Cedar Creek/Delancy/Cub Creek Fires

[pasayten]

Morning 7/27 NFIC fire perimeter data layer overlaid on Google Earth... (experimenting with Google Earth)
Note: You can also download the zipped kml file for your own use in Google Earth
https://data-nifc.opendata.arcgis.com/d ... 000%2C0.00

[pasayten]

Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires
Evening Update
July 27, 2021
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
Public Meeting: Wednesday, July 28 at Twisp River Park, 325 N Lincoln St. in Twisp at 6 p.m.
Fire Information Line - Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires: 509-557-0740 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm)
Winthrop, WA — Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires are burning on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in very steep and rocky terrain in heavy down fuels.
Cedar Creek Fire: The fire is currently estimated at 33,462 acres and 13% contained.
This evening the fire is actively burning in the southeastern portion. Fire has established at the base of Gobblers Knob but remains contained by Forest Service Road 500.
Fire continues backing down throughout the Little Boulder Creek and Little Falls Creek areas. Short range spotting and roll-out are igniting fuels downslope, which result in short runs back uphill. Fire managers are preparing contingency lines farther south of the fire along Forest Service Roads 4410 and 4415 and along the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness boundary.
On the western edge, fire continues to creep into the Silver Star Creek area. In the northwestern corner of the fire, resources are patrolling along State Route 20 between Silver Star Creek and Early Winters Campground where fire has backed downhill to the road. In the northeastern corner, fire continues to back down Sandy Butte ridgeline in the Freestone area but remains contained above Forest Service Roads 100 and 115. Firefighters are securing lines as fire backs down. Firefighters are mopping up and patrolling the eastern portion of the line between Looney Creek and Badger Creek.
Engine strike teams, state, and local resources continue to provide structure protection to homes throughout the fire area. The current strategy is to construct containment lines in areas with the highest probability of success. The objective is to keep the fire above the Methow River Valley and away from values at risk.
Active burning in the fire area may create a column that could drop ash several miles from the fire and will continue as fuel is consumed. Only call 911 if you are seeing actively burning material.
Delancy Fire: Fire activity remains minimal with decreased smoke and movement over the past couple days. The fire is expected to continue to creep and smolder in steep, rocky, sparsely vegetated terrain. Fire managers are evaluating values and risks. Crews and aircraft are looking at containment opportunities. The estimated size of this fire is approximately 223 acres.
Resources for additional information:
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MazamaFires2021
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7655/
Smoke Blog: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/
Email: 2021.cedarcreek@firenet.gov
Highway Information: https://www.wsdot.com/traffic/traffical ... fault.aspx
Evacuations: https://www.okanogancounty.org/.../emer ... /index.php
Methow Conservancy (Wildfire Preparedness): https://methowconservancy.org/discover/ ... ecovery%20
Wildfire Ready Neighbors (House Assessments): https://wildfireready.dnr.wa.gov/
Resources: Total personnel - 560: 3 - type 1 hotshot crews, 5 - type 2 hand crews, 2 - camp crews, 4 - type 1 (heavy) helicopters, 1 - type 2 helicopter, 2 - type 3 helicopter, 55 - engines, 5 - dozers, 16 - water tenders,1 - masticator, 1 - skidgen, 3 – skidders, 1 – excavator, 4 – feller bunchers, 1 – Aerial Supervision Module, and 151 line supervision & support personnel.
Closures:
For the safety of the firefighters and aircraft fighting these fires, a temporary flight restriction (TFR) has been placed over the area. Please consult the “Notice to Airmen” (NOTAM) for specifics. Wildfires are a “No Drone Zone” and any drones sighting in a TFR will immediately impede aerial firefighting resources and delay suppression actions.
State Route 20 (North Cascades Highway) remains closed at milepost 185 (7 miles west of Winthrop) to milepost 165 to all traffic due to fire activity.
The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has implemented a Fire Emergency Area Closure as of July 22nd, 2021. The Closure includes facilities, roads, and trails. The Closure may be viewed in its entirety at the “Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires 2021” Facebook page.
The Forest Service Fire Emergency Area Closure is separate from the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) closure of portions of State Route 20 and may change or be lifted at different times depending on operational needs. WSDOT is working closely with the Forest Service and Okanogan County to identify where fire activity and firefighting operations warrant closure.
Evacuation Information: The Okanogan County Emergency Management (OCEM) continues to reevaluate evacuation levels. For the most up to date evacuation levels see the OCEM’s website above. Residents entering Evacuation Level 3 areas need to slow down and watch for firefighters and equipment in roadways.
Weather: High pressure continues to build into the region. Expect generally light slope and valley winds followed by the typical afternoon and evening down Methow Valley winds. Expect smoke to linger a little longer. Maximum temperatures will be 83-92 degrees in the valleys and 76-82 degrees on the ridges with relative humidity 15-22% in the valleys and 18-25% on ridgelines.
Air Quality: Stagnant air will continue to hamper smoke dispersion today. Light downslope/downvalley winds will shift to upslope/upvalley winds in the Okanogan Valley with slightly stronger winds in the Methow Valley. Smoke will pool near the fires impacting Mazama, Winthrop, and Twisp with unhealthy to hazardous air quality throughout the day. The Okanogan Valley will have haze with periods of Unhealthy air.
Fire Restrictions: Campfire restrictions are in effect. Campfires are prohibited throughout the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, including developed campgrounds and congressionally designated Wilderness — call local ranger district offices for more information. https://tinyurl.com/yby4oysq
This incident is being managed by Great Basin Incident Management Team 1.
-End-

