Bridge Creek Fire DAILY UPDATE August 30, 2017
Fire Information Keller ICP 509-634-7332
Northwest Incident Management Team 11
Nathan Rabe, Incident Commander
For Immediate Release
Late yesterday, three spot fires jumped the western line late in the afternoon. Firefighter lookouts, who were strategically placed in the narrow canyon to mitigate safety concerns, located the fires outside the perimeter around 4:30 p.m. Hand crews were assisted by air resources, including four helicopters and a fixed-wing airplane that dipped out of North Twin Lakes, to quickly line the three fires, with the largest growing less than 5 acres. Additional crews utilized newly opened interior roads to put in place a water point that will assist in securing portions of the line difficult to access from perimeter roads. Elsewhere, crews continued to mop-up, hold, and secure the perimeter of the fire, completing small burnout operations to clean up unburned fuels along the lines. Sawyers worked to mitigate hazardous trees along the fireline and interior roads. Today, crews will work to lock up the eastern line along Summit Trail and continue work on a direct line on the west side of the fire. A cold front moving over the area will bring lower temperatures, higher relative humidity, and a slight increase in southwestern winds that could align with drainages. Fire behavior specialists asked crews to remain cautious of additional spot fires. As security and traffic have remained a concern on the fire, Colville Tribal Natural Resource Officers will continue to patrol Bridge Creek Road. The public is asked to drive cautiously due to increased traffic and potential smoke over the roadway. In addition to fire traffic on the road, logging traffic, and holiday weekend traffic is expected. Current road closures around the fire, which were installed for firefighter safety, are posted with CCT: DOT road closure signs. Thirty Mile Road remains open northwest of the fire. Road closures are at Daisy Trail/Lynx Creek Road, Red Thunder Cutoff, BIA Road 1045, Oregon City Road, Beaver Dam Road, and Boss Creek Road. Additional closures are at Summit Trail and Oregon City. For information regarding road closure changes, please refer to the Colville Tribal Broadcast, News and Information Facebook page or call the Bridge Creek Fire Information line. You may also find the incident on Inciweb. Mount Tolman Fire Center has set the fire danger level at ‘very high’ across the Colville Reservation.
Quick Facts: Size: 3,530 acres Incident start: August 8, 2017 Containment: 42% Location: 13 miles NNE of Keller, WA Cause: Lightning Personnel: 551 Resources: Line Crews 14 Engines 22 Dozers 6 Water tenders 18 Skidgins 2 Masticators 4 Aircraft: 1 Type 1 heavy helicopter 2 Type 2 medium helicopters 1 Type 3 light helicopter 1 ATGS + platform (Other air support have been loaned from agencies). Closures: Daisy Trail/Lynx Creek Road, Red Thunder Cutoff, BIA Road 1045, Oregon City Road, Beaver Dam Road, and Boss Creek Road Fire Information: 509-634-7332; BridgeCreekFire2017@ gmail.com; facebook/CCTBroadcasts; http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incid ent/5490/
