Washington Interagency Incident Management Team (WIIMT) 5 assumed command of the Okanogan Complex Thursday, September 10. The incident command post (ICP) is at the Omak stampede grounds.

The Chelan Complex is under the command of WIIMT 3. The ICP is at Alta Lake, near Pateros. The Chelan Complex now has its own phone number and email address: 206-276-9126 and chelancomplexfire@gmail.com.  

Teams transfer command-

California Interagency Incident Management Team 5 (CIIMT 5 ), under the command of Mike Minton, would to thank cooperators and community members for their support throughout the suppression efforts. CIIMT 5 will transfer command of the Okanogan and Chelan Complexes tomorrow at 6:00 a.m. to a type 2 incident management team-Pacific Northwest Team 3-and a NIMO (National Incident Management Organization). CIIMT 5 will assume command of the Tunk Block and North Star Fires tomorrow at 6:00 a.m.

The Okanogan and Chelan Complex incident command post is moving from the Okanogan County Fairgrounds to the Omak Stampede grounds. The incident command post for the Tunk Block and North Star Fires is also at the Omak Stampede grounds.

Fire information for the Okanogan and Chelan Complexes: 877-574-5148

877-568-0458

Today's air quality report-

Find the latest Washington smoke information HERE

Okanogan Complex and Chelan Complex Fire Update September 8, 2015, 9:00 AM Fire Information: 877-568-0458 or 877-574-5148, 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM Okanogan Complex

Size: 148,576 acres

Containment: 85 percent

Estimated Cost to Date: 36.9 million

Injuries: 7

Residences Damaged or Destroyed: 123

Total Personnel: 1,232

Committed Resources: 25 crews, 63 engines, 9 helicopters 17 dozers, 23 water tenders, 9 skidgines, 7 masticators

Chelan Complex

Size: 88,684 acres

Containment: 75 percent

Estimated Cost to Date: $17.9 million

Injuries: 9

Residences Damaged or Destroyed: 23

Total Personnel: 629

Committed Resources: 11 crews, 37 engines, 5 dozers, 14 water tenders, 4 skidgines, 1 masticator CURRENT FIRE SITUATION Yesterday, firefighters completed work in many areas to increase fire perimeter containment on both complexes. California Interagency Incident Management Team 5 (CIIMT 5), under the command of Mike Minton, would like to thank cooperators and community members for their support throughout the suppression efforts. CIIMT 5 will transfer command of the Okanogan and Chelan Complexes tomorrow at 6:00 a.m. to a type 2 incident management team—Pacific Northwest Team 3—and a NIMO (National Incident Management Organization). CIIMT 5 will assume command of the Tunk Block and North Star Fires tomorrow at 6:00 a.m. OKANOGAN COMPLEX The Lime Belt Fire, which encompasses the Beaver Lake Fire, is 132,634 acres and 75 percent contained. Containment on northwest trip of the fire is almost complete, and firefighters expect to finish mopping up the area today. Portions of the western side remain uncontained because crews have been unable to conduct firing operations between an indirect dozer line and the fire perimeter near Forest Road (FR) 42. However, the fire is not threatening to escape the fireline, which is secure. Crews are prepared to conduct the defensive firing operation when weather and fuel conditions are favorable. Firefighters continue to remove fire-weakened hazard trees along FR 42. On the northeast side, firefighters are mopping up and patrolling the canyon rim to keep the fire from spreading into the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area. Crews on the southern end are mopping up, patrolling, and assisting the suppression-repair group. CHELAN COMPLEX The fire continues to be minimally active on the northwest tip near Saint Luise Creek and is being monitored by air. Aircraft are also monitoring the southern half of the fire. On the northern half, firefighters continue to mop up the fire perimeter and repair areas affected by fire-suppression efforts. EVACUATIONS AND ROAD CLOSURES ·        The Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest issued an area closure, effective September 4, 2015, for federal lands in the fire area: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/4534/29367/ or http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/okawen/alerts-notices ·        Okanogan County Emergency Operations Center provides information on evacuations and road closures: 509-422-7348, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Okanogan.County.Emergency.Management

Okanogan Complex and Chelan Complex Fire Update

September 7, 2015, 9:00 AM

Fire Information: 877-568-0458 or 877-574-5148, 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM

 

Okanogan Complex	Chelan Complex
Size: 148,780 acres	Size: 94,301 acres
Containment: 70 percent	Containment: 75 percent
Estimated Cost to Date: 30.3 million	Estimated Cost to Date: $16.1 million
Injuries: 7	Injuries: 9
Residences Damaged or Destroyed: 123	Residences Damaged or Destroyed: 23
Total Personnel: 1,300	Total Personnel: 680
Committed Resources: 25 crews, 73 engines, 9 helicopters 18 dozers, 25 water tenders, 9 skidgines, 1 masticator	Committed Resources: 11 crews, 52 engines, 6 helicopters, 5 dozers, 14 water tenders, 4 skidgines, 1 masticator

OKANOGAN COMPLEX

Lime Belt Fire (132,838 acres, 60 percent contained): The priority for firefighters today is to mop up and secure the contained line that they’ve worked hard to establish. On the west side, tree-falling crews, in coordination with resource advisors, will continue to work along Forest Road (FR) 42, removing pre-identified fire-weakened hazard trees. FR 42 will be closed to the public where the fallers are working. Crews on the north side remain focused on mopping up the fire perimeter. Progress is steady but slow because of the turnaround time it takes water tenders to refill and return to the firefighters and engines on the fireline. On the eastern and southern sides of the fire, crews continue to patrol and mop up the fire perimeter and extinguish peat-moss fires off the Green Lake Road. The suppression-repair group will begin working today to repair dozer lines along the Salmon Creek and Spring Coulee Roads.

 

 

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

Firefighters finished suppression-repair work on the Twisp Fire yesterday. Today, two crews will grid the fire, meaning that they will systematically travel around the perimeter on parallel courses—or gridlines—to ensure they have found and extinguished all areas of heat during the mop-up process. On the Nine Mile Fire today, heavy-equipment operators will finish repairing areas that were damaged by fire-suppression activities.

CHELAN COMPLEX

Although the fire continues to be minimally active on the northwest tip, burning slowly downslope toward Saint Luise Creek, it is producing smoke that residents in surrounding communities might see. Aircraft are monitoring the area and dropping water as needed to prevent the fire from crossing the creek. Elsewhere on the northern end of the fire, firefighters continue to mop up along and inside the perimeter. Firefighters in the suppression-repair group on the southern end of the fire continue to repair dozer and hand lines.

 

EVACUATIONS AND ROAD CLOSURES

·        A US Forest Service area closure, effective September 4, 2015, is in effect for federal lands in the fire area. For a detailed map and the closure order (No. 947) go to http://okanogancomplex.blogspot.com/ (“fire updates” tab).

·        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.

Interactive Fire Area Closures Map for current information on area and trail closures on Okanogan-Wenatchee national Forest. (Zoom in for details)

http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/okawen/alerts-notices/?aid=30418

Wildfire Smoke Images from space:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/fires/main/index.html



Nasa Earth Images:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/category.php?cat_id=8&m=08&y=2012