08/25/08 Crane Prairie Reservoir
As of Monday 10am:
Containment: 100%
Acres: 447
The fires within the Snow Creek Complex are 100% contained. Containment is the confidence level of fire managers that the fire can be kept within the control lines. Crews will continue to mop up and patrol these fires for a few more days. Demobilization of crews has started and will continue through Wednesday when it is anticipated all resources will be sent home or to other fires. After Wednesday, local Forest Service personnel will continue to patrol the fires.
All burnout operations are complete. The long and tedious job of mop up continues. Mop up is turning soil and adding water to extinguish all embers. Crews will feel the soil with their hands in order to find hot areas and mop them up. A heat seeking hand held infrared device called a “Thermovision” is being used to find hot spots so they can be extinguished. The goal is to mop up within 300 feet of the fire perimeter and eventually work in further. They will also continue to patrol outside the fire perimeter looking for new spot fires that might develop from “sleeper fires” from the lightning storm that passed over the area last weekend. All operations are going very well.
See Restrictions and Closures below for restrictions near Crane Prairie. Firefighting vehicles will continue to be on area roads, particularly on highway 97 in the La Pine area. The public is strongly advised to use caution while driving in the fire areas. Fire personnel appreciate the patience and support from the public and local businesses as they deal with these fires. Base camp is at the Ogden Group Camp near La Pine. Click on www.inciweb.org/incident/1486 for photos of the fires.
As of Friday 8 am:
Containment: 70%
Acres: 389
Fire activity was confined to areas with heavy downed fuels today.
Line construction was completed around fires 761, 758 and spot fires. Held all lines.
Division A: Mop up at least 50 feet to a goal of 300 feet of all control lines. Locate, line, GPS and mop up spot fires. Division B: Mop up at least 50 feet to a goal of 300 feet of all control lines. Locate, line, GPS and mop up spot fires. Division Z: Mop up at least 50 feet to a goal of 300 feet of all control lines. Locate, line, GPS and mop up spot fires. Initial Attack Group: Be prepared to respond to IA in assigned areas. Support other functions and Divisions as needed.
Fire 758 is 126 acres. Fire 761 is 263 acres. Guard Station to the east of the fire is other threatened structure noted in block 24. Area closure remains in effect in the fire area. Communications from ICP (Command Channel)to fire line is an issue that is being worked on. Approximately 7.5 miles constructed dozer line accomplished to date. Approximately 1.25 miles constructed hand lines accomplished to date. Plan to move ICP/Base Camp to new location tomorrow.
As of Thursday 9:30am:
Cause: Lightning
Containment: 50%
Acres: 389
Cost: $570,000
No fire growth over the last 24 hours. Wednesday crews were able to accomplish burning out unburned areas along some of the completed fire lines and continue to mop up. There may be some isolated burning out today of unburned fuels near fire control lines. Control line is 90% complete with some hand line still to finish around some spots. This team has been delegated initial attack responsibilities within 5 miles of the main fire and responded to two small fires earlier in the week. Crews continue to mop up those fires as well.
The fire area has only received ten one-hundredths of an inch of rain this week in stark contrast to the base camp at Mt. Bachelor, which received nearly 2 inches of rain in 2 hours yesterday, and it continues to rain there today. Despite the difficult living conditions, firefighters have kept good attitudes and are doing excellent work. Firefighters are taking advantage of the cooler weather and are making excellent progress toward full containment. The fire is 50% contained. Containment percentage is the confidence level fire managers have of keeping the fire within control lines, based on expected fire weather, fuels, and other factors
The weather is expected to return to seasonal norms by Friday. Small “sleeper” fires that may have been started by the lightning last weekend may show themselves as the weather warms up and fuels dry out. There are preparations being made for that possibility.
Four additional 20 person crews arrived Wednesday and are included in the resources listed above. The wetlands of the Deschutes River, Snow Creek and Crain Prairie Reservoir are sensitive areas. Plans are to avoid the use of heavy equipment and retardant in those areas. Aside from road closures near the fire and one campground closure (Cow Meadow) tourist activities should not be affected. Base camp is set up at the Mt. Bachelor ski resort.
