Klondike Fire Information: 541-597-4784

Wildfire Situation Update Date: July 14, 2021

NW Preparedness Level: 5 For DNR’s current fire situation National Preparedness Level: 4 status please visit: NW T2 IMT Rotation: All teams out. http://fireinfo.dnr.wa.gov/ DNR IA Activity: Light

Weather Summary:

Wednesday, July 14, 2021 Jon Bonk – NWS IMET

Today/Tonight:

Red Flag Warning for Wind and Low Humidity is in effect from 1300 hrs Wednesday through 2300 hrs Thursday for much of Eastern Washington NWS Heat advisory today through this evening for most of eastern Washington

The screaming message is the Red Flag Warning for wind and low humidity today across much of eastern Washington. Western Washington will see some locally breezy winds, however, onshore flow will keep elevated humidity today and tonight.

The west side marine layer has pushed up against the south Cascade crest overnight which maintained the gusty winds for most of the central and south east side valleys. There will be little to no decrease in winds today in the east slope valleys. Those winds will increase late this afternoon and peak during the evening hours. Expect the typical windiest areas will see gusts 30-40 mph. Gorge winds start peaking late this afternoon with the east slope valleys peaking closer to 2000 hours. Humidity will be very dry ranging from 10-20%.

Additionally, temperatures continue to be hot ranging from 95°-105° across the lower elevations. Even the mountains will see many elevations in the 80s. With these temperatures, also expect moderately deep surface instability with mixing potential several to 10,000+ above the terrain.

Tonight will be different in that a dry cold front will slowly cross late this evening and overnight. This primarily maintains fairly gusty winds for the east slopes along with blocking much of a humidity rise for lower basin areas away from the Columbia River. Additionally, Gorge outflow winds will increase and be forced along the Blue Mountain Foothills to affect the Walla Walla region and local upper basin areas with gusts 20-25 mph through the night.

Many areas and elevations will not rise above 50% humidity for more than a couple hours tonight, and even then, only closer to daybreak Thursday. This includes most of the east slope valleys where breezy winds continue through the night.

Please refer to local NWS forecasts for specific regional and local details. *More attached below*

Burn Restrictions/Announcements:

July 6, 2021: Inslee declares wildfire state of emergency, limited burn ban

Gov. Jay Inslee today declared a statewide state of emergency relating to the growing risk of wildfires, including a statewide prohibition on most outdoor and agricultural burning through September 30, 2021.

"Washington is facing a historic drought and we have already experienced record-breaking heat. We must be vigilant in our efforts to prevent wildfires, and the loss of life and destruction of land and property that comes with them,” Inslee said. “We don’t want a repeat of recent years with dangerous wildfires across the state that have destroyed towns, killed livestock and resulted in weeks of unhealthy air quality. I urge everyone to do their part to help protect our beautiful state and all our communities.”

“We have seen a record-breaking number of fires for this early in the summer,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz. “Extreme drought conditions leave communities across our state at risk as fire danger continues to climb. I’m asking everyone to do their part and take precautions to prevent wildfires. Our firefighters on the frontlines depend on us to help keep them safe.”

Although this order includes some burn ban exceptions (for example, the use of gas-fueled stoves in some circumstances and also small, recreational campfires in contained structures on a person’s private property) nothing in the order supersedes more restrictive provisions by a lawful authority, like city or county governments. The proclamation also activates the Washington National Guard to assist in wildfire suppression efforts.

