National Fire News Report ~ 7/28/08

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 28, 2008

Yesterday, firefighters in California contained the Basin Complex at 162,818 acres. The Telegraph fire near Mariposa, California, made another significant run and is now 26,130 acres. Several residents near this fire have been evacuated.

Currently, 25 large fires or complexes in nine states have burned 541,622 acres. Firefighters continue to make good progress on line construction, with six expected to be contained in the next couple days.

On June 26 a firefighter was fatally injured on the Panther fire near Happy Camp, 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.

Weather Discussion: Warm, dry and unstable conditions are expected today across much of the West. Thunderstorms are possible in Montana, Wyoming, 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 7/28/08
Number of new large fires	4	States currently reporting large fires:
Number of active large fires	25 fires and complexes 37 total fires	California (14) Florida (1) Montana (3) North Carolina (1) North Dakota (1) Texas (2) Virginia (1) Washington (2) Wyoming (1)
Acres from active fires	541,625
Number of Wildland Fire Use (WFU) fires	1
Number of Wildland Fire Use (WFU) acres	232
Fires contained since 7/27/08	5
Year-to-date large fires contained	559
Year-to-date statistics
2008 (1/1/08 - 7/28/08)	Fires: 54,244	Acres: 3,536,009
2007 (1/1/07 - 7/28/07)	Fires: 56,754	Acres: 4,623,448
2006 (1/1/06 - 7/28/06)	Fires: 69,966	Acres: 5,302,848
2005 (1/1/05 - 7/28/05)	Fires: 37,429	Acres: 4,338,531
2004 (1/1/04 - 7/28/04)	Fires: 47,032	Acres: 5,412,203
2003 (1/1/03 - 7/28/03)	Fires: 35,060	Acres: 1,750,334
2002 (1/1/02 - 7/28/02)	Fires: 52,278	Acres: 3,949,395
2001 (1/1/01 - 7/28/01)	Fires: 49,383	Acres: 1,498,837
2000 (1/1/00 - 7/28/00)	Fires: 59,664	Acres: 3,231,204
5-year average
2003 - 2008	Fires: 53,085	Acres: 4,644,408
10-year average
1998 - 2008	Fires: 51,825	Acres: 3,618,223

Current Wildland Fires
California	Fires: 14	Acres: 475,250	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.
Bear Wallow Complex (Klamath National Forest): 8,232 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) 467-1512 or visit the web site.
Blue 2 (Six Rivers National Forest): 5,225 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 two 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 98 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): 76,065 acres at 68 percent contained. This complex of four fires is one mile north of Junction City. The community of Corral Bottom 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): 57,417 acres at 74 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): 554 acres at 20 percent contained. This fire is 14 miles southwest of Happy Camp. Active fire behavior was reported. Structures are threatened.
Siskiyou Complex (Klamath National Forest): 55,084 acres at an unknown percent contained. This complex of two fires is 18 miles southwest of Happy Camp. Structures and cultural sites are threatened. Reduction in acreage is due to more accurate mapping. Information: Call (530) 627-3532 or visit the web site.
Telegraph (Merced-Mariposa Unit, Cal Fire): 26,130 acres at 10 percent contained. This fire is five miles north of Mariposa. Extreme fire behavior was reported. An evacuation order is in place for the Midpines community. A pre-evacuation advisement was issued for the communities of Midpines and Briceburg. Evacuation warnings are in place for residences in the immediate area of the fire, which include the communities east of North Highway 49 at Mykleoaks Road south to the Highway 140 junction and communities west of Highway 140 from Mariposa north to Briceburg. Information: Call (209) 966-4784 or (209) 966-4785 or visit the web site. Evacuation Hotline: (209) 966-1133 (recorded)
Yolla Bolly Complex (Mendocino National Forest): 69,754 acres at 20 percent contained. This complex of three fires is 47 miles southwest of Redding. Residences and cultural sites are threatened. Information: Call (530) 934-1278 or visit the web site.
Ukonom Complex (Six Rivers National Forest): 34,466 acres at an unknown 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) 627-3532 or visit the web site.
Basin Complex (Los Padres National Forest): This fire was contained at 162,818 acres.
Florida	Fires: 1	Acres: 156	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 1
Lake Charles 29 (National Forests in Florida): 156 acres at 95 percent contained. This fire is 18 miles northeast of Ocala. Minimal fire activity was observed.
Radius Road (Everglades National Park): This fire was contained at 961 acres.
Idaho	Fires: 0	Acres: 0	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 1
Niebaur (Fort Hall Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs): This fire was contained at 7,923 acres.
Montana	Fires: 3	Acres: 3,797	New fires: 2	Fires contained: 1
NEW Parmenter (Kootenai National Forest): 150 acres at 40 percent contained. This fire started on private land two miles west of Libby. Residences are threatened. Information: Call (406) 283-7675 or visit the web site.
NEW Harley (Lewis and clark National Forest): 147 acres at 10 percent contained. This fire is three miles west of Neihart. Residences are threatened and evacuations are in effect.
Cascade (Custer National Forest): 3,500 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, a hiker, and recreationalists. Information: Call (406) 446-2103 or visit the web site.
Lindbergh Lake (Northwestern Land Office, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation): This fire was contained at 64 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 90 percent contained. This fire is located 20 miles north of Marmarth. Fire activity was minimal.
Texas	Fires: 2	Acres: 1,825	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 1
Bradley Ranch (Texas Forest Service): 1,400 acres at 90 percent contained. This fire started on private land twenty miles west of Wichita Falls.
Highway 62 (Texas Forest Service): 425 acres at 95 percent contained. This fire started on private land 16 miles southeast of Wellington. Active fire behavior was reported.
Donut (Texas Forest Service): This fire was contained at 385 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: 2	Acres: 12,229	New fires: 1	Fires contained: 0
NEW 262 (Mid Columbia National Wildlife Reserve): 4,500 acres at 40 percent contained. This fire is 12 miles northwest of Othello. Structures are threatened.
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 tribal cultural site and a structure are threatened. Information: Call (509) 395-2670 or visit the web site.