Fire Status: The fire is downsizing personnel and equipment as containment objectives are met. With mop-up targets being achieved, new goals include keeping fire within containment lines and securing lines by eliminating heat sources that pose a threat.
Mop-up operations will continue until fire lines are secured, typically up to 300 feet into the fire interior. Mop-up involves "cold trailing" which is a critical piece of containing the fire's edge. It involves firefighters walking or crawling along fire lines and using the back of their hands to feel the ground for heat. It is a tedious process of feeling stumps, roots and rocks for heat, and then turning over dirt onto hot spots and, where possible, getting water into the area to cool it off. These efforts begin at the fire's edge with firefighters working an arm's length from each other and moving in step along fire lines. It is an organized and disciplined process called "gridding" and it's being done along the fire perimeter in and outside of containment lines every day and night. Because of the behavior of this fire, which has spread by spot fires, gridding is an important part of controlling and containing the fire and securing buffers around the fire's edge.
The burnout operation to protect Seneca will be completed tonight. Crews will utilize a fire line constructed around the forest community for the firing operation that will reduce fuels and offer more security to homes and historical structures within the active fire area.
Smoke was evident in the fire area today as pockets of green on the interior of the burn continue to catch fire. Firefighters remain vigilant in monitoring the intensity of these fires and utilize air resources when necessary to keep them at manageable levels.
Evacuations and Closures: The Plumas County Sheriff's Department has issued an update to area evacuations effective at 10:00 a.m. this morning. The Advisement for Prattville has been lifted. The Mandatory Evacuation Order for Rocky Point Campground, Big Meadows, Almanor Boat Ramp, Almanor Day Use Area, Camp Connery and Canyon Dam has been lifted to Advisory. The Voluntary Evacuation Notification for Rush Creek has also been lifted. Seneca remains under Mandatory evacuation.
The Plumas and Lassen National Forests continue to maintain area Closures within and surrounding the Chips fire area. This includes the following area of the Pacific Crest Trail: The PCT is officially closed from Three Lakes (in the Bucks Lake Wilderness) on the Plumas National Forest northbound to the Cold Spring trailhead at the Humbug Road (Plumas County Road 307) on the Lassen National Forest. Additionally, using the Caribou Road (Forest Route 27N26) is prohibited, as the area is also officially closed.
Hikers and equestrians are advised to avoid travel on the portion of the PCT from Bucks Summit, north to Hwy 36. In order to re-route themselves most expeditiously, at Bucks Summit, northbound trail users may travel on Plumas County Road 414 east to Quincy, pick up Highway 70/89 to Chester and then Highway 36 west to resume the trail. Southbound travelers may reverse the process.
Hikers may also use Plumas County Transit between Quincy and Chester, available weekdays only. The transit schedule can be found at http://www.plumastransit.com/qcy%20to%20chester%2023.html
Community Meeting: A community meeting will be held Friday, August 31 at 6:00 p.m. at the Chester Memorial Hall, 225 Gay Street, Chester, California.
Basic Information
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
|---|---|
| Cause | Under Investigation |
| Date of Origin | Sunday July 29th, 2012 approx. 01:57 AM |
| Location | 20 miles NW of Quincy, CA |
| Incident Commander | Rocky W. Opliger |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 1,398 |
|---|---|
| Size | 74,125 acres |
| Percent Contained | 91% |
| Estimated Containment Date | Friday August 31st, 2012 approx. 12:00 AM |
| Fuels Involved | 10 Timber (litter and understory) low brush with numerous dead and down 1000 hour logs and standing snags. FM10 is most representative of the fuels and the observed fire behavior. |
| Fire Behavior | Interior burning with low to moderate fire behavior with high resistance to control. |
| Significant Events | All lines held. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Mop up, patrol for spots and fire suppression repair. |
|---|---|
| Growth Potential | Extreme |
| Terrain Difficulty | Extreme |
| Remarks | The Sheriff's Office as of 1000 hours is liftingthe Sheriff's Advisement for Prattville. The Mandatory Evacuation Order for Rocky Point Campground, Big Meadows, AlmanorBoat Ramp, Almanor Dam has been lifted to Advisory Notification for Rush Creek has been lifted. Carbon Road to Butt Lake Dam from Highway 70 "Hard Closure" Rush Creek Road from Highway 70 - "Soft Closures" Seneca Road, Humbug/Humboldt Road from Highway 89 - "Hard Closure" Butt Lake Dam, Ohio Valley Road, Butt Lake Road, Humbug/Humboldt Road from Highway 89- "Hard Closure". Type 1 helicopters are essential to pick up spot fires and support ground troops in line construction and mop up around critcial infastructure. PG&E crews are repairing poles in the Caribou-Westwood line and the lines from Butt Valley dam to the North fork of the Feather river. Nor Cal team 2 is planned to inbrief Thursday at 1900, shadow on Friday and assume command at 0600 Saturday. Total burned acres are at 74,125. Plumas NF burned acres 47,122, Lassen NF 18,458, SRA burned acres 8545. |
Current Weather
| Wind Conditions | 15 mph SW |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 94 degrees |
| Humidity | 7% |
Source: http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3052/
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