Okanogan Complex Update: 26 September, 2012
Incident: Okanogan Complex Wildfire
Released: 9/26/2012
Today at 6:00 a.m. Oregon Incident Management Team #1 transferred command of the Okanogan Complex to Okanogan and Wenachee NF Type 3 team, led by Chad Bresnaham. The Incident Command Post will remain at its present site near Twisp, WA. Tuesday's operations at the Buckhorn Fire continued to clear fuels in the Middle Fork drainage using aerial and hand-lighting tactics. Pockets of diseased timber put up smoke. This objective will create a strong fire line to secure residences in the Middle Fork of Gold Creek and will continue through today's shift. Residents may expect to experience smoky conditions. Backhaul of supplies at helispots and drop points was completed. Night shift crews patrolled and monitored hotspots along the burnout perimeter. Evacuation levels remain in place until the area is cleared of hazard trees, mopped up and rehabilitated enough that residents are safe to return.
Mop up in the the Leecher Fire is ongoing, with the resource goal to cold-trail and suppress any intermittent hotspots one hundred feet to the interior. The Hunter Fire is in air reconnaissance status. No heat has been detected in recent flyovers.
The Temporary Flight Restriction has been lifted over the complex. The incident air operations have been reduced to one Type 3 (light-lift) helicopter and one Type 2 (medium lift) helicopter.
FIRE FACTSAcreage - ContainmentHunter 211 acres - 95%Leecher 1,320 acres - 90%Buckhorn 4,638 acres - 75%6,169 total acres
Containment: 75%Location: southern Methow Valley (Washington) Cause: Lightning (9/08/12)
EvacuationsLevel 1: Buckhorn Fire: South Fork Gold Creek ResidencesLevel 2:North Fork Gold Creek residencesLevel 3: Buckhorn Fire: Middle Fork
Personnel: 429
Fire Fire Information at Twisp ICP: 509-997-0568
National Fire Website:www.inciweb.org/incident/3261
Monitor real-time air quality: http://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/enviwa/Default.ltr.aspx
Fire Photos and Maps: http://okanogancomplex.wordpress.com
