September 7 Gw Fire Update
Incident: Gw Fire Wildland Fire
Released: 9/7/2007
GW Fire
September 7, 2007
Information Center 541-595-6117
Incident Command Post Tours - Saturday, September 8
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The Central Oregon Incident Management Team invites the public to a guided tour of the incident command post (ICP) on Saturday, September 8. Guided tours will occur at 10 am and 2 pm at the Allingham Guard Station near Camp Sherman. Tours will begin at the gated entrance into the ICP. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended for the tour.
FIRE SITUATION:
Today, crews will focus on securing all constructed lines and mopping-up. The North and South flanks will be mopped-up 300 feet into the burned area. The Eastern flank, near the Black Butte Ranch, will be mopped-up 500 feet into the black. On the West flank, crews will continue to cold trail, mop-up, and monitor the situation. Helicopter activity will continue to support this work. Rehabilitation of the interior dozer lines located on National Forest land will continue. Rehab will include water barring and pulling woody debris back onto lines to reduce possible erosion.
Crews will also be burning out two islands of vegetation within the containment lines creating more smoke than was visible to the public yesterday. A helicopter with specialized equipment will be utilized to complete the burnout of the largest island of unburned vegetation. Other patches will be burned out by hand crews. Smoke will be visible in the fire area until a season ending event.
The Black Butte Ranch area remains under a Level 2 Evacuation notice. A Closure Order of the fire area remains. The public needs to refrain from entering the fire area as many dangers still exist such as fire vehicles, falling trees, and burning debris.
FIRE LOCATION:
The GW Fire is located in the vicinity of Dry Creek on the lower East slope of Mt. Washington on the Western edge of the Mt. Washington Wilderness. The Eastern edge remains approximately 1/2 mile West of Black Butte Ranch.
TOTAL ACRES
FIRE CAUSECONTAINMENT
TOTAL PERSONNEL
7,500
Lightning
60%
809
FIRE CAMP/HELIBASE LOCATION:
The incident command post is located at the Allingham Guard Station near Camp Sherman. An increase in traffic remains around Camp Sherman, Black Butte Ranch, and Highway 20 near the Camp Sherman and Black Butte Ranch access road junctions.
ASSIGNED RESOURCES:
Hand Crews
Engines
Water Tenders
Dozers
Helicopters
Overhead
Camp
Crews
25
36
21
2
5
174
3
As the fire containment increases, surplus resources will be released.
CLOSURES:
The Deschutes National Forest Special Area Closure is still in effect. It includes the area within the following boundaries:
·· Beginning at Forest Rd 1012 at its junction with State Route 20, South along Forest Road 1012 to its intersection with State Route 242
·· West along 242, excluding the Cold Springs Campground, to its intersection with the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)
·· North along the PCT to its intersection with Forest Road 500
·· East along and including Forest Road 500 to its intersection with Forest Road 2067, and
·· North along and including Forest Road 2067 to its intersection with State Route 20,
·· East along State Route 20 to the beginning.
The temporary flight restriction (TFR) over the fire area has been reduced from seven to five miles.
WEATHER:
High pressure over the eastern Pacific Ocean will continue to build into the area from the Northwest today and tonight. Thermal low pressure will begin to develop along the Oregon coast tonight. Todays forecast calls for patchy frost early and then mostly clear. Temperatures will range from 78 to 83 degrees below 4,500 ft, 66-67 degrees above 4,500 ft. in the Wilderness area; relative humidity will range from 17-22% below 4,500 ft and 33-43% in the Wilderness area; winds will be 5-10 mph in the morning becoming Northwest 8-14 mph with gusts to 15-20 mph in the afternoon.
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