Inyo Complex Fire Update 5
Incident: Inyo Complex Wildland Fire
Released: 7/12/2007
Inyo Complex Fire Update (Final)
July 12, 2007
Inyo Forest Contact: Nancy Upham, Public Affairs Officer
(760) 873-2427
Fire Status: Active
Location: Eastern Sierra
(Big Pine and Independence area) Inyo National Forest Percent Contained: 80%
Acres Burned: 35,176 Date Started: July 6, 2007
Cause: Lightning Injuries: 10 Minor
Full Containment Expected: July 12, 2007
Resources: Hand crews 2 Engines 8
Helicopters 1 Water Tenders 1
Air Tankers 0 Dozers 0
Total personnel assigned to fire: 145
A lightning storm moved quickly through the Eastern Sierra Friday afternoon, July 6, 2007, igniting approximately 10 fires, which have been managed as the "Inyo Complex". The Sage Fire which burned in Big Pine Canyon and the Seven Oak Fire which burned west and north of the Town of Independence, have been the focus of suppression efforts since Friday July 6th. On Saturday July 7th Southern California Interagency Incident Management Team 3 assumed command of the fire which remains in unified command with CalFire. Team 3 will transition the management of the fire back to the Inyo National Forest today at 4:00 PM and a scaled down firefighting force and will remain on the fire for several days.
Firefighters continue to make excellent progress improving and rehabilitating containment lines. Due to the progress made on containment, firefighting forces are being released to be available for other fires. Smoke will continue to be visible in the high country as the area is inaccessible and too dangerous for firefighters to fully mop up. The fire in the high country will burn itself out in the rock escarpments and will be closely monitored.
A Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation (BAER) team is on the fire line providing rehabilitation to the burned area.
Smoke impacts in the Eastern Sierra are currently non-existent, however motorists should be alert for blowing ash and dust across US 395. Fire apparatus traveling in and through communities and on US 395 may impact residents and the traveling public. The public is asked to be cautious and drive slowly through the fire areas.
Firefighters Injured:
·q At approximately 3:30pm on July 7, 2007 three Firefighters sustained minor burns while on the fire line. The Firefighters were transported to a burn center for evaluation and treatment.
·q On July 8, 2007 one firefighter sustained minor burns while on the fire line and was transported to a burn center for evaluation and treatment.
Areas Closed:
·q Oak Creek Canyon Road, Oak Creek Campground, and Mt Whitney Fish Hatcheries remain closed.
Areas Opened:
·q Upper and Lower Grey's Meadow Campground, Onion Valley Campground Seven Pines Recreation residence tract, Big Pine Canyon Campgrounds, Glacier Lodge, Bernasconi Center, Glacier Pack Trains, Birch Lake, Onion Valley to Kearsarge Pass and Taboose Pass have been re-opened.
Road Closures:
·q North Fork Oak Creek Canyon
·q Oak Creek Rd (open to residents only)
Roads that have been opened:
·q US 395
·q Glacier Lodge Rd
·q Onion Valley Rd
Trail Closures:
·q Sawmill Pass
·q Baxter Pass
Trail Openings:
·q Baker Creek, Big Pine Canyon, Birch Lake, Red Lake, Taboose Pass, Kearsarge Pass, Shepard Pass &
Georges Creek
Incident Priorities:
·q Protect life and property while engaging in sound risk management.
·q Confine the fires west of US 395.
·q Prevent fire form entering the Town of Independence.
·q Avoid, mitigate or eliminate all identified hazards.
·q Provide timely public information on current and predicted fire conditions.
Weather, Fire Behavior and Smoke Conditions:
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2:00pm mainly to the west along the Sierra
Agencies Involved:
US Forest Service (USFS), California Dept. of Forestry & Fire Protection (Cal-Fire), California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), BLM, Los Angeles DWP, Inyo County Sheriff, Mono County Sheriff, CHP, Caltrans, California Dept of Fish & Game and American Red Cross
Southern California Interagency Incident Management Team 3
Dave Fiorella (USFS) and Rodger Thompson (CalFire) Unified Incident Commanders
For more information on the web please go to:
www.inciweb.org
