Incident Overview
Chips Fire Update
August 26 8:00 P.M.
Location: Plumas and Lassen National Forests
Date started: July 29, 2012 Cause: Under investigation
Size: 68,582 acres Containment: 65%
Personnel: 1,502 (Crews: 19 Type 1, 11 Type 2; Helicopters: 4 Type 1, 3 Type 2, 2 Type 3; Engines: 140; Dozers: 15; Water Tenders: 42)
Management: California Interagency Incident Management Team 4
Fire Status: Containment lines held on the fire today despite winds gusting up to 35 miles per hour over the fire area. Firefighters were able to quickly identify and contain several small spot fires by the end of the day shift. Mop-up of those spots and the strengthening of containment lines will continue through the night.
The air tankers that shored up control lines yesterday with over 200,000 gallons of fire retardant were grounded this afternoon due to the winds. However, with the addition of numerous engines and crews newly assigned to the incident, firefighters were able to complete containment lines around several spot fires including the 130 acre spot in Yellow Creek, which abuts private timber land. Additional spots were identified outside containment lines near Rattlesnake Peak and the Butt Lake Road. All the spots were two acres or less and contained and cooled immediately.
Helicopters were utilized this morning, particularly on the western flank of the fire around Chips Lake to drop water on an area of the fire that continues to hold heat and creep to the west. Hot shot crews and bulldozers have worked together to construct containment lines around this section of the fire in incredibly steep and rugged country. Infra-red flight data continues to provide invaluable information to identify hot spots and help direct resources to them.
Some of the additional resources now assigned to the fire will be working the night shift where crews continue to mop-up in the fire area and grid outside of containment lines. "We had good progress today," said Ira Peskin, Operations Trainee, while briefing firefighters heading to the night shift. "But we're at 4th and goal now, and we just need to hold."
Smoke: Smoke will continue to be present in the fire area and surrounding communities. With several large fires in the area contributing to lower air quality, residents can experience eye irritation, respiratory issues and aggravated heart and lung health problems. These can impact children and older adults more severely. Residents are encouraged to get more information on air quality in their area by visiting: http://airnow.gov/index.cfm action=airnow.local state&stateid=5&tab=0
Community Meeting: A community meeting will be held tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. at the Hamilton Branch Fire Station, 6791 Big Springs Road, Westwood, California.
Evacuations and Closures: No changes have occurred to evacuations at this time. The Plumas County Sheriff's Department continues to enforce Mandatory Evacuations 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.
Additional Fire Information: Call (530) 283-3593 and (530) 283-3288 between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m.
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 | 1,502 |
|---|---|
| Size | 68,582 acres |
| Percent Contained | 65% |
| 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 | Moderate to extreme fire behavior with wind driven runs, medium range spotting. |
| Significant Events | Fire lines were tested with 35 mph gusts, the few spots outside the line were contained. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Hold lines, mop up and patrol for spots. |
|---|---|
| Growth Potential | Extreme |
| Terrain Difficulty | Extreme |
| Remarks | Mandatory Evacuation of the communities of Canyon Dam, Big Meadows, and Seneca. Advisement for Prattville. Rush Crk rd.from Hwy 70 is open to residents only. The Chester Memorial Hall is open as an evacuation center. Type 1 helicopters are essential to minimize fire spread and support ground troops in direct line construction.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. Total burned acres are at 68,582. Plumas NF burned acres 41,907, Lassen NF 18,415, SRA burned acres 8260. |
Current Weather
| Wind Conditions | 10 mph SW |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 55 degrees |
| Humidity | 30% |
Source: http://inciweb.org/incident/3052/
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