National Fire News Report ~ 7/27/08

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 27, 2008

The Telegraph Fire in southern California made a significant run of nearly 15,100 acres yesterday. Six communities and 2,000 structures are threatened. Firefighters continue to make excellent progress toward containment goals on the large fires in northern California. Five new large fires were reported yesterday, one each in Florida, Idaho and Montana, and two in Texas.

On June 25 a firefighter was fatally injured on the Eagle fire near Junction City, California. The firefighting community extends condolences to the family and friends of the fallen firefighter.

Australia and New Zealand are providing 44 fire specialists and managers to assist with fire suppression operations in 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 gusty winds across the Northwest quarter of the country. Thunderstorms are expected in Montana, Wyoming, southern California and the Four Corners states. Hot temperatures and low relative humidity will persist in central and northern Texas.

Source: National Interagency Coordination Center

Daily statistics 7/27/08
Number of new large fires	5	States currently reporting large fires:
Number of active large fires	28 fires and complexes 39 total fires	California (15) Colorado (1) Florida (2) Idaho (1) Montana (2) North Carolina (1) North Dakota (1) Texas (3) Virginia (1) Washington (1)
Acres from active fires	686,869
Number of Wildland Fire Use (WFU) fires	0
Number of Wildland Fire Use (WFU) acres	0
Fires contained since 7/26/08	4
Year-to-date large fires contained	554
Year-to-date statistics
2008 (1/1/08 - 7/27/08)	Fires: 54,008	Acres: 3,476,863
2007 (1/1/07 - 7/27/07)	Fires: 56,536	Acres: 4,623,092
2006 (1/1/06 - 7/27/06)	Fires: 69,656	Acres: 5,164,996
2005 (1/1/05 - 7/27/05)	Fires: 37,206	Acres: 4,318,557
2004 (1/1/04 - 7/27/04)	Fires: 45,250	Acres: 5,112,904
2003 (1/1/03 - 7/27/03)	Fires: 34,415	Acres: 1,737,345
2002 (1/1/02 - 7/27/02)	Fires: 52,107	Acres: 3,916,219
2001 (1/1/01 - 7/27/01)	Fires: 49,243	Acres: 1,489,230
2000 (1/1/00 - 7/26/00)	Fires: 59,084	Acres: 3084,022
5-year average
2003 - 2008	Fires: 52,531	Acres: 4,539,282
10-year average
1998 - 2008	Fires: 51,372	Acres: 3,545,031

Current Wildland Fires
California	Fires: 15	Acres: 617,918	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 1
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 85 percent contained. This complex is five miles southeast of Big Sur. The fire was active yesterday. All voluntary evacuations and road closures have been lifted by the Monterey County Sheriff. Information: Call (805) 961-5770 or visit the web site.
Bear Wallow Complex (Klamath National Forest): 7,935 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. Evacuations are in effect and trails in the area are closed. Information: Call (707) 457-3879 or visit the web site.
Blue 2 (Six Rivers National Forest): 5,173 acres at 25 percent contained. This fire is 12 miles east of Klamath. Cultural resources are threatened. Trails and roads are closed. Information: Call (707) 457-3974 or visit the web site.
BTU Lightning Complex (Butte Unit, Cal Fire): 59,440 acres at 95 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. No new information was provided. 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. Information: Call (530) 629-2184 or visit the web site.
Iron and Alps Complex (Shasta-Trinity National Forest): 73,959 acres at 64 percent contained. This complex of four fires is one mile north of Junction City. Several communities and power lines are threatened. Evacuations are in effect. Information: Call (530) 623-6415 or visit the web site.
Lime Complex (Shasta-Trinity National Forest): 55,733 acres at 65 percent contained. This complex of two fires is 14 miles west of Hayfork. Ranches, camps, and private lands and communications towers. The Hyampom road remains closed to the public due to fire operations. A Mandatory evacuation continues to be in place for the Hidden Valley Ranch Road. Information: Call (530) 226-2500 ext. 2 or visit the web site.
Panther (Klamath National Forest): 250 acres at 20 percent contained. This fire is 14 miles southwest of Happy Camp. Active fire behavior was reported.
Siskiyou Complex (Klamath National Forest): 55,616 acres at 42 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.
Telegraph (Merced-Mariposa Unit, Cal Fire): 16,000 acres at zero percent contained. This fire is five miles north of Mariposa. Extreme fire behavior was reported. Nearly 2,000 structures are threatened in2,000 residences in the communities of Midpines, Mariposa, Greeley Hill, Coulterville, Bear Valley, and Mt. Bullion Camp. A mandatory evacuation is in place for Midpines. Information: Call (209) 966-4784 or (209) 966-4785 or visit the web site.
Yolla Bolly Complex (Mendocino National Forest): 68,615 acres at 18 percent contained. This complex of three fires 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. Voluntary evacuations are in place. Information: Call (530) 627-3291 or visit the web site.
Soda Complex (Mendocino National Forest): This fire was contained at 8,652 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. This will be the last report unless significant activity occurs. Information: Call (406) 754-3023 or visit the web site.
Florida	Fires: 2	Acres: 1,117	New fires: 1	Fires contained: 0
NEW Radius Road (Everglades National Park): 961 acres at 95 percent contained. This fire is 14 miles west of Homestead.
Lake Charles 29 (National Forests in Florida): 156 acres at 90 percent contained. This fire is 18 miles northeast of Ocala. Minimal fire activity was observed.
Idaho	Fires: 1	Acres: 7,923	New fires: 1	Fires contained: 0
NEW Niebaur (Fort Hall Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs): 7,923 acres at 70 percent contained. This fire is eight miles southeast of American Falls. Structures are threatened.
Montana	Fires: 2	Acres: 1,061	New fires: 1	Fires contained: 0
NEW Cascade (Custer National Forest): 1,000 acres at an unknown percent contained. This fire is 10 miles west of Red Lodge. Extreme fire behavior caused the evacuation of several threatened residences.
Lindbergh Lake (Northwestern Land Office, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation): 61 acres at 95 percent contained. This fire is 12 miles southwest of Condon. Reduction in acreage is due to more accurate mapping.
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 85 percent contained. This fire is located 20 miles north of Marmarth. Fire activity was moderate.
Texas	Fires: 3	Acres: 2,035	New fires: 2	Fires contained: 3
NEW Highway 62 (Texas Forest Service): 400 acres at zero percent contained. This fire started on private land 16 miles southeast of Wellington. Active fire behavior was reported.
NEW Donut (Texas Forest Service): 385 acres at 95 percent contained. This fire started on private land six miles northwest of Copperas Cove. Residences are threatened.
Well 35 (Texas Forest Service):This fire was contained at 2,530 acres.
717 Fire (Texas Forest Service): This fire was contained at 400 acres.
Lamkin (Texas Forest Service): This fire was contained at 4,100 acres.
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. Information: Call (509) 395-2670 or visit the web site.