Red Salmon Fire 104,667 Acres and 28% Contained
Air operations on the Red Salmon Complex. [Image from InciWeb]
Firefighters continue to take advantage of favorable weather in order to secure active areas of the Red Salmon Complex fire. Firefighters are using a combined strategy of firing/burn-out operations and containment line construction to control the advancement of the fire.
“We had some rain last Friday, which has slowed down our operational tempo,” Mike Strawhun, incident commander said. “It slowed us down and gave us the opportunity to engage the fire with handlines and dozers.”
Firefighters are looking for opportunities to restrict the fire’s movement in the Nordheimer Drainage toward the Salmon River Road and McNeal Creek. Crews conducted successful burn-out operations in the area Southeast of Forks of Salmon, West of Knownothing Creek and North of Blackberry Creek.
Crews are also providing protection for structures from the Forks of Salmon, east to Hotelling Ridge.
Two engine crews have been monitoring the spot fire near Methodist Creek. Initial reports indicate that there has been little-to-no movement, and low intensity burning in this area. Three engines have been patrolling, building containment lines, and mopping up a second spot fire, adjacent to the Hoopa Valley Reservation. Patrols will continue into the evening. Additionally, crews are conducting burn-out operations along Lone Pine Ridge, above Horse Linto Creek, to restrict potential southern spread of the fire. Operations on all areas of the fire are continuing throughout the night.
Weather conditions are expected to remain warm and dry with patchy smoke and temperatures in the upper 60s and 70s. While some temperatures may reach the 80s in the valleys.
The following restrictions and warnings remain in effect: a temporary flight restriction is place in the area Northeast of Orleans, along with an evacuation warning for Forks of Salmon. The Klamath and Six Rivers National Forests remain closed.
Some Shasta-Trinity National Forest lands east of the Red Salmon Fire Complex closure area are open for public use. The use of any ignition source on National Forest System lands is strictly prohibited, including campfires, gas stoves, smoking and outdoor barbeque grills on houseboats. Continuing dry conditions and very limited firefighting resources require visitors to remain vigilant and be prepared to evacuate if a fire starts nearby.
More closure information is available on the Red Salmon Complex I nciWeb page.
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This is a must read. It talks about how even the worst of fires are actually healthy burns over much of the area, and that photographers that look to capture fire photos, walls of flames, houses burning, etc have to drive for hours to find an area that makes it look like all hell is breaking loose.
Though fires today are different and much more destructive and need active suppression, its not all doom and gloom. In fact right now almost all acres that will be consumed from now until the rains come will be healthy burns.
https://www.propublica.org/article/what-the-photos-of-wildfires-and-smoke-dont-show-you
On Edit; I just saw the weather forecast that calls for 95 to 100 degree temps next weekend inland. That could cause serious problems, so the season may not be over.
Fires in the forest seem mostly good. Our problems have been the relatively dense suburban subdivisions like in Santa Rosa, Paradise/Oroville, and now the Medford I-5 area. Hardly Sierra Club turf. Most of our homes are big piles of slash to a wind driven fire.