Chips Fire Update 8:00 P.M. August 23
Fire Status: Numerous air resources were utilized on the fire today including a DC-10 and five Type 1 helicopters dropping approximately 25,830 gallons of retardant on the eastern flank of the fire. These operations helped firefighters prepare for a burnout that will be executed tonight if favorable weather conditions hold. The burnout will secure and strengthen the eastern flank of the fire line around Rattlesnake Peak to the bottom of the north fork of the Feather River near Seneca.
Helicopter drops will continue into the evening as firefighters prepare for the firing operation. Crews will continue to mop-up fire lines along Highway 89. Patrol units will also stay in the communities of Prattville, Big Meadows and Canyon Dam areas searching for any additional spot fires.
Firefighters continue to work in a contained slop-over in the Rocky Point area. Power was returned to the PG&E line that services homes along the southwestern shore of Lake Almanor this morning after falling operations around the line were completed.
Afternoon winds gusts hit the fire line and produced spots in several areas of the fire including Red Hill. This has been a difficult section for firefighters to attack because of its steep, rocky terrain. Crews will be working on the spot that is within contingency lines through the night containing and mopping up the area.
Along the northern edge of the fire near Humbug, night crews will work on small spots that took hold during the afternoon wind event, while continuing patrols on the fire perimeter. The western flank of the fire around the Chips Creek drainage continues to produce heat and creep west as crews of hot shots work to construct hand line in an effort to prevent further movement. Because of the topography of the area, infra-red mapping will also be utilized to identify hot spots on the ground.
Evacuations and Closures: The Plumas County Sheriff's Department updated closure notices for the area in and around the fire today. Mandatory Evacuations continue to be enforced for the communities of Canyon Dam and the Big Meadows area. A Voluntary Evacuation is in place for Rush Creek, and an Advisory is in effect for Prattville residents for the potential threat of the fire to the area.
An evacuation Center continues to be available at the Chester Memorial Hall on Gay Street. For more information, please go to: http://www.countyofplumas.com/CivicAlerts.aspx AID=536
Community Meetings: A community meeting will be held tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. at the Twain Community Park, 130 Twain Store Road, Twain, CA.
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 | 1,176 |
|---|---|
| Size | 63,147 acres |
| Percent Contained | 55% |
| 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 | Fire behavior was moderate with short runs and spotting. |
| Significant Events | The VLAT made a drop to assist suppression activities in Div. V. The power has been restored to the Red Hill communications site. Seven outbuildings were identified today that were destroyed. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Mop up, patrol, backhaul and prep for firing in Div. V. |
|---|---|
| Growth Potential | Extreme |
| Terrain Difficulty | Extreme |
| Remarks | There is a community meeting tonight in Hamilton Branch and a meeting tomorrow in Twain. Mandatory Evacuation of the communities of Canyon Dam, Big Meadows. Prattville has been lifted to Advisement. Type 1 helicopters are essential to minimize fire spread and support ground troops in direct line construction. A member of the PG&E executive board was briefed on the current conditions by the IC today at the ICP. PG&E crews are repairing poles on the Caribou-Westwood line and the lines from Butt Valley dam to the North fork of the Feather River. Seneca remains under mandatory evacuation. Rush Crk rd. from Hwy 70 is open to residents only. The Chester Memorial Hall is open as an evacuation center. Total burned acres are at 63,147. Plumas NF burned acres 37,676, Lassen NF 17,913, SRA burned acres 7558. |
Current Weather
| Wind Conditions | 21 mph SW |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 73 degrees |
| Humidity | 23% |
Source: http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3052/
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