Okanogan Complex and Chelan Complex Fire Update  September 6, 2015, 9:00 AM     Okanogan Complex
Size: 148,780 acres
Containment: 65 percent
Estimated Cost to Date: 33.9 million
Injuries: 7
Residences Damaged or Destroyed: 123
Total Personnel: 1,107
Committed Resources: 16 crews, 72 engines, 9 helicopters 11 dozers, 22 water tenders, 9 skidgines, 1 masticator

Chelan Complex
Size: 93,896 acres
Containment: 75 percent
Estimated Cost to Date: $16.9 million
Injuries: 9
Residences Damaged or Destroyed: 23
Total Personnel: 704

Committed Resources: 11 crews, 57 engines, 5 dozers,

14 water tenders, 4 skidgines, 1 masticator

  

OKANOGAN COMPLEX

Lime Belt Fire (132,838 acres, 60 percent contained): Yesterday firefighters attempted a burning operation off Forest Road (FR) 42, but the high humidity and cloudy skies hampered burning. A firing operation is considered successful if it adequately burns the surface fuels, creating “clean black” and giving the main fire nothing to consume. East of FR 42, where the weather and fuel conditions were more conducive for defensive firing, crews burned all remaining small pockets of fuel between the fire’s edge and an established dozer line. On the northwest side of the fire, skidgines assisted firefighters in their mop-up efforts. Skidgines have a water-holding capacity of eight hundred to twenty-five hundred gallons. They can traverse terrain that an engine cannot, providing a close source of water to firefighters and reducing the amount of hose needed as they mop-up far from roads. Starting today, all of the tree-falling crews will be working for several days along FR 42, cutting down hundreds of fire-weakened hazard trees to ensure public safety when the road is reopened.

 

Twisp River Fire (11,222 acres, 98 percent contained) and Nine Mile Fire (4,720 acres, 98 percent contained):

Firefighters expect to finish suppression-repair work on the Twisp Fire today. They will then focus on repairing areas of the Nine Mile Fire damaged by fire-suppression efforts.

CHELAN COMPLEX

The fire did not grow significantly yesterday. It continues to burn slowly downslope toward the Saint Luise Creek drainage on the northwest side of the fire. Aircraft water drops will be used to prevent the fire from crossing the creek due to the area being unsafe for firefighters to access on the ground. Elsewhere on the fire, crews are patrolling and mopping up along the perimeter and around structures. Firefighters in the suppression-repair group continue to repair dozer lines. Last night was the last night crews will be working a night shift on this fire.

EVACUATIONS AND ROAD CLOSURES

·  Okanogan County Emergency Operations Center provides information on evacuations and road closures:

509-422-7348, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Okanogan.County.Emergency.Management

· Washington State Department of Transportation provides additional information about road closures: www.wsdot.com/traffic/trafficalerts.