Pole Creek Fire Update - September 15, 2012 - 8 AM
Incident: Pole Creek Wildfire
Released: 9/15/2012
POLE CREEK FIRE UPDATE
OREGON INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM 4
DESCHUTES NATIONAL FOREST
The Pole Creek Fire grew to over 12,000 acres on Friday as higher afternoon temperatures, lower humidity and a strong westerly wind caused smoke columns to form and rise to almost 28,000 feet. Active fire behavior followed fire behavior analyst's predictions testing overall containment lines. Fire growth occurred both north and south within the wilderness, and breached lines on the northwest fire perimeter. Early evening fire induced cumulus clouds resulted in slight moisture in the surrounding area raising relative humidity and dampening overnight fire activity.
Suppression crews worked through the night to burnout along Forest Roads 15, 1516 and 16 to establish a new containment line perimeter. Fire officials are expecting another active fire today as favorable burning conditions continue, likely producing smoke clouds high above the fire area. Residents in the Crossroads and Edgington/Remuda areas remain under a Level 2, pre-evacuation alert, meaning folks need to be ready to leave at a moments notice.
Incident Management will conduct two informational briefings at the Sisters Preparedness Fair at the Sisters Elementary School on Saturday September 15th. Briefings will be at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Fire Information Officers will also staff a booth from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Fair.
Smoke is likely to remain in the greater Sisters area as it settles at night into valleys and drainages. County Health Officials advise that people with respiratory problems or other health issues stay indoors with windows and doors closed during periods of heavy smoke. Visit the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) at http://www.deq.state.or.us/aq/burning/wildfires/index.htm, for more information on air quality, along with tools to help people assess smoke levels in their area.
For firefighter and public safety, the current closure area has been modified to include the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) between Trail #3531(Four in One Cone) and the PCT Trailhead on Highway 242. Information will be posted at all trailheads and access points from Elk Lake Trailhead north to Santiam Pass. PCT hikers will have a reroute option using the Scott Trail traveling west to Highway 242.
The closure still includes Forest Roads (FR)15 & 16 (Three Creeks Rd); spur roads, trailheads and Three Creeks Campground area. It now also includes an extension of FR 370 to FR 4601. Closed roads are signed, barricaded, and/or staffed to advise the public of the closure. Maps and closure descriptions are available at Deschutes National Forest offices and http://inciweb.org/incident/3244/.
ACREAGE: 12,000 Acres plus
CONTAINMENT: 10%
CAUSE: Unknown - Under Investigation
RESOURCES: TOTAL = 824 ·
Type 1 Crews - 4; Dozers - 4; Water Tenders - 14; Helicopters - 8
Type 2 Crews - 15; Engines - 32; Camp Crews - 2; Overhead - 187
·As of Friday eve
Establish new containment lines near Forest Road 15 and 1516 on the north and Forest Road 16 on the east. Anchoring to Forest Road 16, recon and establish an east-west containment line to the old Park
PLANS: Meadow fire.
FORECASTED FIRE WEATHER: Temps 68-77, humidity 22-26%, and winds rebuilding from the WNW to 5-9 mph with gusts to 20.
COOPERATORS: Deschutes County Sheriff, Deschutes County SAR, City of Sisters, Sisters/Camp Sherman Fire District, Black Butte Ranch RFPD, Cloverdale FD, Oregon Department of Forestry, American Red Cross, Oregon Department of Transportation
