Special Notice: There will be a virtual community fire information meeting on Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at 6:00 p.m., PDT. An update on the status of the fire may be provided by fire managers and cooperating agencies. The meeting can be viewed via Zoom at this link: https://usfs.zoomgov.com/j/1606494587. 

 
Current Situation: Increasing winds are posing a hazard along road corridors and the fireline due to the possibility of falling snags and fire damaged trees. Hazardous tree removal work along roads and constructed fireline will also be affected by increasing winds. 

Even though a rain event is approaching, active burning may occur today due to warmer, drier conditions and stronger winds. Smoke may increase as interior green islands burn, but little expansion of the fire’s perimeter is expected. The wind may reveal areas that need more attention along the fire edge. Structure protection personnel continue assessments of structures impacted by the fire. Structure protection work is ongoing in Sidwalter, Idanha, New Idanha, and Detroit.

Air quality has improved due to the rain and cooler temperatures over the past few days. Good to excellent humidity recovery at night may also be helpful. The shorter days may have an impact on fire spread as the burning period decreases. Predicted rain (as much as 1 inch in some areas) should have a positive impact on firefighting efforts.

In Division E, patrol and chipping operations continue.

Divisions G, I, K, and N have been quiet for several days and continue to be secure. Firefighters are monitoring and patrolling this area. Most of the road system has been prepped and is now being reinforced in these divisions.

On the southeast perimeter, working west from the Division N/R break (north of Jefferson Lake), the fireline has been secured west to the lava rock area.

Much of the perimeter in Division S has checked along the road system. There hasn’t been any significant fire movement or spread in this division for several days. 

The fire in Division T has mostly been checked on existing roads. Canadian crews assisting in this division have been a great asset. Crew work is primarily patrol and cold trail along those roads. Cold trailing is a method of controlling a partly dead fire edge by carefully inspecting and feeling with the hands for heat to detect any fire, digging out every live spot, and trenching any live fire edge. In particular, firefighters are looking for any spread across roadways. Spot fires in this division have been contained.

Division W has no crews assigned due to higher priorities elsewhere, but supervisors continue to assess needs for future work.

In Divisions Y and Z, the focus is patrol for spot fires and mop up. In Division Z, an indirect line is being prepped and improved. Heavy equipment work continues along the 46 Road as it is prepped for possible use in indirect attack. The 46 Road remains closed due to the large amount of heavy equipment required for this effort. This road may remain closed until snag hazards are cleared and the road is deemed safe for public travel.

Weather and Fuels Conditions:  Today may be mostly cloudy with winds on the increase as a low-pressure system approaches. Winds from the southwest will increase with sustained winds around 8-12 mph and gusts to 20 mph along ridgetops and drainages that run southwest-northeast. Wet and windy conditions are predicted Wednesday through Friday. Rain may develop over the fire late Wednesday afternoon and increase through the night. Rainfall accumulations of 1.25-1.5 inches are expected west of the Cascade crest and 0.5-0.6 inches for the east side of the fire.

Closures and Evacuations: Evacuation Notices remain in place for the Lionshead Fire. Level 3 “Go!” evacuation notices were issued for the communities of Detroit, Idanha, and Breitenbush. There are no longer any evacuation notices for the Sid Walter/Miller flats area.

Facebook link: facebook.com/LionsheadFire

Zoom Link: https://usfs.zoomgov.com/j/1606494587
Meeting ID: 160 649 4587

Current Situation: The weather continues to stabilize with moderate temperatures and slightly lower humidities. Patchy clouds and fog are expected over parts of the fire this morning. As light fuels dry out over the next couple of days, activity in fine fuels may increase. More smoke may be expected, particularly as green islands within the perimeter burn out.

Some Canadian crews and overhead arrived on the fire on Sunday. This international assistance comes at a time of unprecedented resource demands.

A Virtual Fire Information Public Meeting is being planned for Wednesday, September 23, 2020. More information will follow.

Firefighting Efforts by Division: (Refer to the map for division breakdown.)

Good progress was made Sunday on Division A, the northeastern portion of the fire. Crews worked directly on the fire’s edge towards Badger Butte, reassessing containment options and conducting a small burnout operation along an existing road system. Crews were able to build sections of line and plan for filling in gaps in the line moving forward. Green islands inside the fire perimeter in Division A will produce smoke as fuels are consumed.

The eastern fire edge in Divisions A and E is secure, but crews will continue to mop up and patrol for hotspots. Crews conducted direct line work to contain the fire spread to the north. Most of the east side of the fire on the Warm Springs Reservation is contained. Division E is in patrol and mop up status with chipping work beginning today along the road system. 
 

The east side of the fire in Divisions G, I, K, and N has been quiet for several days and continues to be secure. Firefighters will continue to monitor and patrol this area. 
 

On the southeast perimeter, working west from the Division N/R break (north of Jefferson Lake), the fireline has been secured west to the lava rock in Division R. No crews have been placed on the fire edge in this division or in the eastern portion of Division S due to safety concerns and low potential for fire spread. Fire managers are monitoring this area with aircraft. 
 

In Division S, within the wilderness, the fire has not moved in several days and currently does not pose a concern. On the west side of Division S, a combination of hand and dozer line is being constructed using a historic burn scar as an anchor point and tying into Highway 22. Line construction continues west into Division T as terrain allows. Efforts moving towards Division W become more difficult as terrain becomes steeper.

In Division T, the areas of Idanha and New Idanha and private lands to the south of the fire are looking good. In many places the fire has checked itself as it burns up against road systems. Structure protection efforts continue. Utility companies are starting to repair infrastructure in the Detroit area. One focus today will be continued work on a large spot fire near Stahlman Point and the Cove Creek Campground.

On the northwest flank of the fire in Division W, fire managers are developing suppression plans. There are currently no crews assigned to the division due to higher priorities elsewhere.

Continuing east to Division Y, in the finger of fire to the north, firefighters focused on containing a spot fire and an area where the fire crossed Highway 46.

In Division Z, an indirect line is being prepped and improved. The 46 Road remains closed due to the large amount of heavy equipment required for this effort. This road will remain closed until snag hazards are cleared and the road is deemed safe for public travel.

Two contingency groups are building indirect fireline. These lines will only be used in the event that fire activity increases, and firefighters are not able to engage the fire directly. The south contingency group is working along County Road 12 to County Road 20, creating fuel breaks along the road. Expect heavy equipment traffic in this area. The north contingency group is working in close coordination with Riverside Fire managers to identify opportunities to connect existing roads that both fires could use in the event these indirect lines are needed.

Thanks to improved visibility, firefighters were able fly sections of the fire, putting in over 14 hours of flight time on Sunday. Heavy helicopters did water bucket work. Additional helispots were identified. Critically needed radio repeaters were installed Sunday.

Weather and Fuels Conditions:  Mild conditions are expected to continue for the next couple of days with little change to temperatures, humidity, and winds. There will be an increasing chance of rain on Wednesday and Thursday.


Closures and Evacuations: Evacuation Notices remain in place for the Lionshead Fire. Level 3 “Go!” evacuation notices were issued for the communities of Detroit, Idanha, and Breitenbush. There are no longer any evacuation notices for the Sid Walter/Miller flats area.

Lionshead Fire Statistics: 
Size: 199,022 acres 
Containment: 13% 
Total Personnel: 1,122
Location: 14 miles west of Warm Springs 
Reported: 8/16/20, approximately 8:44 p.m. 
Cause: Lightning