View Lake Fire Complex Update - Saturday, 04 Sept 2010
Incident: View Lake Fire Complex Wildfire
Released: 9/4/2010
Saturday, September 4, 2010 - 8:00 am PDT Update
View Lake Fire
Acres: 102
% Contained: 90%
Pyramid/Mt. Jefferson Fires
Acres: 1,760
% Contained: 80%
Bull of the Woods
Acres: 2,715
% Contained: 0%
Complex Totals
Acres: 4,580
Total Cost: $7,663,000
Total Personnel: 724
News & Events for the View Lake Fire Complex:
- PLEASE USE CAUTION WHEN DRIVING: Recreation traffic is heavy over the holiday weekend; motorists are advised to slow down and proceed with caution due to the amount of heavy equipment in the area.
- Olallie Lake Scenic Area is smoke-free and safe for recreationists.
- A temporary road closure is in place along the 4685 Road above the south fork Breitenbush Trailhead due to heavy equipment working in the area; the temporary closure will be in place through today.
- Archery season for elk, deer, bear and cougar has begun; expect hunter camps and additional traffic in the fire area. Hunters are advised to check current closure information.
- Masticators are being utilized for brush removal on segments of the 6370, 63, and 4696 roads; temporary road closures will be in place while the equipment is in operation. The work will take several weeks to complete.
- A National Incident Management Organization (Cable) is transitioning with Pacific Northwest Team 2 (Hoff) in preparation of taking over management of the View Lake Complex on Sunday at 6:00 a.m.
VIEW LAKE FIRE COMPLEX STATUS:
Firefighters are 75% done completing a contingency line in the Breitenbush drainage south over Breitenbush ridge and south of the Breitenbush River. On the Pyramid Butte Fire, firefighters continue to mop up, grid for hot spots and backhaul equipment. Crews have completed mop up efforts on the View Lake Fire and the spot fire near Rock Cone and both fires are now in patrol status with some minor rehabilitation work. Resources continue to focus efforts on prepping the 63, 6370 and 4696 Roads on the south side of the Bull of the Woods wilderness. The fire located in Bull of the Woods continues to back into the Elk Lake Creek drainage and has slowly worked its way to the 6380 Road.
Scenic Area, Wilderness Area & Trail and Road Closures:
Olallie Lake Scenic Area (Scenic area is smoke-free):
- OPEN: The Olallie Lake Resort and the waters of Olallie Lake, the Paul Dennis Campground, northern most boat ramp, Olallie Lake Picnic Area, historic guard station, Camp Ten Campground, Triangle Lake Campground, Lower Lake Campground and dispersed camping sites in a 200' strip west of the 4220 Road between Olallie Lake Picnic Area & Campground.
- CLOSED: All trails within the Olallie Lake Scenic Area remain closed, FR 4220 from FR 46 to Breitenbush Lake Campground is closed and the Breitenbush Lake Campground is closed.
- A portion of the Mt Jefferson Wilderness is closed and associated portion of the PCT
- Area closure (August 29, 2010) for the Bull of the Woods Wilderness, including portions of the Elk Creek, Mother Lode and Dickey Creek Trails and extending eastward. The area description is defined by Forest Road (FR) 63 between 6340 and 6350 junction and FR 6350 on the east from Collawash Mountain along the forest boundary to 6370, 4696-850, 4696 and 4697 on the south, trail #544 on the west and FR 6340 and FR 6341 on the north. All trails and roads inside the fire closure boundary are closed. The Trail #544 between Bagby Hot Springs and Elk Lake remains open. Bagby Hot Springs and the Pegleg Falls Recreation Area is open. The Elk Lake Campground, which leads to Battle Ax Creek Trail (#3399) and Beachie Saddle Trail (#3341) remain open. The following fire closure boundary roads are open: FR 4696, FR 6350, FR 63 to the FR 6350 junction, and FR 6341.
- Forest Road 4220 is closed between Forest Road 46 and Camp Ten Campground
- Forest Road 4630 to Lake Harriet is closed; for access to Lake Harriet and the campground, travel east of Rd. 57 towards Timothy Lake, then take an immediate left after crossing the Oak Grove Fork bridge, and head approximately one mile west on Rd. 4630 to get to Lake Harriet.
- Forest Roads 46 and 57 remain open
Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Hiker Shuttle System: The PCT is currently closed on the south at Jefferson Park north through the Olallie Lake Scenic Area. The Mt Hood and Willamette National Forests have arranged to shuttle hikers on an intermittent basis between the south fork Breitenbush Trail (via trail #3375 located west of Russell Lake in Jefferson Park) and the Triangle Lake Equestrian Campground. Hikers are being shuttled, as needed, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
FIRE FACTS:
View Lake Fire Complex: Started: August 17, 2010; Cause: Lightning; Location: 45 miles east of Estacada in Marion and Clackamas Counties; Resources: 20 hand crews, 6 helicopters, 10 engines, 1 dozer, 5 masticators, 2 mowers, 1 camp crew and 724 total personnel.
SAFETY CONCERNS: Heavy traffic associated with the holiday weekend, steep, rocky terrain; gusty winds and numerous standing dead trees (snags).
RESOURCE CONCERNS: Fires near high use recreation areas; protection of wilderness values and cultural resources through the use of Minimum Impact Suppression Techniques (MIST), utilizing existing trails and natural barriers as control lines where possible.
VALUES AT RISK: Olallie Lake Resort, Forest Service Campgrounds, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs reservation lands, the historic Bull of the Woods Lookout tower.
WEATHER: An extended period of cool and moist conditions will arrive over the fire area today. A cold front will move across the fire area by late morning. Moisture will be limited, only producing scattered clouds. Winds behind the front will turn to the west-northwest and be breezy, with a few gusts of 25 mph possible on ridges. Temperatures will be noticeably cooler, averaging 15 degrees less than those observed on Friday with maximum humidities overnight above 80%. Today, highs ranging from the low 60s to low 70s with minimum relative humidity 30 to 35%. Winds primarily west to northwest ranging from 8-12 mph with gusts to 25 mph.
Tonight, mostly cloudy and breezy with minimum temperatures from upper 30s to low 40s and maximum relative humidity from 80 to 85%. Sunday, skies will be mostly cloudy with isolated rain showers and temps will cool further with highs from the upper 50s to mid 60s, minimum humidities 45 to 50% and west winds 8 to 10 mph. Outlook is partly cloudy and slightly drier on Monday and mostly cloudy with scattered rain showers Tuesday with temps in the mid to upper 60s each day.
TODAY'S EXPECTED FIRE BEHAVIOR: Fire behavior will remain active in areas that have dried well during the recent warm weather under windy conditions today. Continued moderate activity at lower elevations will occur with reduced fire activity at the higher elevations. Isolated single tree torching and subsequent spotting is likely where heavy fuel accumulations support increased activity.
COOPERATING AGENCIES & PARTNERS: Mt Hood National Forest, Willamette National Forest, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Clackamas and Marion Counties.