[pasayten]

Cub Creek 2 Fire-2021

July 27th 8:30 pm Operational Update
Things went very well on today's Strategic Firing Operation tying Sweet Grass Butte into the dozer line. The Winema Hotshots kept the burn low intensity and effectively removed burnable fuels ahead of the main fire. The photos were taken by Chris Childers with Operations on Sweet Grass Butte. In several, the low intensity but effective burn is apparent as the crews work on extinguishing hot spots.

[pasayten]

Cub Creek 2 Fire
Evening Update
July 27, 2021

Video Briefing... https://www.facebook.com/CubCreek2Fire2 ... 9306487108

For a shareable PDF of this update, click here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VBpv2s ... ObMLh/view
Fire Information Line – (509)-593-0574 (8:00 am to 9:00 pm)
The fire is burning on Okanogan County Fire District 6 and Washington Department of Natural Resources protected lands and the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.
The Cub Creek 2 Fire is estimated at 51,153 acres with 13% containment.
Today, crews had a successful day of increasing containment lines along the southwestern and southeastern flank of the fire. On the western flank of the fire, crews were able to tie in a combination of hand lines, dozer lines, and existing FS roads. Along Deer Creek and up into Sweet Grass Butte a strategical firing operation was completed to top of Sweet Grass Butte. Crews accomplished their primary objective today by keeping the western flank within established control lines, along with constructing new hand lines to keep the fire from skirting the McCloud burn scar. Along Buck Mountain towards Fifth Creek crews will complete the hand line tomorrow. Flight crews began prepping a structure at the North Twentymile lookout but were constrained on time because of the approaching smoke. Tomorrow crews will continue prepping the Twentymile lookout. Dense smoke along the eastern edge of the fire continues to restrict retardant drops because aviation had limited visibility. Along the eastern flank, above Pebble Creek, the fire remains checked in by existing control lines. In the Pebble Creek area, crews are nearing completion of dozer line up to the Tripod Peak. The southern is in mop-up and patrol status.
There was a well attended community meeting that was held at 6:00pm this evening in Winthrop. There will be another one at the City Park in Twisp tomorrow at 6:00pm.
Local resource advisors will continue to provide input to protect natural and historical values at risk.
Residents will continue to see smoke and smoldering or creeping fire behavior near homes, but personnel are actively monitoring those areas. Please only call 911 if flare-ups occur near structures.
Evacuation Information: The Okanogan County Emergency Management (OCEM) evacuations for the Chewuch River drainage remain in effect. Please consult OCEM information resources at okanogancounty.org for current evacuations. Residents leaving Evacuation Level 3 areas should be extremely cautious, drive slowly, and watch for firefighters and firefighting equipment on the roadway.
Resources for additional information:
StoryMap Link: https://arcg.is/1euzWj
Inciweb Page: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7675/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CubCreek2Fire2021
Smoke Blog: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/
Email: 2021.cubcreek2@firenet.gov
Highway Information: https://www.wsdot.com/traffic/traffical ... fault.aspx Evacuations: https://www.okanogancounty.org/.../emer ... /index.php
Methow Conservancy (Wildfire Preparedness): https://methowconservancy.org/discover/ ... ecovery%20
Wildfire Ready Neighbors (House Assessments):
https://wildfireready.dnr.wa.gov/
Resources: Total personnel–609; 3-type 1 IHC, 7-type 2, 4 type 2 initial attack hand crews, 5- heavy helicopters, 1- medium helicopter, 2-light lift helicopter, 28- engines, 10-dozer, 12-water tenders, and 145 overhead.
Closures: A Forest Area Emergency Closure has been issued by the Okanogan- Wenatchee National Forest which closes the use of multiple roads, campgrounds, and trails. Please see the enclosed links to the Forest Closure Page. https://bit.ly/3zsRtuw and map: https://bit.ly/3wZ2y50 The documents are also available on Inciweb and Facebook.
A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the fire area. Please consult the “Notice to Airmen” (NOTAM) for specifics. Wildfires are a “No Drone Zone” and any drones sighting in a TFR will immediately ground aerial firefighting resources and delay suppression actions.
Weather: Today was hot and dry, as temperatures remain 10- 15 degrees above seasonal norms. On the lower elevation’s temperatures reached the lower 90’s, while the upper elevation remained in the 80’s. This evening winds will increase out of the northwest, ranging from 6 – 12 mph. Tonight temperatures will drop to the upper 50’s – lower 60’s, with poor overnight humidity recoveries, ranging from upper 30% and into the low 40%.
Air Quality: Please monitor the air quality on the incident FB page above and the WA Smoke Blog https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/ and take appropriate actions. All vehicle traffic is advised to travel with lights on for safety.
Fire Restrictions: Campfire restrictions are in effect. Campfires are prohibited throughout the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, including developed campgrounds and congressionally designated Wilderness — call local ranger district offices for more information. https://tinyurl.com/yby4oysq

