Hawken Fire Update 07/20/2007
Incident: Hawken Wildland Fire
Released: 7/20/2007
Hawken Fire Update
Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team- Kim Martin IC
Fire Information (775) 746-4668
Hours of operation: 7:00 am - 9:30 pm
Information is also available at: http://www.sierrafront.net/ and http://www.inciweb.org
Saturday, July 21, 2007
9:00 a.m.
While many wildfires cause minimal damage to the land and pose few threats to residents downstream, some fires cause damage that require special efforts to prevent problems afterwards. Loss of vegetation exposes soil to erosion, water runoff may increase and cause flooding, sediments many move downstream and damage houses or fill reservoirs, and put endangered species and community water supplies at risk. The Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program is designed to address these situations. The BAER program addresses the key goals of protecting life, property, water quality, and deteriorated ecosystems.
A BAER Team has been assembled and will begin to review the Hawken Fire starting Monday. "This team is comprised of resource specialists that will focus on identifying threats to life and property resulting from the fire. Particular concerns are related to post-fire debris and water events that may impact the subdivisions downslope from the fire,"said Genny Wilson, BAER Team Leader. Washoe County and Truckee Meadow Water Authority are both on the Team; complimented by a host of resource specialists from the US Forest Service. The Team will complete their initial report of the fire one week after the fire is contained.
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Current Situation: Thursday was the first day since the Hawken Fire began that red flag conditions were not in effect. Significantly lighter winds allowed firefighters to make good process on containing the fire. Pockets of unburned fuel continued to burn within the fire perimeter, however, there was no growth outside the established perimeter. Residents may expect to see smoke in the fire area until significant moisture is received.
One of the tools used in managing a fire is radiometric imagery that detects areas of heat on the ground, which in turn helps fire managers determine where to focus resources like engines, crews, and aircraft to maximize their efficiency. The fire was most active in the Hunter Creek drainage on the west side, and crews continued to improve control lines and extinguish hot spots there throughout the day.
Fifteen helicopters assisted ground crews with containment efforts by dropping water and retardant on hot spots. On the north side of the fire, adjacent to homes, crews systematically searched for and extinguished hotspots 200 feet from the fire's perimeter. They will continue this effort around the remaining perimeter over the next several days. On the south and west flanks of the fire, crews continued to improve control lines.
Due to the progress made on containing the fire and the extreme fire activity occurring throughout the West, fire managers will begin releasing some resources to assist with other high priority fires. Five helicopters were released Thursday afternoon; some engines and hand crews will be released beginning today.
Closure Information: A closure order remains in effect for the area around the Hawken Fire. For more information concerning the closure, contact the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest at 775-882-2766 or www.sierrafront.net.
Special Note: To assist the firefighters, residents and visitors are asked to heed road and other closures associated with the helicopter bucket dipping operations occurring at Hunter Creek Reservoir and along the Truckee River.
Fire Statistics:
Start Date: July 16, 2007 Cost to Date: $1.9 million
Cause: Human Contained: 34%
Size: 2,460 acres
Resources Friday: Approximately 500 personnel which includes: 2 Type 1 hand crews, 5 Type 2 hand crews, 10 helicopters, 23 engines, 9 dozers, and overhead personnel
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