National Fire News Report ~ 7/26/08

National Preparedness Level 4

(On a scale from 1 to 5)

Current hours for the National Fire Information Center are
(MST) 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday
208-387-5050
This report will be updated daily.

July 26, 2008

Favorable weather conditions helped firefighters make excellent progress on line construction. Ten large fires are expected to be contained within the next three days. Currently, 25 large fires or complexes have burned nearly 670,000 acres in ten states.

Australia and New Zealand are providing 44 fire specialists and managers to assist with fire suppression operations in California. Canada is providing two crews to California.

Two MAFFS C-130 air tankers from the 145th Airlift Wing, Charlotte, North Carolina are supporting the State of California at McClellan Airpark in Sacramento, California. The Mission Commander is LTC Charles Davis, 145th Airlift Wing, Charlotte, North Carolina.

The following table lists the number of personnel assigned to the wildland fires in California. This information was provided by the U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region and CalFire.

July 26, 2008
Resource	Federal	State	Other	Total
Total Personnel	5,390	2,719	3,807	11,916
Helicopters	43	0	34	77
Hand Crews	138	63	73	274
Engines	193	160	274	627
Dozers	7	6	99	112
Water Tenders	8	2	215	225
NOTE: Total personnel includes all personnel assigned to California. Individuals assigned to resources such as engines, dozers, overhead, etc. are included in the "total personnel" category. The "other" category includes contractors, military, and local government.

Weather Discussion: Today will be warm and dry across much of the West with an increase in wind across the Northwest, northeast California, and parts of the northern Great Basin. Thunderstorms are expected in Montana, Wyoming, southern California and the Four Corners states. Hot temperatures and low relative humidity will develop in central and northern Texas.

Source: National Interagency Coordination Center

Daily statistics 7/26/08
Number of new large fires	1	States currently reporting large fires:
Number of active large fires	25 fires and complexes 35 total fires	California (16) Colorado (1) Florida (1) Montana (1) North Carolina (1) North Dakota (1) Texas (3) Utah (1) Virginia (1) Washington (1)
Acres from active fires	669,027
Number of Wildland Fire Use (WFU) fires	1
Number of Wildland Fire Use (WFU) acres	696
Fires contained since 7/25/08	2
Year-to-date large fires contained	550
Year-to-date statistics
2008 (1/1/08 - 7/26/08)	Fires: 53,868	Acres: 3,464,128
2007 (1/1/07 - 7/26/07)	Fires: 56,147	Acres: 4,569,820
2006 (1/1/06 - 7/26/06)	Fires: 69,213	Acres: 5,057,173
2005 (1/1/05 - 7/26/05)	Fires: 37,015	Acres: 4,271,924
2004 (1/1/04 - 7/26/04)	Fires: 44,899	Acres: 5,015,173
2003 (1/1/03 - 7/26/03)	Fires: 34,042	Acres: 1,686,945
2002 (1/1/02 - 7/26/02)	Fires: 51,887	Acres: 3,871,439
2001 (1/1/01 - 7/26/01)	Fires: 49,091	Acres: 1,482,014
2000 (1/1/00 - 7/26/00)	Fires: 58,725	Acres: 2,977,402
5-year average
2003 - 2008	Fires: 52,228	Acres: 4,475,769
10-year average
1998 - 2008	Fires: 51,079	Acres: 3,552,605