[pasayten]

Evening Caltopo VIIRS map... 7/27 6pm

[pasayten]

Cedar Creek Fire July 27, 2021 - Near the Sun Mountain Lodge the fire slipped into the marshy area yesterday evening. Lots of smoke was visible today, from down logs and stumps burning on the forest floor. However, there was minimal progression of the fire in this location due to the successful control actions from engines, helicopter and hand crews. The fire is currently holding below the 500 road. Some smoke is still visible in the area of Sun Mountain Lodge but is is not a factor at this time as containment efforts are being effective.

Video... https://www.facebook.com/MazamaFires202 ... 9711807867



Cedar Creek Fire July 27th - More photos from the Sun Mountain Lodge Area. The fire continues to hold below the 500 road. You can see the dozer line holding the fire in the picture below. This is a view halfway down Sun Mountain's main drive. The dozer line looks back up to the lodge.

[pasayten]

Cub Creek 2 Fire-2021

July 27 3:34 Operations Update
The Winema Hotshots began a strategic firing operation about 2:00 pm this afternoon. They are working from Sweet Grass Butte south to tie into a dozer line.

[pasayten]

Michael Chiu is with Kari Gilje.

09:30am Tuesday, 7/27: Cedar Creek Fire
Winds: 1-2mph up valley. Heavy smoke, worse up valley. 74F with 38% RH. Visibility under 3/4 mile.
No observable aerial ops. Air Quality: moderately foul
WA National Guard soldiers manning checkpoint now (from Spokane and Puyallup).
Nothing to report. Dreading the extreme heat forecast for later this week and it’s affect on hot shots/ground crews and pilots alike. Pretty sure those plexiglass ensconced cockpits aren’t equipped with AC. 105 degree air vented at you is basically a hairdryer.
Will drag hose, move irrigation and adjust sprinklers. Will be attending to consenting neighbor’s homes (leafblowing, removing combustibles, adjust sprinklers, etc.)
Evening sprinklers wetting down exposed wooden elements of the house leads to creaks, pops and groans as the wood dries during the day.
Surprised to see the garbage truck make its appointed rounds just now.

[PAL]

Also on other BB, saw where a water tanker is upside down at Elbow Coulee and entrance to Pine Forest. These guys need to slow down. Slow down the adrenaline.

[pasayten]

Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires 2021

Cedar Creek Fire - July 27, 2021 A fire engine was involved in a roll over accident on the Cedar creek fire this morning. The two firefighters are okay and being checked out by medical personnel. The circumstances around what happened are being reviewed.

[pasayten]

Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires 2021

Briefing Video... https://www.facebook.com/MazamaFires202 ... 6419308331


7/27 Morning Update
Great Basin Team 1, Incident Commander Evans Kuo, assumed command of the Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires today at 0600.
Public Meeting: Great Basin Team 1 and California Team 1 will hold a joint public meeting today, Tuesday, July 27, at Mack Lloyd Park in Winthrop at 6 p.m. covering the Cedar Creek, Delancy and Cub Creek 2 Fires. An identical meeting with the same information will be replicated Wednesday, July 28 at Twisp River Park, 325 N Lincoln St. in Twisp at 6 p.m.
Fire Information Line - Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires: 509-557-0740 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm)
Winthrop, WA — Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires are burning on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in very steep and rocky terrain in heavy down fuels.
Cedar Creek Fire: The fire is currently estimated at 33,462 acres and 13% contained.
Last night, the fire actively burned in the southeastern portion. Fire has established at the base of Gobblers Knob but remains contained by Forest Service Road 500. The fire pushed towards the Chickadee Trailhead. Night operations conducted burnouts to bring fire to established dozer line in the Wolf Creek area.
Fire continues backing down throughout Little Boulder Creek and Little Falls Creek areas making short runs back uphill. Fire managers are preparing contingency lines farther south of the fire along Forest Service Roads 4410 and 4415 and along the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness boundary.
On the western edge, fire continues to creep into the high alpine along Silver Star Creek. In the northwestern corner of the fire, resources are patrolling along State Route 20 between Silver Star Creek and Early Winters Campground where fire has backed downhill to the road. In the northeastern corner, fire continues to back down Sandy Butte ridgeline in the Freestone area, but remains contained above Forest Service Roads 100 and 115. Firefighters are securing lines as fire backs down. Firefighters are mopping up and patrolling the eastern portion of the line between Looney Creek and Badger Creek.
Engine strike teams, state, and local resources continue to provide structure protection to homes throughout the fire area. The current strategy is to construct containment lines in areas with a high probability of success. The objective is to keep the fire above the valley and away from values at risk.
Active burning in the fire area may create a column that could drop ash several miles from the fire and will continue as fuel is consumed. Only call 911 if you are seeing actively burning material.
Delancy Fire: Fire activity remains minimal with decreased smoke and movement over the past couple days. The fire is expected to continue to creep and smolder in steep, rocky, sparsely vegetated terrain. Fire managers are evaluating values and risks. Containment opportunities are being actively scouted on the east side up Lost River Road. The fire is being monitored by aircraft. The estimated size of this fire is approximately 223 acres.
Resources for additional information:
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MazamaFires2021
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7655/
Smoke Blog: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/
Email: 2021.cedarcreek@firenet.gov
Highway Information: https://www.wsdot.com/traffic/traffical ... fault.aspx
Evacuations: https://www.okanogancounty.org/.../emer ... /index.php
Methow Conservancy (Wildfire Preparedness): https://methowconservancy.org/discover/ ... ecovery%20
Wildfire Ready Neighbors (House Assessments): https://wildfireready.dnr.wa.gov/
Resources: Total personnel - 535: 3 - type 1 hotshot crews, 5 - type 2 hand crews, 2 - camp crews, 4 - type 1 (heavy) helicopters, 1 - type 2 helicopter, 2 - type 3 helicopter, 55 - engines, 5 - dozers, 16 - water tenders,1 - masticator, 1 - skidgen, 3 – skidders, 1 – excavator, 4 – feller bunchers, 1 – Aerial Supervision Module, and 151 line supervision & support personnel.
Closures:
For the safety of the firefighters and aircraft fighting these fires, a temporary flight restriction (TFR) has been placed over the area. Please consult the “Notice to Airmen” (NOTAM) for specifics. Wildfires are a “No Drone Zone” and any drones sighting in a TFR will immediately impede aerial firefighting resources and delay suppression actions.
State Route 20 (North Cascades Highway) remains closed at milepost 185 (7 miles west of Winthrop) to milepost 165 to all traffic due to fire activity.
The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has implemented a Fire Emergency Area Closure as of July 22nd, 2021. The Closure includes facilities, roads, and trails. The Closure may be viewed in its entirety at the “Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires 2021” Facebook page.
The Forest Service Fire Emergency Area Closure is separate from the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) closure of portions of State Route 20 and may change or be lifted at different times depending on operational needs. WSDOT is working closely with the Forest Service and Okanogan County to identify where fire activity and firefighting operations warrant closure.
Evacuation Information: The Okanogan County Emergency Management (OCEM) continues to reevaluate evacuation levels. For the most up to date evacuation levels see the OCEM’s website above. Residents entering Evacuation Level 3 areas need to slow down and watch for firefighters and equipment in roadways.
Weather: High pressure continues to build into the region. Expect generally light slope and valley winds followed by the typical afternoon and evening down Methow Valley winds gusting to around 15 mph. Expect smoke to linger a little longer. The warm and dry trend will continue, with temperature in camp nearing 100 degrees by the end of the week. Maximum temperatures will be 83-92 degrees in the valleys and 76-82 degrees on the ridges with relative humidity 15-22% in the valleys and 18-25% on ridgelines.
Air Quality: Stagnant air will continue to hamper smoke dispersion today. Light downslope/downvalley winds will shift to upslope/upvalley winds in the Okanogan Valley with slightly stronger winds in the Methow Valley. Smoke will pool near the fires impacting Mazama, Winthrop, and Twisp with unhealthy to hazardous air quality throughout the day. The Okanogan Valley will have haze with periods of Unhealthy air.
Fire Restrictions: Campfire restrictions are in effect. Campfires are prohibited throughout the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, including developed campgrounds and congressionally designated Wilderness — call local ranger district offices for more information. https://tinyurl.com/yby4oysq
This incident is being managed by Great Basin Incident Management Team 1.
-End-

[pasayten]