Read the full proclamation here: https://www.governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/proclamations/proc_21-10.pdf

JULY 1, 2021: Commissioner Franz Enacts Statewide DNR Burn Ban

Prompted by increased fire danger due to prolonged drought, Fourth of July fireworks, increased temperatures and winds, the order bans all outdoor burning on all forest lands under DNR fire protection, including campfires

Additional information:  Residents who see smoke should call 911 to report the fire. For tips on how to stay safe during fire season, go to https://www.dnr.wa.gov/WildfirePrevention.  Wildfire statistics can be found on DNR’s Fire Dashboard at http://fireinfo.dnr.wa.gov/.  The signed statewide burn ban order can be seen here.  Residents can find their Fire Danger Rating Area at https://fortress.wa.gov/dnr/protection/firedanger/ and burn restrictions at https://burnportal.dnr.wa.gov/

Region Reports: Note that count of new IA fires and acres is now daily Monday-Friday, with weekend activity included on Mondays. Large Fires are defined as 100 acres in timber or 300 acres in grass.

Northeast New Fires 7 IA fires for 6.25 acres. In Region Avail for Out of Region Resources Engines 25 Engines 0 Available Crews 3 Crews 0 Notes: All 3 in-region crews are 10-person from AHCC. 9 overhead available for out-of-region. 5 dozers on standby.

Northwest New Fires 0 IA fires In Region Avail for Out of Region Resources Engines 4 Engines 2 Available Crews - Crews - Notes:

Olympic New Fires 2 IA fires for 0.7 acres. In Region Avail for Out of Region Resources Engines 7 Engines 1 Available Crews 6 Crews 1 Notes:

Pacific Cascade New Fires 2 IA fires for 0.35 acres. In Region Avail for Out of Region Resources Engines 9 Engines 0 Available Crews 3 Crews 0 Notes: 1 3-person squad on shift in region today. 2 Larch crews are day tripping to Lyle Hill, Larch kitchen available if priority.

Southeast New Fires 3 IA fires for 4023 acres. In Region Avail for Out of Region Resources Engines 21 Engines 0 Available Crews 2 Crews 0 Notes: Red Apple fire is 5000 acres. A Type 3 team order with be placed this morning followed up by a Type 1 or 2 team order. Ahtanum and North Columbia crews are assigned to Lyle Hill. 3 new IA fires with Red Apple being the biggest. No other agency assists to report or false alarms. SE Type 3 Team 1 trying to build a roster but has several holes.

South Puget New Fires 5 IA fires for 1.4 acres. In Region Avail for Out of Region Resources Engines 9 Engines 4 Available Crews 3 Crews 0 Notes: Strike team of 5 engines available.

Recent Fire Activity Snapshot: See: http://fireinfo.dnr.wa.gov/

Large Fire Details: [see attachments for additional information where available] Red Apple. (SE Region DNR) WA-SES-000360. 3 mi SE from Cashmere, WA. Start 7/13. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 5,000 acres (as of 0500). Grass and brush. Evacuations in effect. Type 1 Team on order. Lyle Hill. (SE Region DNR) WA-SES-000354. IMT3. ¼ mi NE of Lyle, WA. Start 7/12. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 301 acres. 10% containment. Active fire behavior. Grass and timber. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7662/ Delancy. (US Forest Service) WA-OWF-000349. IMT2, NW Team 8 (Stock). Start 7/11. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 30 acres. 0% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Timber. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7655/ Cedar Creek. (US Forest Service) Cedar Creek. WA-OWF-000320. IMT2, NW Team 8 (Stock). 5 mi southwest of Mazama, WA. Start 7/8. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 612 acres (+437). 0% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Timber. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7655/ Varden. (US Forest Service) WA-OWF-000347. IMT2, NW Team 8 (Stock). 5 mi southwest of Mazama, WA. Start 7/11. Monitor/Confine/Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 1,500 acres (+500). 0% containment. Moderate fire behavior. Timber. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7655/ Lick Creek. (US Forest Service) OR-UMF-000658. IMT1, PNW Team 3 (Johnson). 2 mi SW of Asotin, WA. Start 7/7. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 58,0111 acres (+2,956) 20% containment. Active fire behavior. Grass and brush. Structures threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road, trail and area closures. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7615/ Green Ridge. (US Forest Service) OR-UMF-000659. IMT2, NW Team 7 (Loomis). 30 mi E of Walla Walla, WA. Start 7/7. Full Suppression. Cause: Lightning. 338 acres (+110). 10% containment. Active fire behavior. Timber and grass. Road, trail and area closures. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7628/ Chuweah Creek Fire. (Bureau of Indian Affairs) WA-COA-200084. IMT2, NW Team 12 (Dimke). 15 mi N of Grand Coulee, WA. Start 7/12. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 15,000 acres (+14,900). Timber. Evacuations in effect. Road and area closures. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7664/ Burbank. (SE Region DNR) WA-MCR-000346. IMT3. 8 mi northeast of Yakima, WA. Start 7/10. Full Suppression. Cause: Unknown. 12,000 acres (+0). 10% contained. Minimal fire behavior. Grass and brush. Structures threatened. Evacuations in effect. Road, trail and area closures. Last report on morning brief unless significant activity occurs. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7650/

