Fire Update July 7th, 8pm
Incident: Shingle Wildfire
Released: 7/7/2012
Shingle Fire Update
Central Oregon Incident Management Team, Mark Rapp
For Immediate Release: July 7, 2012, 8 PM
Fire Information 877-678-0641 or 877-683-5560
Special Announcements:
Swains Creek Road has been opened to public access, and evacuees were allowed to return to the subdivision. The fire area in this vicinity is still closed to public access due to hazards such as fire weakened trees and hot stump holes - reference the Area Closure at www. Inciweb.org/incident/2979. Fire operations are on-going throughout the area, so travelers on Hwy 14 and Hwy 89 are reminded to be extremely cautious at all times.
General Information:
Firefighters have been able to make significant progress improving containment lines around the fire, and have started the process of mopping up. Although there is still significant potential for spotting and fire spread, crews have been successful at holding the fire at 8,200 acres and the fire is now 50% contained. The forecast for the next two days will bring an increase in temperatures, with the relative humidity dropping down into the upper teens to the mid-twenties.
Line construction progress has been slow on the southeast flank of the fire due to rugged terrain and heavy concentrations of heat, but is nearing completion. Helicopters will continue to haul cargo, and drop water to cool areas down enough to allow firefighters to construct and improve fireline directly on the fire's edge. Crews on the northeast flank and the west flank continue to hold the fireline and are proceeding with mop-up. Firefighters continue to perform mop-up around buildings in the area.
Some open flames were visible on the fire today. "The fire is going where the fuels are," explained Jim Hampton, the Fire Behavior Analyst for Central Oregon Incident Management Team. "Some areas have been burned so intensely that there is very little left to burn. The slight amount of precipitation that came down was limited to the western side of the fire. The areas of concern are where there are interior green islands of fuel that can still flare-up."
Evacuations:
Evacuation orders remain in effect for Stout Canyon subdivisions, portions of Ponderosa Village, Elk Ridge and Harris Flats subdivisions south of Highway 14. Road closures and evacuation requirements are assessed daily by the Kane County Sherriff's Department and the Central Oregon Incident Management team with their primary concern being public and firefighter safety.
Location: Kane County
Date Started: 07/01/12
Cause: Human - under investigation
Size: 8,200 acres
Containment: 50%
Injuries: 4
Total Personnel: 874
Resources:
Crews: 26 (5 Hotshot Crews), Helicopters: 2-light, 3-medium, 2-heavy lift; Engines: 29, Water tenders: 10 and Overhead: 152
For additional information or to contact the information center:
G-Mail: ShingleFire2012@gmail.com
Inciweb Website: www.inciweb.org/incident/2979
