Single Publication

Fire Update

2023 SRF Lightning Complex 

Thursday, September 21, 2023 – 9:00 a.m.

Eastern Area Gold Team

Brian Jenkins, Incident Commander

Information Phone: 530-536-0767

Email: 2023.lightningcomplex@firenet.gov 

Information Staffing Hours: 8 am to 8 pm

This update covers 7 of the 14 fires being managed as part of the SRF Lightning Complex. The Copper Fire (2184 acres) has been absorbed by the Blue Creek #2 Fire. The remaining 6 fires (Big Foot, Blue Creek, Creek, Flat, Iron, and Merrill) totaling 34 acres, are contained and in patrol status. They are checked daily, and their size and containment are unlikely to change. 

Current Situation: The 14 fires in this incident total 32,930 acres and overall containment is 7%. The seven uncontained fires described below total 30,712 acres. In total, 1,059 personnel are assigned to the incident. The strategic firing operations conducted yesterday as part of the 2023 SRF Lightning Complex were successful in reducing the dense understory, contributing to the incident management objectives of suppressing and containing the fires and protecting communities. The Blue Creek #2 Fire was more active yesterday when wind speeds increased in the evening. Fire managers continue to monitor the fire conditions and activity on all the fires. On the Pearch Fire the fire spread continued to be slow yesterday, backing down slopes with occasional single tree torching and the highest activity in areas where surface wind aligned with canyons and steep draws. Fire managers are patrolling areas for heat and may continue the firing operations if the weather stays favorable with the intent of reducing the potential for high intensity wildfires in the future. 

A community meeting was held last night at the Karuk Tribe DNR Building in Orleans, CA. Representatives from the Eastern Area Incident Management Team and US Forest Service shared information on the status of the fires, the operational strategy, and the plan going forward. The speakers also spent time answering questions from the those in attendance and watching online. The meeting was available for both in-person and virtual attendees on Facebook live. The meeting was recorded and can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/2023SRFRedwoodLightning.

Pearch Fire (8741 acres, 7% contained) – The Structure Protection Group continued to assess structures near the confluence of the Klamath and Salmon Rivers and tested the sprinklers, hose, and pump systems already in place. An Evacuation Warning is in place for those residents in the Butler Creek area (SIS-1704) which means persons in the area need to be prepared to evacuate if conditions warrant. Higher humidity levels in the morning kept fire activity subdued. The fire is hung up in Butler creek with isolated areas of heat. Fire spread to the east continued to be observed as backing and slow moving with occasional increases in fire activity with slope alignment. Crews are monitoring the fire and expect similar conditions today as yesterday with the fire backing and flanking on the north end including backing down towards Highway 96. Crews and equipment remain in place to engage the fire when it reaches these areas. Firefighters continued to assess potential ridges and locations for control lines should the fire spread to the southeast. Crews will remain on the fire during both day and night shifts.

Bluff #1 (4240 acres, 26% contained) and Mosquito (5998 acres, 9% contained) Fires – Masticator and chipping operations continued south along the Bluff Creek Road. On the south end of Bluff #1 there was minimal fire growth. Crews continued to mop up and secure the lines following strategic firing operations along the northeast end of Bluff #1. On the Mosquito Fire, firefighters continued to patrol the fire edge, seeking and extinguishing areas of heat along containment lines. Crews completed the mastication work to the south and will continue to patrol and mop up. A contingency of engines remains on both fires throughout the nighttime hours. 

Blue Creek #2 (9676 acres, 0% contained) and Marlow (1961 acres, 0% contained) Fires – These fires are bounded by indirect control lines to the east and south and prior fire footprints where fuels are lighter. Fire growth was increased on Blue Creek #2 yesterday due to north winds in the evening. The Blue Creek #2 Fire has moved south and is within 900’ or so from Go Road. Blue Creek 2 and Marlow continue to be active, driven by winds interacting with terrain. No values are currently threatened. A Wildland Fire Module continues to monitor and assess conditions on the ground and air resources will monitor from above. Fire managers from the 2023 SRF Lightning Complex are coordinating daily with fire managers on the Happy Camp Complex due to the proximity of the Elliot Fire.

Monument (2 acres, 0% contained) and Let er-Buck (95 acres, 0% contained) Fires – A confinement strategy is being used to address these two fires due to limited values at risk and the remote, steep terrain with associated safety concerns for the firefighters. Terrain, natural fire barriers such as rock outcroppings, and old fire footprints where fuels are limited will be used to confine fire growth until season ending precipitation extinguishes the fires. These fires are checked regularly by aerial patrols to ensure they remain within acceptable bounds.

Weather: The drying trend is forecasted to continue through Sunday and north and northwesterly winds, when lined up with steep topography may increase variability in fire behavior. Temperatures will likewise be variable throughout the Complex area, with highs ranging from 60-80 degrees based on elevation with 60s on the ridge tops and 80s in the valleys. Wind gusts in higher terrain may gust up to 20-25 mph with gusts on exposed ridges up to 35 mph. Smoke will persist in the valleys throughout the day. 

Evacuation Information

Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services: https://www.co.siskiyou.ca.us/emergencyservices 

Closures

Six Rivers National Forest: Area and campground closures are in effect on portions of Six Rivers National Forest. They can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/srnf/notices/?cid=FSEPRD1096395. 

Additional Fire Information

InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/casrf-2023-srf-lightning-complex-and-redwood-lightning-complex 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/2023SRFRedwoodLightning

More Fire Information Links: www.linktr.ee/srffirepio 

For Air Quality Information: www.airnow.gov 

NOTE: For information about the Elliot or Hancock Fires which are part of the

Happy Camp Complex, please visit https://linktr.ee/happycampcomplex2023 .