Cub Creek 2 Fire
Morning Update July 27, 2021

Video Briefing... https://www.facebook.com/CubCreek2Fire2 ... 6681548656

Fire Information Line – (509)-593-0574 (8:00 am to 9:00 pm)
For a shareable PDF of this update, click here: https://drive.google.com/.../1oqn.../view...
The fire is burning on Okanogan County Fire District 6 and Washington Department of Natural Resources protected lands and the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.
The Cub Creek 2 Fire is estimated at 51,168 acres with 11% containment.
Last night, the fire remained active, but crews were successful at keeping the fire checked within existing control lines. On the western flank of the fire, crews were able to strengthen control lines and bolster these lines out through Sweet Grass Butte in preparation for todays strategic burning operations.
The primary objective for crews today is to keep the western flank within established control lines, where crews are working aggressively to build out hand lines to keep the fire from skirting the McCloud burn scar. If conditions are optimal, crews are setting up for a strategical firing operation out of Sweet Grass Butte to tie the dozer line into FS Road 157. Along Buck Mountain towards Fifth Creek crews will establish hand lines throughout the day. Dense smoke along the western and northern edge of the fire continues to be a challenge for firefighters on the ground because aviation has limited visibility. The eastern flank, above Pebble Creek, the fire remains checked in by existing control lines. In the Pebble Creek area, crews are establishing a box to keep the fire from pushing out along the ridges. The lower southern portion of the fire edge looks good, as crews have begun mop-up in this area.
There will be a community meeting at the Mack Lloyd Park in Winthrop tonight at 6:00pm
Local resource advisors will continue to provide input to protect natural and historical values at risk.
Residents will continue to see smoke and smoldering or creeping fire behavior near homes, but personnel are actively monitoring those areas. Please only call 911 if flare-ups occur near structures.
Evacuation Information: The Okanogan County Emergency Management (OCEM) evacuations for the Chewuch River drainage remain in effect. Please consult OCEM information resources at okanogancounty.org for current evacuations. Residents leaving Evacuation Level 3 areas should be extremely cautious, drive slowly, and watch for firefighters and firefighting equipment on the roadway.
Resources for additional information:
StoryMap Link: https://arcg.is/1euzWj
Inciweb Page: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7675/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CubCreek2Fire2021
Smoke Blog: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/
Email: 2021.cubcreek2@firenet.gov
Highway Information: https://www.wsdot.com/traffic/traffical ... fault.aspx Evacuations: https://www.okanogancounty.org/.../emer ... /index.php
Methow Conservancy (Wildfire Preparedness): https://methowconservancy.org/discover/ ... ecovery%20
Wildfire Ready Neighbors (House Assessments):
https://wildfireready.dnr.wa.gov/
Resources: Total personnel–657; 3-type 1 IHC, 9-type 2, 4 type 2 initial attack hand crews, 5- heavy helicopters, 1- medium helicopter, 2-light lift helicopter, 29- engines, 9-dozer, 12-water tenders, and 145 overhead.
Closures: A new Forest Area Emergency Closure has been issued by the Okanogan- Wenatchee National Forest which closes the use of multiple roads, campgrounds, and trails. Please see the enclosed links to the Forest Closure Page. https://bit.ly/3zsRtuw and map: https://bit.ly/3wZ2y50 The documents are also available on Inciweb and Facebook.
A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the fire area. Please consult the “Notice to Airmen” (NOTAM) for specifics. Wildfires are a “No Drone Zone” and any drones sighting in a TFR will immediately ground aerial firefighting resources and delay suppression actions.
Weather: The region experienced poor overnight recoveries, with relative humilities reaching between 30 - 40%. Winds were light and variable, primarily out of the northwest, which drove the smoke from the fire down into the Chewuch River drainage. Today, conditions will be like yesterday; temperatures are expected to reach 80’s in the upper elevations, while the lower elevations will be in the low 90’s. In the later morning, winds will be out of the southeast, pushing the smoke from the Cedar Creek Fire over the eastern flake of the Cub Creek 2 Fire. Around 4pm, winds will increase out of the northwest, ranging from 6 – 12 mph, with guests up to 18 mph.
Air Quality: Please monitor the air quality on the incident FB page above and the WA Smoke Blog https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/ and take appropriate actions. All vehicle traffic is advised to travel with lights on for safety.
Fire Restrictions: Campfire restrictions are in effect. Campfires are prohibited throughout the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, including developed campgrounds and congressionally designated Wilderness — call local ranger district offices for more information. https://tinyurl.com/yby4oysq

[Chilly Dan]

In the resource list:

Resources: Total personnel - 535: 3 - type 1 hotshot crews, 5 - type 2 hand crews, 2 - camp crews, 4 - type 1 (heavy) helicopters, 1 - type 2 helicopter, 2 - type 3 helicopter, 55 - engines, 5 - dozers, 16 - water tenders,1 - masticator, 1 - skidgen, 3 – skidders, 1 – excavator, 4 – feller bunchers, 1 – Aerial Supervision Module, and 151 overhead.

What does "151 overhead" mean?

[pasayten]

7/27 Smoke Forecast
Fire & Weather
Cedar Ck fire at 33,462 acres with flanking fire along Virginian Ridge above Hwy 20, on the SW side of the fire, and in the Little Wolf Ck drainage. Cub Ck 2 fire is at 51,168 with fire activity in Pebble Ck drainage, 20 Mile Creek, and along Eightmile Ridge. Delancy fire holds 223 acres. Crews are working to secure containment lines on both fires. Visibility allowed aircraft to assist with firefighting efforts on both fires yesterday.
Smoke
Stagnant air will continue to hamper smoke dispersion today. Light downslope/downvalley winds will shift to upslope/upvalley winds in the Okanogan Valley with slightly stronger winds in the Methow Valley. Smoke will pool near the fires impacting Mazama, Winthrop, and Twisp with unhealthy to hazardous air quality throughout the day. The Okanogan Valley will have haze with periods of Unhealthy air.
Health
For information regarding Smoke and Health visit the health information tab on the WA Smoke Blog site at https://wasmoke.blogspot.com Current air quality with Purple Air monitors and permanent monitors available on the Fire and Smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov

[pasayten]

Steve Oulman

I've recently posted about the Cedar Creek fire but we still have another, larger, fire burning. The Cub Creek 2 fire is up to 51,000 acres this morning.
This map shows daily progression through July 24.

