Public Smoke Advisory for Big Bar and Surrounding
Incident: Iron Alps Complex Wildland Fire
Released: 8/9/2008
Public Service Advisory
Expect Very Smoky Conditions in Big Bar and Surrounding Areas
August 9, 2008
On the Eagle Fire near Big Bar California, firefighters will be conducting firing operations to reinforce and secure firelines as the fire makes its way to the west. As dozer or hand firelines are completed, firefighters will apply fire to the adjacent unburned areas to widen and blacken firelines to better resist the oncoming fire. Firing operations are routinely used in this steep and heavily vegetated terrain. Firelines that have not been reinforced with intentional burning are rarely successful in checking rolling material or aerial spotting.
In the next week, the Eagle Fire is expected to continue to burn toward the west, just a few miles south of the community of Big Bar. Firefighters intend to stop this fire as quickly as possible while maintaining the primary objective of protecting public and firefighter safety. The most likely control opportunity will be when the Eagle Fire burns into the previously burned areas of the Cedar Fire. Several miles and several thousand acres currently separate the two fires.
North of Big Bar, the Buckhorn Fire continues to back towards containment lines on its southern flank. Firing operations will also be necessary to achieve containment objectives on the Buckhorn Fire.
The Big Bar area is especially vulnerable to impaired air quality due to frequent atmospheric inversions and the steep, constricted landscape. The combination of the advancing fire and the firing operations necessary to control it are expected to create notably smoky conditions over the next five to seven days.
Motorists on Highway 299 should use extra caution in the area due to both increased firefighter traffic and potential decreased visibility on the roadway.
For additional information regarding air quality and smoke impacts, go to:
AirNow - Smoke from Forest Fires, How to Protect Your Family:
http://airnow.gov/index.cfm action=smoke fires.main
Center for Disease Control (CDC) - Wildfire Fact Sheet:
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/wildfires/facts.asp
