Fire Suppression Repair Activities Begin
Incident: Backbone Wildfire
Released: 7/19/2009
Release No. FS-07 19 09 (1) July 19, 2009
Fire Information: 530-629-2816
Email: backbone.fire.info@gmail.com www.inciweb.org/incident/1716/
Fire Suppression Repair Activities Begin
WILLOW CREEK, Calif. - The Backbone and Red Spot Fires are now 60 percent contained and planning and implementation of repair and rehabilitation of fire suppression activities is underway. Since the beginning of the fires, resource advisors from the Shasta Trinity, Six Rivers, and Klamath National Forests, together with tribal representatives and cultural advisors have been working closely with firefighters to identify and successfully protect important cultural, wildlife habitat, and watershed features. In addition, because the fires are located in the Trinity Alps Wilderness, firefighters have been using Minimum Impact Suppression Tactics (MIST) to minimize fire suppression affects on wilderness values. When combined, these actions reduce the amount of disturbance created by firelines in critical areas and also reduce the amount of subsequent repair work.
However, contruction of containment firelines is an inherit ground disturbing activity. To effectively manage the fires, it's necessary to clear the vegetation down to mineral soil.This means removal of ground vegetation, shrubs, and in some cases trees.
To minimize erosion, slopes must be stabilized before Fall rains begin. Where trees have had to be cut the stumps are flush cut as low to the ground as possible to minimize affects on wilderness values. All equipment, debris, signing and flagging related to fire suppression must also be removed. Facilities contructed for fire suppression support such as heliwells (temporary water storage) must be removed.
In order to maintain the natural diversity of theTrinity Alps Wilderness, restoration efforts will depend on the abundance of natural seeding to restore vegetation in the wilderness. Because the wildfires are not fully contained it is important to focus initial repair efforts on portions of the fires that are well isolated by natural barriers or fire blackened areas for protection from a potential flareup of active portions of the fires.
NIMO Incident Commander George Custer said, "I'm extremely pleased with the care demonstrated by our firefighters for wilderness and cultural values. A major reason for their ability to be successful is the excellent field guidance provided by our resource advisors and tribal advisors. This means our repair of suppression activities will be minimal."
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Sunday, July 19, 2009
BACKBONE
FIRE FACTS
U.S. Forest Service � National Incident Management Organization - Atlanta
Klamath National Forest
1312 Fairlane Road, Yreka, CA 96097 � Voice (530) 842-6131 � Web: www.fs.fed.us/r5/klamath
Shasta-Trinity National Forest
3644 Avtech Parkway, Redding, CA 96002 � Voice (530) 226-2500 � Web: www.fs.fed.us/r5/shastatrinity
Six Rivers National Forest
1330 Bayshore Way, Eureka, CA 95501 � Voice (707) 442-1721 � Web: www.fs.fed.us/r5/sixrivers
Current Status
Suppression activities on the Red Spot Fire is complete and stage 1 of repair has begun. Fire crews are still holding and securing fire line on the south/east side of the Backbone.
Size
6,324 Acres: 4,534 Shasta-Trinity National Forest; 1,783 Six Rivers National Forest; 7 Klamath National Forest. Backbone Total: 5,195 and Red Spot 1,129
Location
12 miles northeast of Willow Creek in Trinity Alps Wilderness
Cause & Date Started
Lightning strikes in the Trinity Alps Wilderness on July 1, 2009
Containment
60 percent
Resources
Type 1 Crews: 13
Type 2 Crews: 8
Helicopters: (3) Type 3; (3) Type 2, (3) Type I
Engines: 7
Water Tenders: 13
Total Personnel: 816
Closures
Six Rivers National Forest Order No. 10-09-01: The Big Rock River Access and Day Use area has been closed. There is a "No Stop Zone" from the mouth of Willow Creek to one mile downriver; visitors are asked to float through with caution, due to the helibase location.
Horse Ridge National Recreation Trail, Salmon Summit National Scenic Trail, Mill Creek, Tish Tang, and Red Cap Trails, Bear Hole, and Grizzly Camp areas.
Six Rivers National Forest Order No. 10-09-01: Extensive area closure in and around the Backbone and Red Spot wildfires. Refer to Six Rivers National web site or Inciweb for details text and map.
Shasta -Trinity National Forest Order No. 14-09-03: Virgin Creek Trail, Soldier Creek Trail, Lipps Camp Trail, Devils Backbone Trail, Salmon Summit Trail from its intersection with the Devils Backbone Trail, then east to its intersection with the Battle Creek Trail.
Klamath National Forest: Forest Road 10N04 has been closed to public use in order to secure the helicopter accident site for the ongoing accident investigation.
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