Forest Roads and Trails Close Near Red-Salmon Fires, Now at 4,617 Acres and 12 Percent Containment
View of fire from Packsaddle Ridge on Aug 5 | Photo: Inciweb
From the United States Department of Agriculture:
Current Situation:
A hotter, drier weekend weather forecast over the Red Salmon Complex
brings the potential for significant fire
growth as humidity drops and the inversion layer that has been holding
the fires in check weakens. The complex – the Red and the Salmon fires –
totals 4,617 acres and is 12% contained. These fires were discovered on
July 27, lightning caused, burning in the
Trinity Alps Wilderness on the Six Rivers and Shasta-Trinity National
Forests. Crews are utilizing minimum impact suppression techniques in
the wilderness as well as control lines from past fires outside the
wilderness as contingency lines. A new forest closure
is in effect today.
Red Fire: The
fire is 3,866 acres and 0% contained. Crews are making significant
progress along the fire’s northern edge through
strategic firing operations. Firefighters have been able to put fire on
the ground from just east of Black Mountain heading west along Lubbs
Trail and Forest Road 10N0 to the Salmon Summit Trailhead. From there
they’ve turned south and are working to connect
the firing operations with the Salmon Fire to just south of Salmon
Mountain. These firing operations are conducted by ground crews as well
as an unmanned aircraft system that is equipped with an ignition device
to help build the width of the line and prevent
fire from spreading across it.
Salmon Fire: This fire is 751 acres and 12% contained. The fire is holding along lines in the Eightmile Creek drainage and Backbone
Ridge. Crews worked to bolster lines along Salmon Summit Ridge and the fire is staying within the footprint of previous fires.
Weather: Today will be warmer and drier. This warm, dry trend coupled with unstable air will continue into Sunday and Monday which
can combine for a significant increase in fire behavior.
Air quality:
The heaviest concentrations of smoke will remain in the immediate
vicinity of the fire. Forks of Salmon, Orleans, and Somes Bar are likely
to
be impacted. An air resource advisor is providing daily smoke forecasts and air quality information. Refer to
fires.airfire.org/outlooks/NWCalifornia.
Closures: The
Red-Salmon
Fire Complex Forest Closure takes effect
on August 8, 2020. All
National Forest System roads within the Red-Salmon Fire Complex Closure
Area are closed as well as: Forest
Road Nos. 07N53 (Grizzly Camp), 07N15 (Fawn Ridge), 10N05 (Upper Leary
Creek), 10N01 (Trinity Summit), and 07N10 (Lone Pine Ridge). All
National Forest System trails within the Red-Salmon Fire Complex Closure
Area are closed as well as: Forest Trail Nos. 6E04
(Orleans Mt Trail), 5438 (Nordheimer), 12W08 (East Fork New River), and
12W02 (Salmon Summit). Big Rock River Access.
COVID-19:
COVID-19
precautions are a priority at all incident camps with daily temperature
screenings of personnel and implementing measures such as wearing face
coverings and social distancing
to prevent coronavirus spread. Community and firefighter safety are a
top priority of both the incident management team and the National
Forests.