Bishop Fire Update - August 2, 2020

Quick Fire Facts:

• Fire Location: 17 miles southwest of Caliente, NV, located west of Rainbow Canyon Road
• Approximate Acreage: 12,702
• Containment: 26%
• Start Date: July 29, 2020
• Cause: Human - Under Investigation
• Incident Commander: Jeff Knudson, Great Basin Type 2 Incident Management Team #7
• Jurisdiction: Ely District, Bureau of Land Management
• Total Personnel: 289 

Summary: Yesterday, crews worked to reinforce the anchor point at the southern edge of the fire and continued building line around the east and west sides. Emphasis focused on the east side to prevent the fire from dropping down into Rainbow Canyon. Fire activity continued on the northern edge as the fire burned towards Rock Springs Canyon and the northeastern flank above Rainbow Canyon. Interior islands of fuel continue to actively burn. Air resources provided support for ground crews with retardant drops from planes, and bucket drops of water from helicopters.

Today: Firefighters will continue to construct line to limit fire spread. Extreme temperatures combined with the rugged steep terrain makes line construction difficult. Most of the fire is inaccessible to vehicles, which requires operation efforts to focus on hand crews and air resources. Six various types of helicopters will be assisting ground efforts today.

Weather: A high-pressure system will remain over the fire area for the next few days, resulting in record breaking temperatures and extremely low relative humidity. These low daytime humidity's and poor overnight recoveries, combined with temperatures and gusty southern winds, will keep elevated fire weather conditions in the forecast for the next several days. The Cane Springs Remote Automatic Weather Station (RAWs), located just south of the fire, recorded a high of 103 degrees with a relative humidity of 3 percent.

Smoke and Safety: As the fire continues to burn, residents of southeastern Nevada and southwestern Utah can expect to see smoke from the fire increasing into the afternoon. The Bishop fire is being fully suppressed protecting values at risk. Currently the fire poses a threat to powerlines, structures, railroad infrastructure, and critical mule deer and desert tortoise habitat in Rainbow Canyon.

Travelers on Nevada State Highway 317 should proceed with caution and be aware that fire traffic and heavy equipment will be entering and exiting the roadway.