Creek Fire Incident Update
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Creek Fire Incident Update Date: 09/22 /20 Time: 7:00 AM aM Public Information Line: 844-668-3473 @CAL_FIRE @Sierra_NF Creek Fire - Fresno Media line: 209-628-3097 Creek Fire - Madera Media Line: 559-492-7755 @FresnoSheriff @MaderaSheriff Incident Email: [email protected] @CALFIREMMU @GreatBasinTeam1 Incident Websites: www.fire.ca.gov Https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7147/ @CALFIREFresnoCoFire INCIDENT FACTS Incident Start Date: 09/04/2020 Incident Start Time: 6:33 P.M. Incident Type: Wildland Fire Cause: Under Investigation Incident Location: Both sides of the San Joaquin River near Mammoth Pool, Shaver Lake, Big Creek and Huntington Lake. Forest/CAL FIRE Units: Sierra National Forest, CAL FIRE Units: Fresno-Kings, Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unified Command Agencies: US Forest Service, CAL FIRE, Fresno County Sheriff, Madera County Sheriff Size: 283,724 Acres Containment: 30% Expected Full Containment: 10/31/2020 Civilian Injuries/Fatalities: 0 Firefighter Injuries/Fatalities: 0 Structures Threatened: 7,759 Structures Destroyed: 855* Structures Damaged: 71* *Damage assessment is approximately 98% complete. Numbers will change as survey progresses. CURRENT SITUATION Current NORTH ZONE Situation: Clear overnight skies allowed the fire behavior to increase, mostly resulting in a surface fire including torching, backing, flanking and uphill runs from spot fires. Throughout today and overnight the fire will remain active and thermal belts and dry fuels in Central Camp, Gaggs Campground, and Timber Creek will promote fire activity. Elsewhere, the most activity will be around Whisky Falls and towards Timber Butte , progressing and north of Strawberry Mine. Along the eastern edge of the fire in the Bog Cabin to Pine Flat are it will be limited by rocky terrain and lighter fuels. Warm and dry conditions will persist today including terrain driven winds for most of the fire area and southwest winds gusting to twenty-two miles per hour along the ridge top. Relative humidity will drop to fourteen to twenty-four percent with poor recoveries in the higher elevations and only moderate recoveries in lower elevations. These conditions can be expected through Friday with warmer weather expected over the weekend and into next week. The priority for the North Zone of the Creek Fire remains the construction and improvement of containment line. Fire spread is being monitored while structures in threatened areas have been prepped for the defense. SOUTH ZONE Areas of the South Zone were active along the South Fork of the San Joaquin River as it progresses south along the solid rock rim of the drainage while on the eastern side of the fire burning is occurring towards the Dinkey Lakes Wilderness. Yesterday’s firing operation will continue to burn out in the Sycamore Creek drainage, as previously unburnt fuels become fully consumed, which provides assistance in containment. Around Portal Forebay the fire may move south. Additional fire progression will be south of Mount Tom but slow as it reaches rocky higher elevation areas with less fuels. Areas with heavier fuels, such as dense beds of ground fuel and timer, will smolder. Weather will influence fire activity as poor overnight moisture recovery leads to dry fuels. Light winds overnight allowed smoke to settle into the lower drainages and canyon, but overall sunny skies will prevail today allowing early preheating and drying of fuels. While smoke will rise and dissipate today, it will not completely clear out of the area. Operational priorities for the South Zone of the Creek Fire remains enhancing containment with improvement of line and completion of the firing operation around Sycamore Creek. In other areas tactical patrol to mopup the fire near the existing perimeter as well as to provide structure defense if needed is also a priority. Bullfrog Fire The Bullfrog Fire is burning on the Sierra National Forest but is not related to the Creek Information Fire. An Inciweb page has been established for the fire. To view information open the following link: Sierra National Forest Bullfrog Fire Sign Up for Fresno County Emergency Alerts Fresno County Emergency Alerts – Fresno Co. Everbridge alerts Madera County Madera County Emergency Warning Systems - mcalert.org Mariposa County Mariposa County Sheriff Office - msoalert.com Damage Fresno County Assessment To view an interactive damage assessment map for Fresno County open the following link: Fresno County Damage Assessment Map Madera County The Madera County Sheriff’s Ofice is contacting property owners directly. National Park Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks are closed to the public due to Closures smoke conditions. National Forest The USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region announces increased access to some Closures National Forests in California beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 19, 2020. Nine National