National Interagency Fire Center
National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group
DHS/U.S. Fire Administration
USFA Ntl. MAC Report – Mike Dougherty
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL – 4
Current Situation:
LARGE WILDLAND FIRES ARE CLASSIFIED AS 100 ACRES OR LARGER IN TIMBER FUEL TYPES, 300 ACRES OR LARGER IN GRASS FUEL TYPES OR WHEN A TYPE 1 OR 2 INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM IS ASSIGNED.
Initial attack activity was heavy nationally with 314 new fires reported. Seventeen new large fires were reported, five each in the Eastern Great Basin Area, four each in the Northern Rockies and Rocky Mountain Areas, two in the Southern Area and one each in the Southwest and Western Great Basin Areas. Eight large fires were contained, two in the Rocky Mountain and Western Great Basin Areas, and one each in the Northern California, Southwest, Eastern Great Basin and Southern Areas. Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Arizona, New Mexico, California, Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Idaho, and Wyoming.
Two MAFFS C-130 aircraft and support personnel from the 145th Airlift Wing, Charlotte, North Carolina have been deployed to Klamath Falls, OR.
• Ten year average year to date: 2,597,668
• 2002 Season: 7,184,706
• 2003 Season: 4,918,088
• 2004 Season: 7,653,180
• 2006 Season: 4,696,830 acres burned to date
• Structure Loss 2005 Season: Primary 258, Commercial 16, Outbuildings 517
• Structure Loss 2006 Season year to date: Primary 559, Commercial 33, Outbuildings 1118
Critical resource needs:
• Dispatchers
• Aviation management
• Business support personnel
Visits/Briefings:
None
Outlook:
Red Flag Warning: For the Big Horn Mountains for shifting winds, low relative humidity and increasing thunderstorms
Fire Weather Watch: Thursday afternoon through the evening for all of northeast, south central and southeast Montana and portions of northwest South Dakota for isolated to scattered thunderstorms with erratic and gusty winds and winds shift associated with a frontal passage.
Isolated dry lightning is possible over portions of northern California, the northern Great Basin and eastern Montana with scattered wet storms across the Southwest. Gusty winds are expected over eastern Montana and the western Dakotas with cooler and drier weather across most of Minnesota. High pressure will strengthen over the western U.S. during the next few days with temperatures rising to near record levels across portions of the Pacific Northwest and Great Basin accompanied by some isolated dry lightning over the weekend.
Major Evacuations/Structures Threatened:
Northern Rockies Area:
Packer Gulch, Southwestern land Office, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. A Type 2 IMT is assigned. This fire is 11 miles northwest of Drummond, MT. Residences and other structures remain threatened. Moderate fire behavior with torching and spotting was observed.
Black Pulaski Complex, Miles City Field Office, Bureau of Land Management. A Type 1 Incident Management Team is assigned. This complex, consisting of the Black Pulaski, Lodgepole, Hill Coulee, Lost Creek, Square Butte and Chalk fires, is 25 miles north of Jordon, MT. Several residences, structures, grazing lands and irrigation structures are threatened. Steep terrain dry fuels continue to hinder containment efforts. Active fire behavior with torching and short runs was observed.
Rocky Mountain Area:
Sawmill, Natrona County. A Type 2 Incident management Team has been ordered. This fire is 10 miles east of Edgerton, WY. Four residences, oil wells, telecommunications towers and power-lines are threatened. Extreme fire behavior with major running, spotting and torching was observed.
Standing Rock Complex, Standing Rock Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs. A Type 2 Incident Management Team has been ordered. This fire is nine miles west of Fort Yates, ND. Several residences, schools, and tribal resources are threatened. Evacuations have occurred. Very active fire behavior with short runs and crowning was observed.
Little Venus, Shoshone National Forest. A Type 2 Incident Management Team has been ordered. This fire is 30 miles west of Meeteetse, WY. Structures remain threatened. Progress was made on containing the northeast side of the fire. Extreme fire behavior was reported.
Twenty Mile, Casper Field Office, Bureau of Land Management. A Type 2 Incident Management Team is assigned. This fire is 20 miles northeast of Douglas, WY. Several residences, buildings, and a natural gas well are threatened. Minimal fire behavior with interior torching and surface spread was observed.
Eastern Great Basin Area:
Dog Valley, Fish Lake National Forest. A Type 2 incident Management Team is assigned. This fire is three miles east of Cave Fort, UT. Four residences, the community of Cove Fort, Interstate 15 and 70, a natural gas pipeline, utility infrastructure and a historical site are threatened. Steep, rugged terrain and limited access is hindering containment. Moderate fire behavior was observed.
Ranch, Southwest Area, Utah State Division of Forestry Fire and State Lands. A Type 2 Incident management Team is assigned. This fire is nine miles northeast of Leeds UT. Several residences remain threatened. Difficult access is impeding containment efforts. Moderate fire behavior was observed.
Oak City Canyon, South Central Area, Utah State Division of Forestry Fire and State Lands. A Type 2 Incident Management Team is assigned. This fire is two miles southeast of Oak City, UT. Numerous residences and a campground are threatened. Structure protection is in place. Steep terrain and dry fuels are impeding containment. Creeping and uphill fire runs were reported.
Twin Peaks, Richfield Field Office. This fire is 10 miles west of Kanosh, UT. A ranch and power-lines are threatened. Winds from a passing thunderstorm produced extreme fire behavior.
Southern California Area:
Millard Complex, San Bernardino National Forest. A Unified Command between a Type 2 Incident Management Team, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, The Forest Service, and the Riverside County Fire Department is in place. A transfer of command from a Unified Command to a Type 1 Incident Management Team will occur today. This complex, comprised of the State, Jump Off, For Sure and Millard fires, is seven miles north of Cabazon, CA. Residences and a repeater site remain threatened. Minimal fire behavior was observed. Increase in acreage is largely due to continuing burn out operations.
Western Great Basin Area:
Jackass, Humbolt-Toiyabe National Forest. A Type 1 Incident Management Team is assigned. This fire is 80 miles southeast of Reno, NV and eight miles northeast of Walker, CA. Winds from passing thunderstorms, rough terrain, and heavy fuel loading are hampering containment. Numerous residences remain threatened. Very active fire behavior with wind-driven runs was reported.
Southwest Area:
Cibola, Cibola National Wildlife Refuge. A Type 2 Incident Management Team has been ordered. This fire is 42 miles southwest of Yuma, AZ. Numerous residences remain threatened. Interior torching was observed.