Burn Out on East Side of The Eagle Fire Has Begun
Incident: Iron Alps Complex Wildland Fire
Released: 7/18/2008
Thursday July 18, 2008
Today at 4 PM, highly trained and skilled "firing crews" began "burning out" a fire line they constructed yesterday in the vicinity Conner Creek and the Red Hill Road, west of Junction City. Today and tomorrow crews will continue improving the fire line using burn out techniques. The fire line is designed to prevent the Eagle Fire from advancing into the residential areas along the Red Hill Road.
A burn out operation is a fire suppression tactic utilized to remove unburned fuel (grasses, leaves, needles, brush, etc.) located between an advancing fire and an established constructed fire line or natural barrier. Weather conditions, slope, the amount of accumulated fuels, time of day, resource availability, and firefighter safety are all considered prior to initiating a burn out operation.
The intent of a burn out operation is for the fire to slowly move from the established control line toward the advancing main fire to effectively remove the unburned fuel. This tactic widens the established control line, reduces the potential fire intensity and can make containment and control more successful for firefighters.
Approximately 275 personnel are involved in the burn out operation including personnel on 15 fire engines stationed on standby in the nearby residential area.
Fire managers say the Eagle Fire is slowly backing down the ridge located above the "dozer" line constructed yesterday. Firing crews anticipate that their actions will result in a relatively low burning fire that will remove enough of the unburned fuel to stop the fire.
Yesterday's dozer line was constructed from Conner Creek to the toe of the slope, through Hocker and Benjamin Flats, and south through McKinney Gulch. Today firefighters planned to complete construction of the fire line from McKinney Gulch west up slope to the to the existing dozer line on the ridge.