NWCC Links: Morning Brief 7-Day Significant Fire Potential Situation Report

2021 WA DNR Wildfire Statistics as of 07/14/2021

Responses DNR Protection Fires Fires and false alarms on any jurisdiction where DNR dispatched resources Fires on or those threatening DNR-protected lands DNR Responses Response Acres DNR Fires DNR Acres

Eastside 850 71575.56 Eastside 502 57742.51

Westside 264 220.21 Westside 182 215.51

Total 1114 71795.77 Totals 684 57958.02

Fire Causes Fire Locations Number of DNR fires by general cause category New fires shown in red (last 72hrs), older fires in black

Ten Year (Year-to-Date) Fire Statistics These values represent the total number of DNR fires and acres burned over the last ten years from January 1 to the date of this report. Note that the average is calculated on 2011-2020 numbers to allow for editing/finalizing of 2021 statistics.

Report created from EIRS on: Wed Jul 14 06:01:25 2021

Data Disclaimer: Statistics for DNR Wildfire Reports are compiled in DNR's internal Emergency Incident Response Statistics (EIRS) software from the regional dispatch offices. Statistics are subject to editing, and may vary throughout the season until finalized at the end of the year.

For questions about these statistics, please email [email protected]. Washington DNR Fuels Status 7/14/2021

Vaughn Cork Fuels Analyst

Narrative: Fire danger increased again during the first half of the week. There are at this point 5 FDRAs pushing 100th percentile ERC, BI or both, and the Upper Basin is again setting new all-time maximums for ERC. Western Washington is quietly maintaining above normal fire danger with each FDRA except for the Lowlands South above 90th percentiles.

Eastern Washington – With warm, dry, gusty winds and critical fuels conditions across the board, expect extreme fire behavior. High elevations are proving to no longer mitigate the potential for large fire activity. Fuel conditions in all but the Upper and Lower Yakima FDRA’s are critical and violent fire behavior should be expected, especially in the Cascade gaps.

Western Washington, exposed grass and brush sites and slash are capable of carrying quickly moving fires in western Washington. Mature stands have exhibited slow moving, deep burning, but high intensity fire activity. Continued onshore flow this week will help to keep timber fires slow.

Valid for July 14 through July 16, 2021 Date Issued: 7/14/2021

**Note, indicated Adjective Fire Danger rating may not be the same as the publicly posted fire danger. Indicated adjective rating is the staffing level -1 without a significant fire weather event. Washington DNR Fuels Status 7/14/2021