[pasayten]

Cedar Creek VIIRS maps... 7/26

[pasayten]

Infrared Fire perimeter map... 7/27

Cedar Creek

Operational Map...
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/photos/WAOWF/2 ... 56-CDT.pdf

[pasayten]

Micheal Chiu

8:30pm Monday, 7/26 - Cedar Creek Fire
Early evening winds have abated and is calm on valley floor. Smoke is still drifting to the ESE to SE. 80F and dropping, 25% RH.
Smoke had pooled in the valley much of the day concentrating in Mazama. The AM hours were calm and Smokey with visibility at 1-1.5 miles. No aerial operations noticed. Low intensity fires visible all along slope of Virginian Ridge from the cattle guard on the 5005 road towards Lucky Jim Bluff and working downhill slowly. Flames only visible intermittently.
At 12 noon some candling of trees was visible. The torching increased in frequency directly uphill by 1/4-1/3 mile from Green Rd.
At about 12:45 a small hole opened in the smoke above Left Fork Wolf Creek. At about 1:30pm the whole had expanded West and a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter explored the hole and immediately headed further West. Within 10 minutes a Bell UH-1 arrived and began dropping water on hot spots on the slope of the ridge just above the bench.
This pilot worked continuously until I left at 8:30pm. He departed for fuel and returned with a bucket fitted with a really short sling. This increased his flight speed and maneuverability significantly. Dipping from the pond near the big house East of Big Valley, his cycle time between drops was only 2.5 minutes.
A Sikorsky Skycrane joined the fight around 6pm and then a K-max. A second K-max arrived around 6:30 making for 4 helicopters working in tight airspace) 3 heavy lift + 1 UH-1). The Sikorsky was given deference due to its size and reduced agility and the pilots were queuing up and waiting to drop water.
The K-max dipped from deeper holes in the river. The Sikorsky siphoned from Patterson and the UH-1 from the big valley pond until about 8:30+/- when they departed.
Noticeable ash and partly burnt debris fell from the sky throughout the day.

Time Lapse Video around 8pm...
https://www.facebook.com/1748635016/vid ... 9251826537

[pasayten]

There will be two community meetings this week for both the Cedar Creek/Cub Creek 2 Fire (both meetings will be the same). On Tuesday the 27th, the meeting will be in Winthrop at Mack Lloyd Park at 6:00 pm. On Wednesday the 28th, the meeting will be in Twisp at the Twisp River Park at 325 N Lincoln Street at 6:00 pm. The 28th meeting will be live-streamed on both Fire Facebook pages: here is a link to the Cub Creek 2 one:(Cub Creek 2 Fire-2021)https://www.facebook.com/CubCreek2Fire2021

[pasayten]

