Remarks	There is a very large amount of open line. Numerous structures may be threatened. Continued threats to Big Pine and Independence as well as water and power infrastructure.

Weather

Current Wind Conditions	8 mph SW
Current Temperature	93 degrees
Current Humidity	5 %

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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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