Fuel Conditions by Fire Danger Rating Area: Methow – Indices are indicating Very High to EXTREME fire danger. The ERC is at the 98th percentile (no change), and BI at 95th (down 1). Live fuel moistures are indicating around 70% (down 10), and 100Hr fuels are at 9% (no change). Chelan – Indices are above average indicating EXTREME fire danger. ERC is at the 97th percentile (up 2), and BI is at the 98th (up 2). Live fuels are indicating around 65% (no change). 100Hr fuels are at 10% (no change). Upper Yakima – Indices are above average indicating High to Very High to fire Danger. ERC is at the 97th percentile (down 1) and BI is at 93rd percentile (down 4). Live fuel moistures are indicating around 80% (no change). 100Hr fuels are at 10% (no change). Lower Yakima – Indices are around average indicating Very High fire danger. ERC is at the 94th percentile (up 1), and BI is at the 97th percentile (up 6). Live fuels are indicating around 90% (no change). 100Hr fuels are at 10% (down 1). Valley – Indices in the Valley FDRA are above average indicating EXTREME fire danger. ERC is around the 97th percentile (up 2), and BI is around the 92nd percentile (up 5). Live fuels are indicating fully cured herbaceous and dormant woody fuels (30 and 60%). 100Hr fuels are at 10% (down 1). Upper Basin – Indices are well above average, indicating EXTREME fire danger. ERC is at the 100th percentile (setting new all-time Maximums) and BI is at the 99th (up 2). Live fuels are indicating fully cured herbaceous and dormant woody fuels (30 and 60%). 100Hr are at 7% (no change). Lower Basin – Indices in Lower Basin are well above average indicating EXTREME fire danger. ERC is at the 99th percentile (no change) and BI is at the 100th (up 18). Live fuels are indicating fully cured herbaceous and dormant woody fuels (30 and 60%). 100Hr fuels are showing 9% (no change). Highlands – Indices in Highlands are indicating EXTREME fire danger. ERC is at the 100th percentile (up 1) and BI is at the 100th (no change). Live fuels are now indicating 65% (down 10). 100Hr fuels are at 8% (down 2). Foothills – Indices in the Foothills are showing Very High to EXTREME fire danger. ERC is at the 96th percentile (up 6), and BI is at the 100th (up 2). Live fuels are at 60% (down 10%). 100Hr fuels are at 12% (down 1). Kaniksu – Indices in Kaniksu are indicating EXTREME fire danger. ERC is at the 100th percentile (no change) and BI is at the 100th (up 2). Live fuels are at 90% (down 10). 100Hr fuels are at 9% (down 1). Blue Mts – Indices in the Blues are indicating EXTREME fire danger. ERC is a 69 (no change) and BI is 42 (down 1). Live woody fuels are indicating 76% (down 4%). 1000-hour fuels are at 8.0% (down 0.2%). Coast – Indices are a bit above normal, showing High fire danger for this FDRA. ERC is at the 93rd percentile (up 3) and BI is at the 93rd percentile (up 2). 100-hour fuels are at 15% (down 1) and 1000Hr are at 17% (down 1). Olympics – Indices are showing High fire danger for the Olympics. ERC is at the 96th percentile (up 3) and BI is at the 97th percentile (up 3). 100Hr fuels are at 13% (down 2) and 1000Hr fuels are at 16% (no change). Cascades South– Fire Danger is indicating Moderate for the South Cascades. ERC is at the 93rd percentile (down 1) and BI is at the 92nd percentile (down 1). 100Hr fuels are showing 15% (no change) and 1000Hr fuels are at 16% (no change). Cascades Central – Fire danger is indicating Moderate to High in Central Cascades. ERC is at the 94th percentile (up 2) and BI is at the 96th percentile (up 1). 100Hr fuels are showing 16% (down 1) and 1000Hr fuels are at 17% (down 1). Cascades North – Fire Danger is indicating Moderate. ERC is at the 93rd percentile (up 2), BI is at the 94th percentile (up 1), 100Hr fuels are at is at 17% (down 1), and 1000Hr fuels are at 18% (down 1).

Valid for July 14 through July 16, 2021 Date Issued: 7/14/2021

Lowlands South – Fire danger is indicating Moderate. ERC is at the 89th percentile (no change) and BI is at the 88th percentile (down 4). 100Hr fuels are indicating 17% (no change) and 1000Hr fuels are indicating 17% (down 1). Lowlands Central – Fire danger is indicating High. ERC is at the 96th percentile (up 2), and BI is at the 91st percentile (down 3). 100Hr fuels are indicating 16% (down 1), and 1000Hr fuels are indicating 17% (down 1). Lowlands North – Fire danger is indicating Moderate. ERC is at the 94th percentile (up 3), and BI is at the 95th percentile (up 2). 100Hr fuels are at 16% (down 1), and 1000Hr fuels are at 17% (down 1).

