News Release 10/02/08 9am PT
Incident: Lonesome Complex Wildfire
Released: 10/2/2008
News Release - 10/02/08 9:00 a.m. PT
Yesterday's Activities: Mop-up progressed well on the west and north flanks. Crews removed several thousand feet of hose and other suppression equipment from firelines that were complete. Fire rehabilitation work is being done in cooperation with the National Park Service and Forest Service. Chipping operations along roads went well, and should be wrapped up in the next couple of days. In more remote areas, crews prepared sling loads of hose and other firefighting equipment for pick-up by helicopters.
Afternoon winds stirred up active fire behavior in the Red Blanket area as well as in the south and northeast portions of the fire. It stayed within the existing fire perimeter. Air operations were temporarily suspended until the winds calmed.
Weather and Fire Behavior: Much cooler and moister weather aided in reducing fire activity yesterday. The southeast winds will continue until the storm front moves in. The rain and lower temperatures forecast for today and into the weekend should further moderate fire behavior. It may take a couple of days for the rain to penetrate the canopy enough to saturate the ground fuels in some areas of the fire.
Today's Planned Actions: Firefighters will continue holding the existing firelines and mopping-up. They will utilize handheld infrared devices to assist with the mop-up efforts. The east side of the fire will be in patrol status after crews finish pulling hose and removing equipment.
PNW Team 3 will be preparing to transition with a Type III incident command team tomorrow.
Closures: For the most up-to-date trail, road and campground closure information on National Forest or Park Service lands, please contact the appropriate land management agency. Websites are listed below.
Huckleberry Mt. Campground on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest is open.
There are closures in the following general areas:
· Crater Lake National Park south of Highway 62
· Northwest corner of the Fremont-Winema National Forests, mostly in the Sky Lakes Wilderness
· Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest north and south of Red Blanket Canyon as well as in the northern quarter of the Sky Lakes Wilderness.
· On Oregon Department of Forestry protected lands, campfires are allowed only in designated campgrounds.
As rifle season opens this weekend for hunters, visitors are reminded that conditions on the Forest are very dry. Please check with the Rogue River-Siskiyou or Fremont-Winema National Forest for information about campfire restrictions.
FOR ADDITIONAL AND UPDATED LOCAL FIRE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT:
www.InciWeb.org/, Rogue River-Siskiyou NF: www.fs.fed.us/r6/rogue-siskiyou/, Fremont-Winema NFs : www.fs.fed.us/r6/frewin/, Crater Lake NP : http://www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm
Quick Facts Lonesome Complex Summary
Location: 12 miles East of Prospect, OR
Approximate Size: 20,808 acres
Fire Containment: 50%
Start Date: August 16, 2008
Cause: Lightning
Incident Commander: Jeff Pendleton, PNW Team 3
Resources on the Fire: 6 crews, 4 helicopters, 10 engines, 1 dozer, 13 water tenders
Total Personnel: 440
Estimated Containment Date: October 15, 2008
Cooperating Agencies: USFS NPS
Landowners: USFS NPS
This Fire Update was produced by the Lonesome Information Center, staffed by PNW Team 3 Incident Management Team.
