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| 8/27/2003 | Email this article • Print this article
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| An aerial photo shows the Hass Ridge fire, burning on the ridge between Horse Creek and Lightning Creek. It has blackened more than 5,000 acres of canyon land. Photo courtesy U.S. Forest Service |
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Wildfires scorch 16,436 acres
By Elane Dickenson
of the Chieftain
With firefighters still working to contain two fires burning in the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, flags were flying at half staff Tuesday at the incident command camp set up at Joseph rodeo grounds in honor of the eight Oregon firefighters killed near Vale in a motor vehicle accident Sunday.
“We’re flying our flag at half staff for our fallen comrades, but we’re out there doing our job,” said Steve Butterworth, information officer of the Blue Mountain Interagency Fire Team in charge of the local fire suppression effort.
He said that a few of the firefighters here personally knew some of those who died, and were immediately affected by news of the tragedy.
A total of 16,436 acres had burned in the four fires of the Lightning Complex as of Tuesday, a week after they were started by lightning, with fire suppression costs estimated at $1,468,156 to date. Full containment of all fires is expected by the end of August.
Most of the fire growth occurred in the first two or three days after the fires started, with a wet weather front that went through the county last Friday greatly helping in the fire suppression effort.
The incident commander of the Blue Mountain Team is Mike Marmor of Vale, with Wallowa fire district officer Nick Lunde of the U.S. Forest Service serving as deputy commander.
Early this week there were five helicopters based at the Joseph State Airport, five engines, 11 hand crews, six water tenders and support resources, with a total of 430 persons assigned to the Lightning Complex.
The firefighters on the ground generally stay out at spike camps for two nights and come in the third to the Joseph camp to clean up and eat a good meal.
The news was generally good on the fire front this week with only two of some 12 fires reported after last week’s lighting storm last Tuesday left to be contained. “They are predicting containment by Aug. 30 if all goes to plan,” said Butterworth.
Fires in the complex are:
• Two Corral Fire, 9,961 acres, burning to the Snake River in the Two Corral Creek area, about 25 percent contained Tuesday. The La Grande Hotshot Crew has been working hot spots in timber along the northern perimeter, with a second hand crew joining the effort Tuesday. Two engine crews are stationed on the western perimeter, and helicopter water drops target fire activity on the southern perimeter.
• Hass Ridge Fire, 5,128 acres, burning on the ridge between Horse Creek and Lightning Creek, 60 percent contained. Tuesday nine hand crews and several engines were working with helicopter support for mop-up, containment, and hot spot extinguishing activities.
• Grouse Creek Fire, 213 acres, located in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest about a mile southeast of the Harl Butte Lookout, the only non-HCNRA fire, 100 percent contained as of last Thursday, now on patrol status.
• Butcher Knife Fire, 134 acres, burning between Lightning Creek and Rhodes Creek in the HCNRA, 100 percent contained, now on patrol status.
The fires are burning about 90 percent grass, with brush and timbered areas in the draws of the steep, rugged terrain.
Butterworth said that the firefighters were not only helped by the rain on Friday, but that winds originally forecast for Tuesday were apparently not going to materialize. “But I’ve been told you can’t predict weather in Wallowa County,” he said.
As of Tuesday two roads were still closed to public access, the Hat Point Road and the lower Imnaha Road at Fence Creek, approximately seven miles below Imnaha. Butterworth said that everyone is aware that bow season starts Saturday, and with the good progress that is expected, it is hoped the area can be opened safely before too long.
“Everyone has been very cooperative,” said Butterworth. “We’ve enjoyed lots of hospitality and lots of encouraging words.”
Two lightly-attended public meetings have been held by the command team, one Friday evening in Joseph and one Saturday afternoon in Imnaha.
Wallowa-Whitman forest supervisor Karyn Wood told the Joseph gathering that the team is working with the local community, with about 50 percent of supplies being purchased locally, as well as local people being hired.
Andy White of the Oregon State Forestry said that the success of the cooperative interagency firefighting effort is best seen in the fast containment of the Grouse Creek Fire, which had the best chance of spreading to private property. He said it was the subject of an intensive early strike effort. “It was a tough save, a good save. It was a model of what you can do when you put agencies together,” said White. “It kept the fire from getting on private lands. We could have been chasing a 2,000-acre fire.”
In spite of a fire line placed around the historic Salt Creek Cabin last Thursday, the Two Corral Fire burned the cabin Thursday night. Structure protection is in place for a number of other sites in the HCNRA, including the Temperance Creek cabin which saw fire burn within a quarter of a mile.
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