Valid for July 14 through July 16, 2021 Date Issued: 7/14/2021

Today/Tonight:

The west side marine layer has pushed up against the south Cascade crest overnight which maintained the gusty winds for most of the central and south east side valleys. There will be little to no decrease in winds today in the east slope valleys. Those winds will increase late this afternoon and peak during the evening hours. Expect the typical windiest areas will see gusts 30- 40 mph. Gorge winds start peaking late this afternoon with the east slope valleys peaking closer to 2000 hours. Humidity will be very dry ranging from 10-20%.

Please refer to local NWS forecasts for specific regional and local details.

Outlook: Red Flag Warning continues through 2300 hrs Thursday for lower elevations east of the Cascade Crest

Fire weather concerns continue to be confined to the east side.

Thursday will see gusty southwest to west post-frontal winds expand northward to include the remaining basin. Temperatures and humidity will have moderated closer to normal by then, but will still be problematic given previous fuel drying.

Friday will be the coolest day with most locations seeing temperatures near normal for the first time in several weeks. Saturday and Sunday will see more of a southerly flow aloft over the state with eastside temperatures returning to the upper 80s to upper 90s by Sunday and mid-70s to mid-80s west side. The Olympics and north Cascade west slopes could receive some rain Friday and/or Saturday, but amounts appear rather insignificant and certainly less than 0.25” wetting amounts.

Early next week could prove a particularly interesting time to watch as an unusually strong upper ridge builds north and will be centered over the heart of the Rockies. As of this morning, it’s a coin flip if some monsoonal moisture will get entrained in the southerly flow to bring elevated thunderstorms to the PacNW. Today’s data shows some threat for eastern Washington Tuesday into Wednesday. Regardless, surface conditions will be unstable to promote ventilation as early as Sunday through early next week, regardless of the upper level moisture possibilities. Stay tuned as details will matter and likely not get refined until over the weekend.

Cedar Creek/Varden/Delancy Fire Updates July 13, 2021, PM Varden Fire Wildfire News – 1 day ago

Cedar Creek/Varden/Delancy Fire Update July 13, 2021 PM

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest

A Public Meeting has been scheduled for Thursday (July 15, 2021) evening at 6:00 pm at the Mazama Store courtyard. The fire managers will provide updates on the fires and an opportunity for the public to ask questions. Managers will remain after the presentation and Q&As for individual questions at different displayed maps. Fire Information Line: 509-557-0740 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm)

Winthrop, WA (July 13, 2021 PM) — The Cedar Creek and Varden Fires burned actively throughout the day and the two fires are approximately a half mile apart. The combined estimated size is approximately 1,612 acres. The Varden Fire has burned down to within a quarter mile of State Route 20. Firefighters have prepped the south side of this route from the snow gate at the Silver Star Mt. on the west end to the Early Winters Campground as containment line by reducing fuels. The Delancy Fire was initial attacked by smoke jumpers and helicopter rappelers. The fire continues to burn and move slightly to the northeast. With the predicted cold front moving through the area tomorrow, resources are being removed as a safety precaution due to the access difficulties and inability to remove them quickly. The estimated size of this fire is approximately 30 acres. The Methow Valley was blanketed in smoke much of the day limiting use of aerial resources. Heavy lift helicopters were able fly in the late afternoon and provide assistance to firefighters with water bucket drops. Firefighting resources provided mutual aid this evening to a local, new start with a hotshot and type 2-IA hand crews, five engines, air attack, one heavy lift and one-medium lift helicopters to drop water and keep the fire at 1.6 acres. Northwest Interagency Incident Management Team 8, Incident Commander Kevin Stock, assumed management of the fires this morning. The incident Command Post is located at the Rhythm and Blues Site near Winthrop, WA. Resources for additional information:

