MAPLETON, Ore.—Firefighters continued mop up operations around the Sweet Creek Milepost 2 Fire today, working as much as 75 to 100 feet into some portions of the fire. The fire was less active, despite warm temperatures and low relative humidity. Helicopters continued to make bucket drops on hot spots, as crews used hand tools and hose lays for mop up. Following careful planning, firefighters conducted a burnout operation in the northwest corner of the fire this evening. The operation helped secure that corner of the fire by removing unburned fuels between the fire perimeter and established fire line. Smoke from the burnout could be seen over the fire late into the evening. Tonight, a specially equipped aircraft will overfly the fire to better map the perimeter and identify hotspots. Containment has increased to 30%.
The Incident Management Team held a virtual community meeting at 7 pm tonight, which was livestreamed on the incident’s Facebook page @sweetcreekmp2fire. The meeting included an update on the fire’s status and an opportunity to ask questions of fire managers. For those who missed the meeting, a recording remains available on Facebook.
Lane County has now closed Sweet Creek Road to all traffic. Alternate routes have been identified. The closure comes in response to trees and other debris rolling onto the road from hillsides made unstable by the fire. The Siuslaw River is also closed to boat traffic from the Highway 126 Bridge to Tiernan Landing. The closure is intended to protect public safety while helicopters are dipping buckets to support fire operations. For more information about closures and alternate routes please visit:https://www.lanecounty.org/news/sweetcreekfires.
Fire managers and local officials would like to remind travelers driving through Mapleton on Highway 126 to allow extra time, drive slowly, and be cautious of fire traffic. As the Labor Day weekend approaches, traffic is anticipated to increase, creating additional hazards for drivers and fire personnel.
Evacuations remain in place on Hadsall Creek (Level 3: GO!), Sweet Creek Rd (Level 2: Be Set!) and Bernhardt Creek Rd and Duncan Island Road (Level 1: Be Ready!). For more information on evacuations please visit:https://www.lanecounty.org/news/sweetcreekfires.
The Red Cross is providing accommodations for those affected by the fire. To make emergency arrangements call 888-680-1455.

MAPLETON, Ore.—Firefighters had another successful night on the Sweet Creek Milepost 2 Fire. Hand crews, engines, and water tenders continued to strengthen lines around the fire, which is now estimated to be 15% contained. They also continued putting in hose lays to bring more water to the fire. Some concern remains about fire line holding at the bottom of steep slopes where rolling debris could spread fire. Day crews will assess and strengthen these lines today. They will also continue mop up operations around the fire’s perimeter. Predicted high temperatures, low relative humidity, and winds remain a concern, but air resources are available to cool hot spots and quickly address any spot fires.

Fire managers have adjusted their estimate of the fire’s size down to 382 acres. Steep terrain, smoky conditions, and dense vegetation have made it extremely difficult to accurately map the fire. Additionally, air resources have not been available to provide nighttime infrared overflights. The acreage may be adjusted as better information becomes available.

At this morning’s briefing, Incident Commander Joe Hessel thanked crews for their hard work and reminded them to maintain the highest degree of safety. Despite challenging terrain and difficult driving conditions, there have been no injuries reported on the fire.

A virtual community meeting is planned for 7 pm tonight. The meeting will include an update on the fire’s status and an opportunity to ask questions of fire managers. The meeting will be livestreamed on the incident’s Facebook page @sweetcreekmp2fire.

As the Labor Day weekend approaches, travelers should be aware of heavy fire traffic in and around Mapleton. Highway 126 remains open, but some local roads are closed. Temperatures are also predicted to remain high with low relative humidity. Fuel moistures in western Oregon are at historic lows. Fire danger remains extreme across most of the state. Everyone is encouraged to follow current fire season restrictions to prevent human caused fires.

Evacuations remain in place on Hadsall Creek (Level 3: GO!), Sweet Creek Rd (Level 2: Be Set!) and Bernhardt Creek Rd and Duncan Island Road (Level 1: Be Ready!). For more information on evacuations please visit: https://www.lanecounty.org/news/sweetcreekfires.

The Red Cross is providing accommodations for those affected by the fire. To make emergency arrangements call 888-680-1455.

