September 9, 2008 -- Gulch & Elmore Fires Update
Incident: Gulch Wildland Fire
Released: 9/9/2008
FIRE UPDATE
Update No. FS-SHF-090808-02 September 09, 2008 @ 7:30 a.m.
GULCH AND ELMORE FIRES
STATUS: Apx. Acres Burned: 2,935 (Gulch), 340 (Elmore)Apx. Percent Contained: 20% (Gulch), 50% (Elmore)Expected Full Containment: Gulch: not estimated, Elmore: September 9, 2008Cause: Both under Investigation Date Started: September 7, 2008Structures Threatened: 30 residences, 2 commercial (Gulch), 80 residences, 2 commercial (Elmore)RESOURCES:Crews: 10 (Gulch), 10 (Elmore)Engines: 20 (Gulch), 35 (Elmore)Helicopters: 6 (Gulch), 6 (Elmore)Dozers: 8 (Gulch), 5 (Elmore)Water Tenders: 7 (Gulch), 7 (Elmore)Total Resources Assigned: 359 (Gulch), 461 (Elmore)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Current Fire Situation: Gulch Fire: Three miles west of Platina, California on Highway 36. The section of fire on the south side of Highway 36 is contained. The northeast section of the fire is holding on the ridge. Fire remained active on north and western flanks of the fire. Good progress was made on the southern and eastern portions of the fire. NorCal Team II (Kaage IC) assumed command of this fire at 6 p.m. yesterday. Elmore Fire: Five miles southeast of Lakehead, Calif. NorCal Team 1 (Swartzlander) assumed command of the fire at 6 p.m. yesterday. The fire continued spreading toward Interstate 5 to the east and remained active on the eastern flank. The head of the fire continued to spread north and northwest.
Today's Objectives: Firefighters will continue direct attack on both fires using hand crews, dozers, engines and aerial resources. Additional crews and equipment have been ordered for both fires.
Area Closures: A Closure Order is in place near the Iron-Alps Complex (not related to the Gulch and Elmore Fires) on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest prohibiting public use of National Forest System lands north and south of Highway 299. A detailed closure map and description may be found at: www.fs.fed.us/r5/shastatrinity/conditions.Evacuations: Elmore Fire: Mandatory evacuations are still in place on Stanton Road, Wintoon Way, Pit Place, Yurok, Canuck, Solus Campground road, Lundgren Mt., Klamath Ct. Precautionary evacuations are in effect on Lower Salt Creek Road, Kamloop Road, Old Mill, Tomahawk, Long Tom, Tomhead, Antlerview, Matquaw and Rogurs Ridge. An evacuation center is set up at Old Canyon School in Lakehead, Calif. Impacts to Interstate 5 are expected. Gulch Fire: Mandatory evacuations on Harrison Gulch Road. Residents near the Gulch Fire should remain alert to fire behavior and the continuing threat from this fire. Highway 36 is currently open to normal traffic. For up to the minute road information call Caltrans at 1-800-427-7623 or www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/.
Remarks: We encourage forest visitors to be cautious when recreating on their National Forest lands, it is hot, dry and fire danger is very high.
Additional Information: Recorded fire information for Shasta-Trinity National Forest is available at (530) 226-2500 (press 2) Additional fire information is also available online at www.fs.fed.us/r5/shastatrinity or http://www.inciweb.org/.