Current Wildland Fires
California	Fires: 16	Acres: 604,972	New fires: 1	Fires contained: 0
American River Complex (Tahoe National Forest): 20,541 acres at 95 percent contained. This complex of two fires is 11 miles northeast of Foresthill. Fire activity was minimal. Information: Call (530) 367-6223 or visit the web site.
Basin Complex (Los Padres National Forest): 162,818 acres at 79 percent contained. This complex is five miles southeast of Big Sur. All Voluntary Evacuation for residents off of Carmel Valley Road from Arroyo Seco in the south to Cachagua Road junction in the north were lifted. Information: Call (805) 961-5770 or visit the web site.
Bear Wallow Complex (Klamath National Forest): 7,114 acres at zero percent contained. This complex of two fires is 13 miles southeast of Happy Camp. The fire was active yesterday. Residences are threatened and trails in the area are closed. Information: Call (707) 457-3879 or visit the web site.
Blue 2 (Six Rivers National Forest): 4,911 acres at 25 percent contained. This fire is 12 miles east of Klamath. Cultural resources are threatened. Information: Call (707) 457-3879 or visit the web site.
BTU Lightning Complex (Butte Unit, Cal Fire): 59,440 acres at 92 percent contained. This complex of fires is 27 miles north of Yuba City. Fire activity was minimal yesterday. Information: Call (530) 538-7826 or visit the web site.
Canyon Complex (Plumas National Forest): 37,753 acres at 90 percent contained. This complex of six fires is 16 miles northeast of Paradise. Fire activity was moderate yesterday. Information: Call (530) 283-7882 or visit the web site.
Gap (Los Padres National Forest): 9,443 acres at 97 percent contained. This fire is located six miles northwest of Santa Barbara. Fire activity was minimal. Information: Call (805) 961-5770 or visit the web site.
Hell's Half Complex (Six Rivers National Forest): 15,146 acres at 96 percent contained. This complex of two fires is eight miles southwest of Burnt Ranch. Structures are threatened. Evacuations remain in place for residents near Dry Lake. Information: Call (530) 629-2184 or visit the web site.
Iron and Alps Complex (Shasta-Trinity National Forest): 72,037 acres at 63 percent contained. This complex of four fires is one mile north of Junction City. Several communities are threatened. Evacuations are in effect. Information: Call (530) 623-6415 or visit the web site.
Lime Complex (Shasta-Trinity National Forest): 53,995 acres at 74 percent contained. This complex of two fires is 14 miles west of Hayfork. Ranches, camps, and private lands and communications towers. Evacuations and road closures are in effect. Reduction in acreage is due to the transfer of several fires to another complex. Information: Call (530) 226-2500 ext. 2 or visit the web site.
Panther (Klamath National Forest): 180 acres at 25 percent contained. This fire is 14 miles southwest of Happy Camp. Moderate fire behavior was reported.
Siskiyou Complex (Klamath National Forest): 54,657 acres at 36 percent contained. This complex of two fires is 18 miles southwest of Happy Camp. Structures and cultural sites are threatened. Information: Call (530) 493-1518 or visit the web site.
Soda Complex (Mendocino National Forest): 8,652 acres at 97 percent contained. This complex of two fires is 15 miles northwest of Upper Lake. Minimal fire behavior was reported. Information: Call (707) 275-2017 or visit the web site.
NEW Telegraph (Merced-Mariposa Unit, Cal Fire): 950 acres at five percent contained. This fire is five miles north of Mariposa. Extreme fire behavior was reported. Residences are threatened in the Midpine area and evacuations are in effect. Information: Visit the web site.
Yolla Bolly Complex (Mendocino National Forest): 64,658 acres at 15 percent contained. This fire is 47 miles southwest of Redding. Residences are threatened. Information: Call (530) 934-1278 or visit the web site.
Ukonom Complex (Six Rivers National Forest): 32,266 acres at 30 percent contained. This complex is 10 miles east of Orleans. Fire activity increased yesterday. Structures are threatened. Trail and road closures are in effect. Information: Call (530) 627-3291 or visit the web site.
SHU Lightning Complex (Shasta-Trinity Unit, Cal Fire): This complex was contained at 86,500 acres.
Colorado	Fires: 1	Acres: 668	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Kraft (Little Snake Field Office, Bureau of Land Management): 668 acres at 90 percent contained. This fire is 25 miles northwest of Maybell. Minimal fire behavior was observed. Information: Call (406) 754-3023 or visit the web site.
Florida	Fires: 1	Acres: 156	New fires: 1	Fires contained: 0
Lake Charles 29 (National Forests in Florida): 156 acres at 90 percent contained. This fire is 18 miles northeast of Ocala.
Montana	Fires: 1	Acres: 104	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 1
Lindbergh Lake (Northwestern Land Office, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation): 104 acres at 75 percent contained. This fire is 12 miles southwest of Condon.
Echo Canyon (Southern Land Office, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation): This fire was contained at 788 acres.
North Carolina	Fires: 1	Acres: 40,704	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Evans Road (North Carolina Division of Forest Resources): 40,704 acres at 75 percent contained. This fire is located seven miles south of Creswell. Fire activity was minimal. Residences are threatened. Information: Call 919-218-3179.
North Dakota	Fires: 1	Acres: 3,000	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Brown (Dakota Prairie National Grasslands): 3,000 acres at 75 percent contained. This fire is located 20 miles north of Marmarth. Fire activity was moderate.
Texas	Fires: 3	Acres: 7,030	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
717 Fire (Texas Forest Service): 400 acres at 90 percent contained. This fire started on private land one mile west of Caddo. Moderate fire behavior was reported
Lamkin (Texas Forest Service): 4,100 acres at 90 percent contained. This fire started on private land 21 miles east of Comanche. This will be the last report unless new information is provided.
Well 35 (Texas Forest Service): 2,530 acres at 90 percent contained. This fire started on private land 26 miles west of Mineral Wells. Minimal fire behavior was reported.
Utah	Fires: 0	Acres: 0	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Wildland Fire Use	Fires: 1	Acres: 696	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Mill Hollow (Ashley National Forest): 696 acres. This fire is 18 miles north of Helper. It is being managed for resource benefit.
Virginia	Fires: 1	Acres: 4,664	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
South One (Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Reserve): 4,664 acres at 95 percent contained. This fire is located 12 miles southeast of Suffolk. Fire activity was minimal yesterday.
Washington	Fires: 1	Acres: 7,729	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Cold Spring (Gifford Pinchot National Forest): 7,729 acres at 98 percent contained. This fire is 40 miles northwest of Goldendale. Minimal fire behavior was reported. A structure and a tribal cultural site are threatened. Information: Call (509) 395-2670 or visit the web site.