Cub Creek 2 Fire
Evening Update
July 26, 2021

Briefing Video... https://www.facebook.com/CubCreek2Fire2 ... 4626298992

Fire Information Line – (509)-593-0574 (8:00 am to 9:00 pm)
For a shareable PDF of this update, click here: https://drive.google.com/.../1zfiK6OX99 ... hU.../view...
The fire is burning on Okanogan County Fire District 6 and Washington Department of Natural Resources protected lands and the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.
The Cub Creek 2 Fire is estimated at 44,100 acres (we were unable to fly our infrared ship due to a mechanical issue) with 10% containment.
Today, the western flank of the fire was the top priority, as crews engaged in building and strengthening control lines up and out through Sweet Grass Butte. In the Sweet Grass Pass and down into Cub Pass crews went direct and held the edge off FS Road 157. Tomorrow, crews are planning for a strategical firing operation to tie the dozer line into FS Road 157. The dozer lines checked the fire along Cub Pass, and down to Fifth Creek Pass, while crews worked to bolster control lines along Buck Mountain, where the fire is holding.
Air drops were limited along the western perimeter because of the dense smoke from both the Cedar Creek and Cub Creek 2 Fires. Along the northern edge of the fire, air drops were also limited because of the smoke, but crews worked to reinforce existing control lines. A flight crew flew the fire along Pebble Creek, where the fire continues to move out to the east along several ridges. The eastern flank, above Pebble Creek, the fire remains checked in by existing control lines.
A flight crew was able to identify a helispot on the north Twenty Mile lookout, where crews will be brought in on Tuesday or Wednesday to wrap the structure. Along the southern portion of the fire, crews will reinforce containment lines and continue mop up. Along the ridgetops of Eight Mile and the McLeod burn scar, crews improved existing control lines and mop-up.
Local resource advisors will continue to provide input to protect natural and historical values at risk.
Residents will continue to see smoke and smoldering or creeping fire behavior near homes, but personnel are actively monitoring those areas. Please only call 911 if flare-ups occur near structures.
Evacuation Information: The Okanogan County Emergency Management (OCEM) evacuations for the Chewuch River drainage remain in effect. Please consult OCEM information resources at okanogancounty.org for current evacuations. Residents leaving Evacuation Level 3 areas should be extremely cautious, drive slowly, and watch for firefighters and firefighting equipment on the roadway.
Resources for additional information:
StoryMap Link: https://arcg.is/1euzWj
Inciweb Page: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7675/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CubCreek2Fire2021
Smoke Blog: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/
Email: 2021.cubcreek2@firenet.gov
Highway Information: https://www.wsdot.com/traffic/traffical ... fault.aspx Evacuations: https://www.okanogancounty.org/.../emer ... /index.php
Methow Conservancy (Wildfire Preparedness): https://methowconservancy.org/discover/ ... ecovery%20
Wildfire Ready Neighbors (House Assessments):
https://wildfireready.dnr.wa.gov/
Resources: Total personnel–657; 3-type 1 IHC, 9-type 2, 4 type 2 initial attack hand crews, 5- heavy helicopters, 1- medium helicopter, 2-light lift helicopter, 29- engines, 9-dozer, 12-water tenders, and 145 overhead.
Closures: A Forest Area Emergency Closure has been issued by the Okanogan- Wenatchee National Forest which closes the use of multiple roads, campgrounds, and trails. Please see the enclosed links to the Forest Closure Page. https://bit.ly/3zsRtuw and map: https://bit.ly/3wZ2y50 The documents are also available on Inciweb and Facebook.
A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the fire area. Please consult the “Notice to Airmen” (NOTAM) for specifics. Wildfires are a “No Drone Zone” and any drones sighting in a TFR will immediately ground aerial firefighting resources and delay suppression actions.
Weather: Conditions were warm and dry; temperatures reached into the upper 80’s and into the lower 90’s along the ridges and slopes. Overnight recoveries will be poor, reaching into the low 40%. Dense smoke remained along the western and north western portion of the fire. Tonight, continued smoke is forecasted to settle in the valley’s as temperatures will remain high with poor recoveries. Winds will increase this evening out of the northwest, shifting in the overnight hours out of the west. The winds will push the smoke from the fire down into the Chewuch River drainage overnight.
Air Quality: Please monitor the air quality on the incident FB page above and the WA Smoke Blog https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/ and take appropriate actions. All vehicle traffic is advised to travel with lights on for safety.
Fire Restrictions: Campfire restrictions are in effect. Campfires are prohibited throughout the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, including developed campgrounds and congressionally designated Wilderness — call local ranger district offices for more information. https://tinyurl.com/yby4oysq

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Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires 2021

Great Basin Team 1 and California Team 1 will be holding a joint public meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, July 27, at Mack Lloyd Park in Winthrop at 6 p.m. covering the Cedar Creek, Delancy and Cub Creek 2 Fires.
An identical meeting with the same information will be replicated Wednesday, July 28 at Twisp River Park, 325 N Lincoln St. in Twisp at 6 p.m.