MAPLETON, Ore.—Firefighters and air resources worked through the day to keep the Sweet Creek Milepost 2
Fire within its current footprint. Fire activity picked up around noon, but was kept mostly in check by
helicopters dropping water from the Siuslaw River and ground crews using established hose lays. A few
small areas of growth outside the line were quickly controlled. Fallers removed snags to make areas safer for
firefighters and to shore up fire lines. To date, no injuries or accidents have been reported on the fire, despite
steep terrain and challenging conditions.
Fire managers have adjusted their estimate of the fire’s size down to 382 acres. Steep terrain, smoky
conditions, and dense vegetation have made it extremely difficult to accurately map the fire. Additionally, air
resources have not been available to provide nighttime infrared overflights. The acreage may be adjusted as
better information becomes available.
At the evening briefing for night shift crews, Incident Commander Joe Hessel thanked firefighters for their
hard work preventing the fire from spreading.
Hessel said, “Our primary mission is to minimize the size of the fire.”
He emphasized success in the mission protects resources, reduces risk to firefighters and the community, and
protects nearby structures. Helicopters continued to work hot spots in the background as crews listened to
the briefing.
Tonight’s objectives include continuing to mop up. Mop up is the methodical process of locating and
extinguishing hot spots near control lines to prevent spread. Crews will focus on completing hose lays to
bring water to the fire and mopping up 25-50 feet into the perimeter. They will also continue improving
sections of fire line intended to catch burning debris rolling down steep slopes. Firefighters will be aided by
lower temperatures and higher nighttime relative humidity.
Tomorrow’s weather forecast—low 90s with gusty east winds—will continue to challenge control lines. Air
resources will remain available to keep spots in check and ground crews will continue mop up.
Evacuations remain in place on Hadsall Creek (Level 3: GO!), Sweet Creek Rd (Level 2: Be Set!) and Bernhardt
Creek Rd and Duncan Island Road (Level 1: Be Ready!). For more information on evacuations please visit:
https://www.lanecounty.org/news/sweetcreekfires.
The Red Cross is providing accommodations for those affected by the fire. To make emergency arrangements
call 888-680-1455.

MAPLETON, Ore.—Overnight, firefighters on the Sweet Creek Milepost 2 Fire completed hand line around the perimeter of all burned areas.  The fire is now fully lined.  They also continued putting in hose lays to bring water to the fire.  Fire behavior was moderate, though the fire did grow outside the lines in two small areas.  These were quickly controlled and new line has been established around them.  The fire, estimated at 513 acres, is burning on private forestland near Mapleton in Lane County, Oregon.  It remains 0% contained.  ODF Team 1 took command of the fire yesterday at 6 pm.

Box Ranch Fire: 237 acres, 100% contained
Location: 8 miles west of Lorena, Texas

The Box Ranch Fire is 237 acres and 100% contained. This fire will be transferred back to local resources to monitor. 

Box Ranch Fire: 237 acres, 95% contained
Location: 8 miles west of Lorena, Texas
Resources: 9

Yesterday, the Box Ranch Fire was flanking and backing in grass fuel type. Dozers worked to construct fireline while engines patrolled and mopped up across the fire area.

Today, ground resources will be patrolling fireline and mopping up as needed. Dozers will continue to improve containment lines across the fire area as needed.

Fire Weather: By 10 am today, winds will increase to around 5-10 mph from the south. Winds will continue to be southerly around 5-10mph at 8 pm until Wednesday morning. Minimum relative humidity will be in the mid 40% before increasing to the low 50% tonight and into Wednesday afternoon. There is a chance for scattered to widespread storms and showers today and continuing into Wednesday afternoon. Main concerns of these storms are gusty winds, heavy rain, and lightning.

Fitzpatrick Fire: 12.96 acres, 100% contained
Location: approximately 5 miles east of Alpine, Texas

The Fitzpatrick Fire is 100% contained. The Adobe Walls Suppression Module has found several heat sources and are continuing to work hot spots. Texas A&M Forest Service and local fire departments will continue to monitor this fire.

Lake Post-Fire BAER 2500-8 Assessment Report Released

The Angeles National Forest received funding for emergency stabilization measures on Forest Service System lands burned by the Lake Fire.  The emergency treatments and activities are designed to decreased possible impacts to values-at-risk from the Lake burned area such as: life and safety, property, critical natural resources and cultural resources.  NOTE: Attached below as “Related Information” is a PDF document called “Lake BAER 2500-8 Report_PUBLIC”.

BAER KEY MESSAGES PREPARING FOR RAIN

While many wildfires cause minimal damage to the land and pose few threats to the land or people downstream, some fires cause damage that requires special efforts to manage unacceptable risks afterwards.

Summer thunderstorms and other rain events in the mountains can result in high runoff and flash flooding.