Though rain has fallen in the area with a warming and drying trend, the forest will dry out fire danger still exists and everyone should be alert and aware.
Weather: Remaining cool, wet and breezy with gradual drying trend into the weekend. Max temperature 65 to 69, minimum humidity 50%, winds W 5-11 mph.
The Cascade Lakes Highway is open. The following roads and campground closures are expected to remain in effect through this coming weekend. Forest Service Road 4270 is closed from it’s junction with FS road 40 north to the Cascade Lakes Highway. Rd 4270 from that junction south to Craine Prarie Resort and beyond is open. That portion of FS road 40 at its junction with the 4270 road west to the Cascade Lakes Highway is closed. Cow Meadow campground is closed.
No campfire restrictions. Campfires are allowed in campgrounds and dispersed recreation areas in rock fire rings. Fire danger remains high. Make sure your fire is dead out before you leave it. Drown it with water, and then drown it again.
As of Wednesday 9am: 300 acres burning
The fire has not significantly grown over the last 24 hours. Crews made excellent progress yesterday constructing control line and burning out unburned areas near those lines. There is dozer or hand constructed control line around approximately 50% of the fire. Firefighters are planning to use the cooler weather expected over the next few days to make good progress in constructing additional fireline and mopping up. Crews are plumbing the fire with fire hose to assist in mop up. Crews responded to a small fire about 2 miles northeast of this fire and will mop it up today.
The heavy fuels in the fire area increases the possibility of severe fire behavior when weather warms up and fuels dry out. The weather is expected to return to seasonal norms later in the week. There was one injury yesterday when a snag fell on a firefighter who sustained a minor back injury. He was transported by ambulance to a Bend hospital where he was kept overnight for observation, and is expected to fully recover.
The fire is 20% contained. Containment percentage is the confidence level fire managers have of keeping the fire within control lines, based on expected fire weather, fuels, and other factors. More resources arrived yesterday. The wetlands of the Deschutes River, Snow Creek and Crain Prairie Reservoir are sensitive areas. Plans are to avoid the use of heavy equipment and retardant in those areas. Aside from road closures near the fire and one campground closure (Cow Meadow) tourist activities should not be affected.
Washington State Interagency Incident Management Team 3 took over management of this fire Monday morning relieving local fire forces to return to normal duties. Base camp is set up at the Mt. Bachelor ski resort.
As of Tuesday 12pm:
Washington State Interagency Incident Management Team 3 took over management of this fire at 0600 Tuesday morning relieving local fire forces to return to normal duties. It’s burning 250 acres near Crane Prairie Reservoir. It was sparked by lightning on Sunday. Firefighters have it twenty percent contained.
The fire has not significantly grown over the last 24 hours. Firefighters are planning to use the cooler weather expected over the next few days to make good progress in constructing fire line and suppressing this fire. The heavy fuels in the fire area increases the possibility of severe fire behavior when weather warms up and fuels dry out. The weather is expected to return to seasonal norms later in the week.
More resources, mostly 20 person crews, continue to arrive today to start work. The wetlands of the Deschutes River, Snow Creek and Crane Prairie Reservoir are sensitive areas. Plans are to avoid the use of heavy equipment and retardant in those areas.
There are no helicopters assigned to this fire, however they are available is needed. Aside from road and campground closures in the immediate vicinity of the fire, tourist activities should not be affected.
Base camp is set up at the Mt. Bachelor ski resort.
The weather forecast calls for cool, max temperature 69, minimum humidity 41%, winds SW 4-9 Tuesday morning.
Complacency is a dangerous human practice. Though rain has fallen, the area will dry out quickly. Fire danger still exists and everyone should be alert and aware.
The Cascade Lakes Highway is open. Forest Service Road 4270 is closed. That portion of FS road 40 west of its junction with the 4270 road is closed. Cow Meadow campground is closed.
Industrial Fire Precaution Level 2
No campfire restrictions. Campfires are allowed in campgrounds and dispersed recreation areas in rock fire rings. Fire danger remains high. Make sure your fire is dead out before you leave it. Drown it with water, then drown it again.
For the latest updates on this fire you can also check: http://www.inciweb.org/
