Gnarl Ridge Fire Daily Update - 8-14-08
Incident: Gnarl Ridge Wildland Fire
Released: 8/14/2008
Northwest Oregon Area Interagency
Incident Management Team
Carl West, Incident Commander
Gnarl Ridge Fire
Daily Update
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Fire crews continue to make good progress constructing line in steep terrain. If progress continues at the current rate, crews expect to complete fireline construction and mop-up any hotspots close to the line by Sunday, August 17th.
"There's a lot of hard work ahead and we'll have to keep an eye on the potential for additional spotting outside the line during Friday's forecasted red flag fire weather," said Roddy Bauman, Fire Behavior Analyst. "As conditions continue to warm and dry, the probability of spot fires establishing outside the fireline increases. We'll have to expand our focus to adjacent areas outside firelines and remain heads-up," Bauman added.
The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for severe fire weather conditions on Friday. Forecasters are also predicting potential thunderstorms and a possibility of lightning on Saturday. The NW Oregon Incident Management Team has Initial Attack responsibility on 90,000 acres, an area negotiated with cooperating agencies. This area includes the Badger Creek Wilderness.
"Crews are continuing to work to secure this fire but our attention is also on being prepared to react to rapidly changing conditions," said Carl West, Incident Commander. "Providing for firefighter safety is our number one priority," West added.
An area closure remains in effect around the Gnarl Ridge Fire; however, the Timberline Trail is open from Timberline Lodge to Eliot Creek. Trail closures are listed in this release and more information is available on the Mt. Hood Forest website and at: http://www.inciweb.org/incident/maps/1465/.
For further information contact: Gnarl Ridge Fire Information at Mt. Hood Meadows ICP at (503) 337-2320.
Fire at a Glance (8/14/08)
Size: 270 acres
Location: Cold Spring Creek Drainage in the Mt. Hood Wilderness, about 3 miles SW of Historic Cloud Cap Inn.
Containment: 37%
3.5 miles of line left to build
Expected Containment: Sunday, August 17th @ 2000 hours.
Cause: Lightning on Thursday night, August 7th
Crews and Equipment:
Crews: 8 Type 1
4 Type 2
Helicopters: 1 Type 1 (Heavy Lift)
2 Type 2 (Medium Lift)
1 Type 3 (Light)
Fixed wing aircraft: 1
Engines: 5 (structure protection)
Tenders: 0
Total Personnel Assigned: 414
Closures: Cloud Cap and Tilly Jane Campgrounds are closed, as well as the access road to Cloud Cap. Recommend no use of Nottingham Campground. Little John Snopark is closed.
Trail Closures: Bluegrass Ridge #647, Cooper Spur #600-B, Elk Mdws #645, Elk Mdws/Bluegrass Tie #647-B, Elk Meadows Perimeter #645-A, Elk Mt. Vista #647-C, Gnarl Ridge #652, Gnarl Ridge Cut-off #652-A, Lamberson Spur #644, Newton Creek #646, Polallie Ridge #643-A, Sahalie Falls #667-C, Tamanawas Tie #650-B, Wagon Road 642,Tilly Jane #448, Tilly Jane 600-A, Tilly Jane #643, Tilly Jane #643-A and Umbrella Falls #667, east of the Mt. Hood Meadows access road.
