Cache Creek Fire Update - September 3, 2012 - 8:00 AM
Incident: Cache Creek Fire Wildfire
Released: 9/3/2012
Cache Creek Fire Update
Oregon Incident Management Team 3 - Central Oregon
Incident Commander: Mark Rapp
For Immediate Release: September 3, 2012 8:00 a.m.
Fire Information Center: 541-432-0163
Inciweb Website: www.inciweb.org/incident/3202
Burnout of unburned fuels interior to the main containment lines occurred yesterday afternoon in the Jim Creek Butte and the Five Points drainage as evidenced by columns of smoke seen at various points around the fire. Firefighters completed most of the fire suppression related rehabilitation (rehab) in the Imnaha drainage. Rehab also was accomplished on dozer and hand lines and by chipping cut material along roads on both private and public lands near Buckhorn Butte. Portions of the fire to the north and west perimeters were patrolled by air and engines.
Today, air resources will continue patrolling the northern fire perimeter while engines will patrol along the west. Rehabilitation of hand and dozer lines and chipping of cut material along roads will also continue in the Buckhorn Butte and southern fire perimeter areas.
While the Dug Bar Road (Forest Service Road 4260) has been re-opened, citizens are asked to consider avoiding this area given the potential congestion from the continuing fire suppression traffic.
Recreationists were allowed to return to their favorite camping spots along the Snake River when the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest revised its Forest Closure yesterday. The revised Closure Order allows camping in Oregon within 1/4 mile of the river's edge between the Washington/Oregon state line on the north and the Imnaha River on the south. The Area Closure was also expanded with the Avista Powerline road becoming the closure boundary on the south end of the fire. A map and description of the Forest Closure can be found at http://www.fs.usda.gov/wallowa-whitman or www.inciweb.org/incident/3202.
A partial closure of Forest Service Road 46 remains in place. An alternate route is available to detour around the fire area. Road guards are staffing road blocks limiting public access into the fire area for both firefighter and public safety. The need for the closures will be assessed daily and removed as soon as possible.
A single motor vehicle accident occurred on Forest Service Road 4625 yesterday afternoon. The driver, who is assigned to the fire, was uninjured.
Location: Wallowa and Asotin Counties
Date Started: 08/20/12
Cause: Lightning
Injuries: 3
Size: 73,500 acres
Percent Contained: 80%
Total Personnel: 534