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Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires
Evening Update
July 26, 2021
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
Great Basin Team 1, Incident Commander Evans Kuo, will be assuming management of the Cedar Creek Fire tomorrow morning at 0600.
Public Meeting: Great Basin Team 1 and California Team 1 will be holding a joint public meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, July 27, at Mack Lloyd Park in Winthrop at 6 p.m. covering the Cedar Creek, Delancy and Cub Creek 2 Fires. An identical meeting with the same information will be replicated Wednesday, July 28 at Twisp River Park, 325 N Lincoln St. in Twisp at 6 p.m.
Fire Information Line - Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires: 509-557-0740 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm)
Winthrop, WA — Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires are burning on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in very steep and rocky terrain in heavy down fuels.
Cedar Creek Fire: The fire is currently estimated at 24,647 acres and 11% contained. Great Basin Team 1 and California Team 1 will be holding a joint public meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, July 27, at Mack Lloyd Park in Winthrop at 6 p.m. covering the Cedar Creek, Delancy and Cub Creek 2 Fires. An identical meeting with the same information will be replicated Wednesday, July 28 at Twisp River Park, 325 N Lincoln St. in Twisp at 6 p.m.
Today, firefighters worked to keep fire from establishing at the base of Gobblers Knob. The fire is holding along Forest Service Road 500. Crews constructed containment line towards Sun Mountain Lodge. Aircraft were used to moderate fire spread towards the lodge. Firefighters continued to construct and reinforce line along Wolf Creek. Fire activity was moderate backing down throughout Little Boulder Creek and Little Falls Creek areas. Fire managers are preparing contingency lines farther south of the fire along the 4410 and 4415 Roads and along the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness boundary.
Tonight, resources plan to hold and patrol lines. If winds and conditions remain favorable, crews will conduct burnout operations to remove unburned fuels between the fire’s edge and containment lines.
Firefighters are mopping up and patrolling the eastern portion of the line between Looney Creek and Badger Creek. On the western perimeter, fire continues to slowly back down avalanche chutes along the Silver Star drainage. Fire along State Route 20 between Silver Star Creek and Early Winters Campground has backed down to the road where firefighters continue to patrol the fire’s edge. Fire between Cedar Creek and Looney Creek has progressed downslope and is within 300 feet of containment lines. Firefighters will secure lines as fire backs down.
The current strategy is to construct containment lines in areas with a high probability of success. The objective is to keep the fire in the higher elevations above the valley and away from values at risk.
Active burning in the fire area may create a column that could drop ash several miles from the fire and will continue as fuel is consumed. Only call 911 if you are seeing actively burning material.
Delancy Fire: Fire activity remains minimal with decreased smoke and movement over the past couple days. The fire is expected to continue to creep and smolder in steep, rocky, sparsely vegetated terrain. Fire managers are evaluating values and risks. Containment opportunities are being actively scouted on the east side up Lost River Road. The fire is being monitored by aircraft. The estimated size of this fire is approximately 223 acres.
Resources for additional information:
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MazamaFires2021
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7655/
Smoke Blog: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/
Email: 2021.cedarcreek@firenet.gov
Highway Information: https://www.wsdot.com/traffic/traffical ... fault.aspx
Evacuations: https://www.okanogancounty.org/.../emer ... /index.php
Methow Conservancy (Wildfire Preparedness): https://methowconservancy.org/discover/ ... ecovery%20
Wildfire Ready Neighbors (House Assessments): https://wildfireready.dnr.wa.gov/
Resources: Total personnel - 535: 3 - type 1 hotshot crews, 5 - type 2 hand crews, 2 - camp crews, 4 - type 1 (heavy) helicopters, 1 - type 2 helicopter, 2 - type 3 helicopter, 55 - engines, 5 - dozers, 16 - water tenders,1 - masticator, 1 - skidgen, 3 – skidders, 1 – excavator, 4 – feller bunchers, 1 – Aerial Supervision Module, and 151 overhead.
Closures:
For the safety of the firefighters and aircraft fighting these fires, a temporary flight restriction (TFR) has been placed over the area. Please consult the “Notice to Airmen” (NOTAM) for specifics. Wildfires are a “No Drone Zone” and any drones sighting in a TFR will immediately ground aerial firefighting resources and delay suppression actions.
State Route 20 (North Cascades Highway) remains closed at milepost 185 (7 miles west of Winthrop) to milepost 165 to all traffic due to fire activity.
The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has implemented a Fire Emergency Area Closure as of July 22nd, 2021. The Closure includes facilities, roads, and trails. The Closure may be viewed in its entirety at the “Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires 2021” Facebook page.
The Forest Service Fire Emergency Area Closure is separate from the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) closure of portions of State Route 20 and may change or be lifted at different times depending on operational needs. WSDOT is working closely with the Forest Service and Okanogan County to identify where fire activity and firefighting operations warrant closure.
Evacuation Information: The Okanogan County Emergency Management (OCEM) continues to reevaluate evacuation levels. For the most up to date evacuation levels see the OCEM’s website above. Residents entering Evacuation Level 3 areas need to slow down and watch for firefighters and equipment in roadways.
Weather: Drying conditions are expected tonight into Tuesday morning. The potential for large fire growth, a Haines 5, is expected during this period. Winds will be downslope/downvalley 4 to 8 mph and 6 to 12 mph on the ridgelines with gusts to 18 mph. Minimum temperatures will be 55 to 60 degrees with relative humidity 40-50% in the valleys and on ridgelines.
Air Quality: Smoke will settle into the valley this evening.
Fire Restrictions: Campfire restrictions are in effect. Campfires are prohibited throughout the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, including developed campgrounds and congressionally designated Wilderness — call local ranger district offices for more information. https://tinyurl.com/yby4oysq
This incident is being managed by Northwest Incident Management Team 8.
-End-

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Spotter plane very active today…

Water drops also…

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Cub Creek 2 Fire-2021

As we are focused in on the Cub Creek Fire, it is also important to take a step back and see that the nation is at Preparedness Level 5, the highest level possible, and it got there a month earlier than last year, so fire resources are in high demand.

Where all those resources go is first prioritized at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise and then again at the Geographic area. The impact of the lack of available people is being felt at fires across the nation.

Today, there are fires in all ten Geographic areas of the U.S. and 22,000 firefighters and support personnel on incidents. There is even help from Australia by way of a 4000-gallon large air tanker (a 737) stationed in Boise, Idaho.

And of those 22,000 resources, 7108 are at work today on over 663,000 acres of fire, just in the Pacific Northwest. The map shows it all – 16 large uncontained fires in the PNW, and 11 of them are in Washington. Already, fires are reporting that many orders for help are going unfilled and teams are making-due with what they have right now. On the Cub Creek 2 Fire, the team has built a strategy to be successful with the resources they have now

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Smoke forecast modeling...

https://tools.airfire.org/websky/v2/run ... 00/#viewer