Whitmore Fire Morning Update 8.14.21
Whitmore Fire Wildfire
WHITMORE FIRE UPDATENORTHWEST INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM 12Incident Commander: Bobby Shindelar August 14, 2021
The Whitmore Fire is located on the Colville Reservation south of Omak Lake and west of Nespelem, WA. The Incident Command Post at Nespelem Community Center is closed to all but essential personnel to help ensure the health and safety of community members and firefighters.
Smoke from fires in northern Washington and British Columbia continues to blanket the area. This has the effect of dampening fire activity. Today, there is a “Fire Weather Watch” due to Sunday afternoon’s forecast of gusty winds ahead of a cold front and low relative humidity. A Fire Weather Watch goes into effect when there is potential for a Red Flag Warning, which marks hot, dry, and windy conditions that are ideal for extreme fire behavior. These upcoming winds will further test the fire’s containment lines, but the fire is not anticipated to grow beyond its current footprint. Containment lines remain secure and firefighters will remain vigilant given the potential for a Red Flag Warning tomorrow.
Operations Yesterday, firefighters patrolled the entire perimeter of the fire and continued “mopping up:” digging up and extinguishing residual burning materials close to containment lines in order to secure them. Crews completed mop-up around the ridgetop by Jim Creek Road and that area is now in patrol status.
The UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) unit also ran an infrared detection flight from Omak Lake, around Camp Progress, and around the Dan Nason Basin areas. Very little heat was detected in that area of the fire and no heat appeared close to containment lines. In the southern part of the fire, sawyers felled fire-weakened trees along Whitmore Mountain Cutoff Road, creating access up to Whitmore lookout.
EvacuationsLevel 2 evacuations remain in place through the Red Flag Warning period for the Columbia River Road corridor, Kartar Valley, Colville Agency, the community of Nespelem, and the SR155 corridor from Colville Agency north up to the Mission. Call Tribal Police at (509) 634-2472 with all evacuation questions.
Traffic and Road ClosuresCoyote Creek Road remains closed.
There will be increased traffic due to the Omak Stampede this weekend. Please use extra caution driving, as fire equipment accesses the northern portion of the fire from SR155 and will be entering and exiting side roads.
SIZE: 58,087 acresCONTAINMENT: 40%PERSONNEL: 396CAUSE: Lightning
RESOURCES:Hand Crews: 8Engines: 25Dozers: 8Water Tenders: 15Helicopters: 1Fixed Wing: 1
FIRE INFORMATION:
509-557-00632021.whitmore@firenet.govFacebook: @cwafireinfoTwitter: @CWAFireInfoINCIWEB:
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7776/Air quality information:
https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/p/local-outlooks.html?m=1