Wildfire increases the potential for post fire flooding, soil erosion, and debris flows that could impact campgrounds, fishing areas, homes, structures, roads, and other infrastructure within, adjacent to, and downstream from the burned areas.

Post-fire, watershed conditions will naturally receive and transport water and sediment differently than during pre-fire conditions.

The public and communities adjacent to and downstream from burned areas should expect increased flooding and debris transport during smaller rain events than would normally cause this.

The potential for increased runoff and debris flows are not just a one-year concern.

We need to recognize the threat potential of flash floods and debris flows may exist for the next 3-5 monsoon and winter seasons, depending on the intensity of these storms.

For life and safety concerns, California National Forest closures may need to be implemented prior to forecast rain events until the burned area fully recovers.

Residents and visitors should remain alert to weather events and plan ahead when travelling along roads downstream from the burned areas of recent wildfires.

Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams have been working on California’s National Forests to assess the condition of the watersheds on federal land that burned this summer and fall.

The BAER assessment team identifies potential threats to critical values-at-risk and recommends emergency stabilization response actions that are implemented on federal lands to reduce potential post-fire risks.

BAER critical values that may be considered at-risk on National Forest System (NFS) lands are:

• Human life and safety.

• Property on Forest Service lands such as buildings, water systems and infrastructure, road and trail prisms.

• Natural Resources on Forest Service lands such as water, soil productivity and hydrologic function, areas where invasive species or noxious weeds may impact native or naturalized communities and may include critical habitat or suitable occupied habitat for federally listed threatened or endangered species.

• Cultural and Heritage Resources such as pre-historic and historic properties and sites on Forest Service lands.

For values and resources potentially impacted off NFS lands, one of the most effective BAER strategies is interagency coordination with other responsible agencies, entities, and local cooperators who assist affected businesses, homes, and landowners prepare for rain events. 

While multi-agency efforts are being taken to reduce the risks to life and safety downstream from the burned area, residents in the area should develop individual plans to protect themselves and their property. 

The Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) work together and coordinate with other federal, state and local agencies, and counties that assist private landowners in preparing for increased run-off and potential flooding and debris flows.

NRCS works with local sponsors to prepare damage survey reports for eligible sites on private lands adjacent to and downstream from affected areas.  NRCS uses these reports, along with the BAER team’s assessment report, to develop emergency measures to reduce the impacts from potential increased water and debris flows, and assist sponsors to implement recommended emergency measures (www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1045263.pdf).

Many local county offices of emergency management promote preparedness through emergency services programs to assist the public to prepare for, respond appropriately to, and quickly recover from natural emergencies that may impact county residents and visitors. Please check your local county website for emergency preparedness for potential National Weather Service flood warnings.

Homes or businesses that could be impacted by flooding from federal land that resulted from wildfires may be eligible for flood insurance coverage from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Information about NFIP is available through FEMA at www.floodsmart.gov/, or www.floodsmart.gov/flood-insurance/why. Other flood preparedness information is available at www.ready.gov/floods.

SAFETY MESSAGE: Everyone near and downstream from the burned areas should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains over the burn scars. Flash flooding may occur quickly during heavy rain events be prepared to take action. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service website: www.weather.gov/.

Emergency Assessment of Lake Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards

The Forest Service (USFS) Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) assessment team coordinated early with US Geological Survey (USGS) staff during its evaluation of the Lake Fire burned area to strategically assess potential post-fire impacts to the watersheds and predicted debris flow response during damaging storm events.

From the USGS website found at https://landslides.usgs.gov/hazards/postfire_debrisflow/:

“Wildfire can significantly alter the hydrologic response of a watershed to the extent that even modest rainstorms can produce dangerous flash floods and debris flows. The USGS conducts post-fire debris-flow hazard assessments for select fires in the Western U.S.  We use geospatial data related to basin morphometry, burn severity, soil properties, and rainfall characteristics to estimate the probability and volume of debris flows that may occur in response to a design storm.”

USGS used the BAER team’s soil burn severity analysis of the area burned by the Lake Fire to estimate post-fire debris-flow hazards, including the likelihood of debris flow (in %), potential volume of debris flow, and combined relative debris flow hazard. These predictions are made at the scale of the drainage basin, and at the scale of the individual stream segment. The USGS Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazard Assessment estimates convey these hazards for the Lake burn area. 

The online interactive map is posted at (click on the button at the top right corner of the map to show different predictions according to storm estimates):

https://landslides.usgs.gov/hazards/postfire_debrisflow/detail.php?objectid=302