Single Publication

Fire Update

2023 SRF Lightning Complex 

Monday, September 25, 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 5 of the 14 fires being managed as part of the SRF Lightning Complex. The Copper Fire (2184 acres) was absorbed by the Blue Creek #2 Fire. On September 22, 2023, the Bluff #1 Fire (4270 acres) and Blue Creek #2 Fire (9751 acres) were absorbed by the Mosquito Fire. The combination of Blue Creek #2 Fire, Bluff #1 Fire, and Mosquito Fire is now referred to as the Mosquito 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 on this incident total 42,517 acres and overall containment is 8%. In total, 770 personnel are assigned to the incident. Due to the forecasted precipitation of up to two inches of rain, firefighting crews are checking containment lines and monitoring fire conditions ahead of the weather change. Gusty winds can present dangerous conditions for firefighters as fire-weakened trees may not withstand the wind speeds and fall. Additionally, fire-weakened tree roots and soil can easily dislodge in heavy rain, increasing the risk of trees falling and debris rolling down steep slopes. Firefighters are adjusting their operations and monitoring fire activity as well as the potential impacts of the precipitation within the fire area. 

Firefighting tactics are reassessed daily and tailored to the conditions on the fire line like weather, fire behavior, existing hazards like dead standing trees, and the time and distance to definitive medical care, etc. There is a decision-making process around risk at the strategic level that evaluates and balances risk to firefighters with the critical values like homes and infrastructure that are at risk from the fire. If the level of risk to firefighters is deemed unacceptable, the strategic risk assessment process examines and provides alternatives that may better balance outcomes between risk to critical values and to responders. 

Pearch Fire (11,131 acres, 6% contained) – Crews continue to work to stay ahead of the rolling debris and rocks falling onto both the Salmon River Road and Highway 96. Siskiyou County brought a backhoe and bladed plow truck and aided the crews by removing fallen rocks on Salmon River Road. CalTrans continues to monitor Highway 96 with two crew shifts working to clear it of debris as needed. The amounts of debris falling onto the road is expected to increase with the precipitation today. Please drive with caution and consider alternate routes. The Structure Protection Group has continued the point protection of structures in several areas around this fire. 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. 

Mosquito Fire (29,266 acres, 6% contained) – Crews continue the work south along the Bluff Creek and Slate Creek Roads with mastication and chipping equipment. Hand crews improved containment line in preparation for the rain, making it less susceptible to runoff. Firefighters are focusing on holding and patrolling the containment lines. Crews felled some hazardous standing dead trees along the fire edge before the strong wind gusts arrived. 

Marlow Fire (1,988 acres, 0% contained) – There has been minimal activity on the Marlow Fire. This fire is in a remote area and is bounded by indirect control lines to the east and south and prior fire footprints where fuels are lighter. No values are threatened by the Marlow Fire. 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 continue to coordinate with managers on the Happy Camp Complex due to the proximity of the Elliot Fire. 

Monument (2 acres, 0% contained) and Let er-Buck (96 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: Yesterday brought a storm system over the fire area with showers early in the day and a drier afternoon. Gusts of 30 mph were observed yesterday evening on higher elevation ridges. Winds are forecasted to maintain higher speeds throughout the day: 9-19 mph in the valleys and up to 25 mph on ridgelines, with gusts up to 35 mph. The fire area will experience wetting rain throughout the day with temperatures in the 50s and 60s. The precipitation levels are forecasted to continue through tonight and taper off by Tuesday evening.

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 .