InciWeb update: Goldledge Wildland Fire

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

InciWeb update: Goldledge Wildland Fire

INCIDENT UPDATED TODAY

Summary

Firefighters are working in extremely steep and rugged terrain. Extreme fire behavior is expected today due to the hot and dry weather. Afternoon winds could prove to be an additional challenge for crews. A fire closure area is in effect based on current fire conditions to protect public health and safety. The affected area includes the west side of the Kern Plateau including the Cherry Hill Road, Horse Meadow, Big Meadow and Cannell Meadow. Specifically the area is bounded on the west by Mountain Road 99 just north of Camp Owens to its intersection with the Sherman Pass Road; Sherman Pass road to the overlook is the northern boundary; the Dome Land Wilderness forms the eastern boundary; the southern boundary follows the Cannell Trail. Entering or being in the Goldledge fire closure area is prohibited. The campgrounds along the Kern River, Mountain Road 99 and the Sherman Pass Road all remain open to forest visitors.

Basic Information

Incident Type	Wildland Fire
Cause	Shooting
Date of Origin	06/03/2007 at 1130 hrs.
Location	10 miles north of Kernville
Incident Commander	Ron Woychak

Current Situation

Total Personnel	349
Size	4,039 acres
Percent Contained	70%
Fuels Involved	Annual grass, low shrubs,chaparral and chamise at lower elevations. Fire burning into Jeffrey and lodgepole pine, mixed conifer forest.
Fire Behavior	Fire spread is minimal with an average of 75-100 acres per day. Small runs continue is steep rocky terrain. Torching is occuring near the ridge tops at the edge of the Kern Plateau.
Significant Events	The second Type 1 Helicopter arrived and began operations. Spike camp at Horse Meadow continues to be improved.

Outlook

Planned Actions	Evaluate contingency plans. Concentrate direct supression efforts on the eastern perimeter.
Projected Movement	12 hours: Continued small runs in green islands is expected. Predicted fire activity should continue throughout the week at the edge of the Kern Plateau.
Growth Potential	Medium
Terrain Difficulty	Extreme
Remarks	Direct suppression activities will continue for the next 24 to 48 hours.

Weather

Current Wind Conditions	7-10 mph NW
Current Temperature	75 degrees
Current Humidity	28 %

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Wednesday, June 20, 2007