U.S. Forest Service Mt. Hood National Forest 6780 Hwy 35 Parkdale, OR 97041 Voice: (541) 352-6002
Indian Creek Wildfire Update Fire Information (971) 220-6146 8:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
[email protected]
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
8:00 a.m.
Location: Approximately 20 miles west-southwest of Hood River, Oregon in the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness on the Hood River Ranger District of the Mt. Hood National Forest
The Indian Creek Fire has shown little activity the last few days and is still 83 acres in size. The Type 1 Chinook helicopter dropped water on the south and northwest edges of the fire yesterday morning, cooling areas that showed smoke. The fire showed so little smoke later in the day that water-dropping flights planned for the afternoon were canceled. The Cascade Type 2 Initial Attack crew has been flagging locations on the ground for potential control lines. They are also identifying locations that would not be effective for fire control, to avoid building lines in useless or dangerous locations. All of this information is being recorded for use if the Indian Creek Fire moves out of the Eagle Creek drainage, or for any future fire in this area. Hot, dry weather is expected to continue with an increasing chance of thunderstorms later this week. These could bring gusty and erratic winds to the Indian Creek Fire area, and lightning could ignite new fires. With the current low level of fire activity on the Indian Creek Fire, we are changing from daily updates to producing new updates whenever there is change in the fire's size or activity level, or other significant events occur. The potential for fires is increasing. Please increase your fire vigilance. There has been no significant rainfall on the Mt. Hood National Forest or in the Columbia River Gorge for over 50 days. The hot weather combined with no rain is drying out the forests, making wildfires more likely to start and grow. Please be careful with all sources of heat and sparks, including campfires, firearms, and motorized equipment. Keep campfires small, and only build them in areas without any flammable materials. Make sure a campfire is completely extinguished and cold to the touch before leaving it unattended. Don't operate or park vehicles in tall grass or other vegetation that could be ignited by the hot exhaust. Before heading out to the forest, be sure to check for restrictions on campfires and other activities. Remember that restrictions vary by land ownership and jurisdiction. Trail & Area Closure: Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail remains open but there are restrictions in the fire area. The northern portion of Eagle Creek Trail #440 off of Interstate 84 is open for 4.8 miles. The southern part of Eagle Creek Trail, and several other trails are closed. Wahtum Lake and Indian Springs Campgrounds are closed. A map and full list of closures can be found on the websites below. Fire information: Indian Creek Fire Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5403/ Mt. Hood National Forest Facebook: http://facebook.com/mthoodnf USDA Forest Service is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