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MazamaFires2021 Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7655/

WA Smoke Blog: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/ Email: [email protected]

Highway Information: https://www.wsdot.com/traffic/trafficalerts/default.aspx

Evacuations: https://www.okanogancounty.org/government/emergency_management/index.php Resources: Total estimated personnel - 314 Closures: For the safety of the firefighters and aircraft fighting these fires, a temporary flight restriction has been placed over the area. Please consult the “Notice to Airman” for specifics. Wildfires are a “No Drone Zone.” State Route 20 (North Cascades Highway) remains closed approximately 20 miles west of Winthrop between Silver Star and Early Winters to all traffic due to fire activity between milepost 170 and 177. There is no estimated time for reopening of the route.

Two Forest Service Campgrounds Early Winters and Klipchuck are currently closed. The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest is in the process of developing a Forest Area Closure and will provide additional information in the near future. Evacuation Information: The Okanogan County Emergency Management evacuation levels remain the same. Weather: Tonight, will be mostly clear except for smokey conditions. Minimum temperature will be near 60 degrees with minimum humidity of 57% with winds northwest 4 to 7 mph with gusts up to 15 degrees. 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

Lick Creek (Dry Gulch) Fire Quick Facts

Start Date: July 7, 2021 Approx. Size: 63,533 ac. Resources: Cause: Lightning Containment: 20% 16 Crews Incident Commander: Total Personnel: 666 54 Engines Randy Johnson Location: Approximately 2 miles SW of 12 Dozers Pacific Northwest Team 3 Asotin, WA 21 Water Tenders

Lick Creek (Dry Gulch) Fire Update – Wednesday, July 14, 2021 – 9:00 a.m.

Current Situation: Firefighters working on the Lick Creek Fire are reinforcing the gains made over the last week and constructing additional containment line. The north and east firelines are holding and fire activity is decreasing in those areas. Small spot fires occurred near the southeast perimeter in the area of the snopark on Tuesday and firefighters adjusted tactics to catch those spots before further spread could occur. Line construction and improvement continues in the Dead Horse Springs area. Structure protection work and patrol in the area around the Clearwater Cabins is ongoing.

Last night, fire personnel were on hand to answer questions at a public meeting in Pomeroy. The meeting was well- attended and the firefighters appreciate the support of the local communities.

Today’s Activities: The weather is forecasted to remain steady until mid-afternoon with continued hot temperatures and light winds. Later in the afternoon, winds are expected to increase with gusts up to 25 miles per hour overnight. Depending on alignment of wind and terrain this may aid firefighters by pushing the fire back on itself or it may test containment lines.

Along the north and east sides of the fire, mop-up and patrol efforts are ongoing. These efforts include looking for and extinguishing hot spots that could threaten containment lines. Crews along the west and southwest perimeter, from Clearwater Lookout to the Spruce Spring area, will continue constructing and reinforcing containment lines. This may include burnout, or using fire in a deliberate way to consume burnable vegetation between containment lines and the front of the fire.

Weather and Smoke Info: Hot and very dry weather continues, with relative humidity below 20%. Northwest winds that started around midnight will change to north-northwest in the morning and weaken in the afternoon. Smoke Information is available on the Washington Smoke Blog at: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/

Evacuations: Evacuation zones, and fire perimeter maps are posted on Inciweb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7615. The Red Cross shelter in Clarkston has moved to Echo Hills Church 3215 Echo Hills Dr. in Lewiston, ID. The shelter telephone number is 509-508-1299.

Closures: All Forest Service lands, roads, and trails within the Pomeroy Ranger District of the Umatilla National Forest are closed. For more information visit the Umatilla National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd931174.pdf.

ADDITIONAL FIRE INFORMATION: Fire Information: 509-780-6238 Inciweb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7615/ Facebook: Dry-Gulch-Fire