Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires
Morning Update
August 3, 2021
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
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Winthrop, WA — The Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires are burning on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and public and private lands within Okanogan County. These fires are being managed by Great Basin Incident Management Team 1.
Fire Information Line: Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires: 509-557-0740 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm)
Fire Weather: Residual moisture from Sunday's rain showers helped moderate fire behavior on Monday, but warm temperatures have returned. Today will be hotter and drier, with unstable air conditions in the afternoon. There is the potential for thundershowers over the fire area this afternoon and evening. Erratic outflow winds are possible.
Cedar Creek Fire: The fire is currently estimated at 50,406 acres and is 23% contained.
Public Meeting: A public meeting hosted by the Southwest Area and Great Basin IMTs was held yesterday evening at Mack Lloyd Park in Winthrop. The Incident Commander and Operations Section Chief for each team gave updates on their fires. Okanogan County Emergency Manager Maurice Goodall discussed evacuations. The teams had their Incident Meteorologist, Fire Behavior Analyst, Air Quality Specialist, and Medical Unit Leader on hand to answer questions. Representatives from the US Forest Service, Okanogan County Fire District 6, and Washington DNR were also present.
A second public meeting will be held this evening, Tuesday, August 3, 2021, at 6 pm in Twisp River Park, 325 North Lincoln Street, Twisp.
At 12:30 pm, firefighting helicopters lifted off but were forced to return to base because of poor visibility. By 2:00 pm, the skies cleared, and four firefighting helicopters went into service.
Fire behavior picked up on Vasiliki Ridge, but firefighters were able to hold the fire in check. Helicopters supported crews on the ground with multiple bucket-drops of water. Today a Type 1 Sikorsky Skycrane helicopter will be used to drop fire retardant to reinforce the indirect line that has been constructed from near the Pine Fir Campground to the ridgetop.
Wood chipping is complete in the Vasiliki Ridge – Silver Star Creek area. Four chipping crews with large commercial woodchippers are in service along WA-20, disposing of slash generated as firefighters worked to protect homes near the fire's edge. Chipping is a critical piece of the work which must be completed in order to open WA-20 and as such is a very high priority.
Firefighters continue to do mop-up and fall hazards trees along the WA-20 Corridor. A concentration of hazard trees (a snag patch) around Free Stone continues to be an area of concern. Hazard trees inside the perimeter could potentially fall over the line and provide a path for fire to escape. The snag patch is too dangerous for firefighters to enter, so crews are installing water sprinkler systems to mitigate spotting potential where snags threaten the line.
Isolated areas of heat remain below Lucky Jim Bluff. Crews will continue to mop up the line and hope to be able to call this area contained in the near future.
Along WA-20 where the fire perimeter is contained (black line on the map), excess equipment is being collected and returned to base (back-hauled). The hose brought back to fire camp will be straightened, rolled, and returned to a regional warehouse known as a cache, where it will be made ready for use on the next fire.
Crews continue to strengthen containment lines around Gobblers Knob and the slop over on the 4410 Road west of Pine Forest. Pockets of unburned fuel remain mid-slope on Gobblers Knob. Hot Shots lite fuels along the base of the hill and an Unmanned Ariel System (UAS) equipped with a Plastic Sphere Dispenser (PSD) was used to spread fire higher up. This will keep the burn at low intensity and preserve as much timber value as possible. This burn operation will clean up Gobblers Knob and reduce the risk to the Pine Forest community.
Crews are going direct along the 4410 Road and up to Thompson Ridge. A burn operation is being evaluated to connect the Valentine Creek dozer line to the Little Bridge fire scar.
Delancy Fire: Delancy fire remained within its current perimeter. Fire crews working in the Vasiliki Ridge – Silver Star Creek area were able to monitor the fire from their location. The estimated size of the Delancy Fire remains at 223 acres.
Resources for additional information:
Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/MazamaFires2021
Inciweb:
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7655/
Smoke Blog:
https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/
Email:
2021.cedarcreek@firenet.gov
Highway Information:
https://www.wsdot.com/traffic/traffical ... fault.aspx
Evacuations:
https://www.okanogancounty.org/governme ... /index.php
Methow Conservancy (Wildfire Preparedness):
https://methowconservancy.org/discover/ ... ecovery%20
Wildfire Ready Neighbors (House Assessments):
https://wildfireready.dnr.wa.gov/
Resources: Total personnel - 822: 3 - type 1 hotshot crews, 11 - type 2 hand crews, 2 - type 2 initial attack hand crews, 2 - camp crews, 8 - type 1 (heavy) helicopters, 1 - type 2 helicopter, 2 - type 3 helicopter, 70 - engines, 6 - dozers, 5 – tactical water tenders, 22 - water tenders,1 - masticator, 2 - skidgen, 4 – skidders, 4 – excavators, 4 – feller bunchers, and 186 line supervision and support personnel.
Closures: For the safety of the firefighters and aircraft fighting these fires, a temporary flight restriction (TFR) has been placed over the area. Please consult the “Notice to Airmen” (NOTAM) for specifics. Wildfires are a “No Drone Zone” and any drones sighting in a TFR will immediately impede aerial firefighting resources and delay suppression actions.
State Route 20 (North Cascades Highway) remains closed at milepost 185 (7 miles west of Winthrop) to milepost 165 to all traffic due to fire activity.
The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has implemented a Fire Emergency Area Closure as of July 22nd, 2021. The Closure includes facilities, roads, and trails. The Closure may be viewed in its entirety at the “Cedar Creek and Delancy Fires 2021” Facebook page.
The Forest Service Fire Emergency Area Closure is separate from the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) closure of portions of State Route 20 and may change or be lifted at various times depending on operational needs. WSDOT is working closely with the Forest Service and Okanogan County to identify where fire activity and firefighting operations warrant closure.
Evacuation Information: The Okanogan County Emergency Management (OCEM) continues to reevaluate evacuation levels. For the most up to date evacuation levels see the OCEM’s website above. Residents entering Evacuation Level 3 areas need to slow down and watch for firefighters and equipment in roadways.
Air Quality: Thick smoke settled throughout much of eastern Washington yesterday and especially in the Methow and Okanogan Valleys leading to widespread poor air quality. Today winds from the NW will develop in the afternoon moving smoke to the east and air quality conditions will improve for areas west of the fires during the day. Mazama, Pateros, and Chelan should benefit in particular. Warming temperatures will lift smoke so all should expect periods in the afternoon with somewhat better air quality. Smoke accumulates again this evening.
Fire Restrictions: Campfire restrictions are in effect. Campfires are prohibited throughout the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, including developed campgrounds and congressionally designated Wilderness — call local ranger district offices for more information.
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David Bonn 