Forests in California remain closed: Angeles NF, Cleveland NF, Los Padres NF, Inyo NF, Klamath NF, San Bernardino NF, Sequoia NF, Sierra NF, and Six Rivers NF. This decision will continue to be reviewed daily with evolving fire and weather conditions. Nine other National Forests may open to varying degrees. Visitors should contact the following National Forests for more information on their status: Eldorado NF, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Lassen NF, Mendocino NF, Modoc NF, Plumas NF, Shasta-Trinity NF, Stanislaus NF, and the Tahoe NF. These forests will implement their own forest orders that will either limit dispersed use or provide for area closures around fires. Conditions can change quickly. Therefore, we emphasize that all citizens heed local announcements for changes in conditions and potential evacuations. For additional questions, please contact your National Forest. Evacuation Map To view an interactive map of Creek Fire Or scan the QR code: evacuations for Fresno and Madera Counties open the following link: Creek Fire Evacuation Map Evacuation Zones Following are written descriptions of Fresno County Evacuation Zones Evacuation Zones: Fresno County Warnings are Zone F1A: North of Lodge Rd east of Highway 168 and east to the west side of Riverdale indicated by Rd. yellow WESTERN PORTION OF ZONE F1T EVACUATION ORDER IS REDUCED TO WARNING WITH THE NEW AREA’S ARE NOW IDENTIFIED IN THE FOLLOWING ZONES Zone F1TB: The west boundary includes both sides of Auberry Road (excluding access onto Jose Basin Road), east of the intersection at Comstock Lane. The boundary to the north begins (Excludes) south of Jose Basin Road, and includes the properties of the Big Sandy Rancheria. The boundary to the east will begin about a mile west of the intersction of Auberry Road and Beal Fire Road. Zone F1TC: The south boundary of this zone begins at the intersection of Jose Basin Road and Auberry Mission Road. The boundary extends west, just east of Mountaintop Ranch Road. The zone continues north, to the Fresno – Madera County line at the San Joaquin River. The east boundary lays just west of 37104 Jose Basin Road. Zone F5A: South boundary lays north of Towelling Road. West boundary is the east side of Tollhouse Road between Towelling Road and Burrough Valley Road. The east perimeter extends just west of Nancy and Bonneyview Road. Zone F5B: The south boundary is Burrough Valley Road between Tollhouse Road to the west and Burrough North Road to the east. The zone extends northeast and ends just south of Hidden Hollow Lane. The west boundary consists of the east side of Tollhouse Road Zone F5C: This zone consists of the neighborhood west of Burrough Valley Road, and north of Larkspur Road. This zone includes properties from all branches of Theresa Springs, Hitching Post, Kimberly, Nancy, and Bonneyview Roads located west of Burrough Valley Road. Zone F5D: The south boundary consists of the north side of Watts Valley Road, beginning at it's intersection with Big Springs Lane to the west, and Anderson Ranch Road to the east. The north boundary lays south of Fallen Oak Lane and Seminole Road. Zone F5E: The south boundary lays south of Seminole Road. The north boundary lays just south of Theresa Springs Road, and continues to incorporate the south side of Burrough Valley Road. The east boundary lays just east of the intersection of Burrough Valley Road and Seminole Road. Zone F5F: The south boundary consists of both sides of Sandpiper Road. the west boundary is Burrough Valley Road and continues north to its intersection with Burrough North Road. The north and east boundary consists of the south side of Burrough North Road and ends at it's intersection with Spence Lane. WESTERN PORTION OF ZONE F5G EVACUATION ORDER IS REDUCED TO WARNING Exception: The eastern portion of F5G (which is displayed on the map as Zone F5GB) remains under Evacuation Order. All tributaries of Rebel Hill Lane from 31876 Rebel Hill Lane through 31881 Rebel Hill Lane. Zone F5H: The south boundary of this zone is the north side of Burrough Valley Road in between it's intersection at Sandpiper Road and Sycamore Road. The north boundary consists of the south side of Burrough North Road. The east boundary is west of the intersection of Burrough Valley Road and Sycamore Road. Zone F5I: The south boundary lays just south of the ends of Fallen Oak Road and Fallen Oak Lane. The west boundary is just west of the intersection of Burrough Valley Road and Fallen Oak lane. The north boundary includes the south side of Burrough Valley Road. The east boundary begins at the intersection of Watts Valley Road and Sycamore Road. Zone F5L: The south boundary is Maxon Road. The west boundary is the end of the properties that lay on the west side of Watts Valley Road. The north boundary is the intersection of Watts Valley Road and Sycamore Road. The north boundary proceeds to the east to include the south side of Watts Valley Road. The east boundary is northwest of the intersection of Watts Valley Road and Maxon Road.