Cache Creek Fire Update 9-8-2012 10am
Incident: Cache Creek Fire Wildfire
Released: 9/8/2012
Contact: Matt Burks, 541-523-1364 or Kathy Arnoldus, 541-786-3694 September 8, 2012
Inciweb Website: www.inciweb.org/incident/3202 10:00 AM
Type 3 Incident Management Team, Incident Commander Tyler
Incident Command Post at Thomason Meadows
Cache Creek Fire Update
Baker City, OR - The fire burned more actively yesterday around the head of Cook Creek, Five Points Creek, and Buckhorn Lookout, because of winds that were somewhat stronger than the past few days. A helicopter dropped water to cool hot spots near the fire line where the fire flared up. As the fire reaches the flat surface at the top of the canyons on the southwest side, crews are building direct fire line in the places that they can safely access. Progress is being made in securing more of these sections each day. In areas where the fire edge is inaccessible, firefighters are looking for opportunities to build fire line to secure the edge of the fire. Mop up is nearing completion in the head of Cherry Creek. Pockets of unburned fuels are continuing to burn inside the fire line producing visible columns of smoke along the southwest and west sides of the fire. Smoke from burning inside the fire line will be visible until a significant amount of precipitation is received. Along the west and southwest perimeters of the fire, firefighters are gridding the area looking for smoke, and feeling the ash and charred material to make sure it is cold. The north, east and south portions of the fire are being monitored by air.
Limbs were chipped yesterday along the fire line on the Cold Springs Road (Forest Service Road 4680). That work should be completed today. Chipping will then begin along the road to Buckhorn Lookout, and later along the road to Indian Village Grove. The grading of the Zumwalt Road to repair the surface after its use by fire traffic is expected to be completed today. Water tenders will continue refilling stock ponds to replace water used in fire suppression. The rehabilitation of the interior fire lines built by crews is ongoing.
Three crews, two helicopters, eight engines, and nine water tenders are assigned to the fire. The estimated containment date is September 15th.
The area closure for the Cache Creek Fire in the Hells Canyon National Recreation area of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest was revised yesterday. The closure now allows the public to enter a larger portion of the fire area along the Snake River in Oregon. The new eastern boundary of the closure starts at the Oregon/Washington state line and follows trail 1691 to Road 250, to trail 1705, to trail 1713, to trail 1731, to Cemetery Ridge Road, to trail 1724, to Power Line access road west of the Imnaha River. From the Power line access road the new southern boundary of the closure follows the Dodson drainage to Forest Road 46. Forest Road 46 is the southwest boundary of the closure. The west boundary of the closure follows Cold Springs Road (Forest Service Road 4680) north to the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest boundary in Horse Creek, and then follows the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest boundary to the Oregon/Washington state line. A map and description of the area closure can be found at http://www.fs.usda.gov/wallowa-whitman or www.inciweb.org/incident/3202. The closure is in place for the safety of both firefighters and the public. The need for the closure will be assessed daily and removed as soon as possible. The Lower Imnaha Road/Dug Bar Road is open (Forest Service Road 4260).
Percent Contained: 90%
Date Started: 08/20/12
Total Personnel: 129
Cause: Lightning
Size: 73,534 acres
