• The fire continued to burn into the Tish Tang Drainage. Crews worked in the area to scout opportunities to reopen old line and explore other tactical possibilities.

• The fire began to move east out of the Red Cap Creek drainage towards Devils Backbone, with some spotting across the current handlines.

• Fire fighters continued to patrol the handline along High Point Ridge and noted continued successes in interior burning.

• Structure protection crews continued preparing for defensible actions within communities in the McNeal Creek and Forks of Salmon areas.

• Crews will continue to scout locations for new line, as well as old lines that can be reopened, around the fire perimeter near Tish Tang and Linto Ridges. Air operations will support aggressive fire suppression tactics.

• Crews along the Devils Backbone line will further patrol the line and attack spot fires.

• Helicopters and mule pack strings will supply firefighters in remote areas and backhaul trash and supplies.

• Firefighters will patrol the line along High Point Ridge to ensure that burning remains within the fire perimeter.

Fire

Red Salmon Complex Daily Update 
Tuesday, September 1, 2020 

Total Acres 25,878
Containment 42%
Crews 10
Engines 26
Dozers 3
Helicopters 6
Water Tenders 30
Total Personnel 695  

The Red and Salmon Fires are burning on the Klamath, Six Rivers, and Shasta-Trinity National Forests within Humboldt, Siskiyou, and Trinity Counties. Great Basin Incident Management Team 5 continues to work closely with the Hoopa Valley Tribe, the Yurok Tribe, the Karuk Tribe, and local community liaisons. 
Red Fire: 23,688 acres, 42% contained
Yesterday’s Events:
• Changing weather patterns early Monday morning caused increased fire activity in the southwest of the fire near Trinity Mountain. Fire spotted across the handlines into the Tish Tang a Tang Creek drainage and burned back towards the main body of the fire. Air tankers and helicopters dropped retardant and water on the area throughout the day.
• Structure protection crews continued preparing for defensible actions within communities in the McNeal Creek and Forks of Salmon areas.
• The handline along High Point Ridge held strong and firing operations continued to fill in from there towards the interior of the fire perimeter. Operational Plans for Today:
• Crews are scouting new line around the fire perimeter below Trinity Mountain and will continue aggressive fire suppression operations, with the support of air resources. 
• Helicopters, as well as the mule pack strings, will shuttle food and supplies to firefighters, and backhaul trash and supplies out of remote areas.
• With increased fire activity in the southern end of the fire, crews will hold the established line on the north end, particularly on the north section of Devils Backbone.
• Firefighters will patrol the line along High Point Ridge to ensure that burning remains in the interior of the fire.
Salmon Fire: 807 acres, 79% contained
This fire remains within its current footprint. Islands of vegetation inside this area continue to burn as fuels dry out.
 
Weather Over the Fire Hot and dry conditions are expected to continue with winds primarily driven by local slope and valley flows. The highs below 4000 feet are predicted at 91-96 degrees, above 4000 feet at 84-88 degrees. Wind variability is predicted at 3-6 mph in the lower elevations and 5 mph with gusts up to 10 mph at higher elevations. Relative humidities will range from 21-24% below 4000 feet, and 17-22% above 4000 feet. A moderate inversion is expected to lift around noon. National Forest Closure Areas The Red Salmon Fire Forest Closure Area became effective on August 8, 2020 under Forest Supervisor’s orders on the Klamath, Shasta-Trinity, and Six Rivers National Forests. As hunting seasons open, hunters are reminded the closure is in place for their safety as well as the safety of firefighters. Complete closure information is available on InciWeb for the Red Salmon Complex. COVID-19 Community and firefighter safety are a top priority of both the Great Basin Incident Management Team 5 and the National Forests.  As such, Team 5 is implementing precautionary practices to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  

Fire Active fire behavior continued overnight and is expected to remain active again through the day due to sustained hot and dry weather. Continued smoke production is expected with the potential for plume development, similar to yesterday. Detailed fire information at: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6891 Smoke Yesterday's smoke remained mostly elevated, which kept communities in the forecast area in Good to Moderate air quality. Today, a similar trend is expected as easterly winds transport smoke above valley floors to the west and over the coast. Moderate smoke impacts are possible in Hoopa Valley, Weitchpec , Orleans and along the North Coast between Eureka and Crescent City this afternoon/evening as the daytime warming may be enough to mix smoke down to the surface. Otherwise, Good conditions should be seen in areas north, east and south of the fire. Forks of Salmon can expect fluctuating light to moderate smoke impacts. For tomorrow, smoke impacts should worsen as winds lessen and a more southerly wind drifts smoke north and east. This will allow smoke to mix to the surface and spread out, joining smoke from other fires and impacting most of the forecast area.

Total Acres: 23,969    Containment: 42%   Crews: 9  Engines: 22  Dozers: 3  Helicopters: 6  Water Tenders: 30  Total Personnel: 681

Red Fire: 23,162 acres, 42% contained

Yesterday’s Events:

• Six helicopters logged 30 hours, dropped 140 buckets of water, and backhauled 12 sling loads of supplies and trash, weighing approximately 400 lbs. each.

• No new spots were reported. Crews successfully suppressed and mopped up Saturday’s spot fires, which were undetectable on Sunday morning’s infrared flight.

• Afternoon winds spurred active fire behavior with uphill runs and persistent torching within the fire perimeter.

• Structure protection crews continued preparing for defensible actions within communities in the McNeal Creek and Forks of Salmon areas.

• Fire activity and smoke increased due to vegetation drying out from the hotter temperatures and lower humidity values over the past several days.

Operational Plans for Today:

• Continuation of building indirect hand line and hoselay from High Point, on the north section of Devils Backbone, toward One Mile Creek to the south.

• Mop-up and patrolling will continue around the fire from the southwest part of the fire near Horse Trail Ridge around to the northern portion around Whiteys Peak.

• Use tactical firing operations to keep the fire even with control lines from northeast of Trinity Peak, moving southward towards One Mile Creek.

• Anticipate and prepare for rapid upslope winds, which could produce spot fires up to a mile.

• Use helicopters for longline missions and mule pack strings to shuttle food and supplies to firefighters into, and backhaul trash and supplies out of, remote areas.

Salmon Fire: 807 acres, 79% contained

This fire remains within its current footprint. Islands of vegetation inside this area continue to burn as fuels dry out.

Weather Over the Fire

Temperatures will be in the mid to high 90’s in the lower elevations and in the high 80’s to low 90’s in the higher elevations. Winds are expected at two to four mph, picking up this evening, with gusts up to 15 mph. A red flag warning is in place northwest of the fire until approximately 10:00 a.m. on Monday but is expected to have no impact on the Red Salmon Complex.

National Forest Closure Areas

The Red Salmon Fire Forest Closure Area became effective on August 8, 2020 under Forest Supervisor’s orders on the Klamath, Shasta-Trinity, and Six Rivers National Forests. As hunting seasons open, hunters are reminded the closure is in place for their safety as well as the safety of firefighters. Complete closure information is available on InciWeb for the Red Salmon Complex.

COVID-19

Great Basin Incident Management Team 5 is implementing the following precautionary practices to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in both fire camp and the surrounding communities: daily temperature screenings, mandatory use of face coverings, social distancing, using virtual employees, and smaller fire camps. Community and firefighter safety are a top priority of both Team 5 and the National Forests.

 
 

Fire Active fire behavior is occurring this morning and expected to continue through the day inside containment lines. This is due to continued hot and dry weather.

Smoke Smoke production, and potential plume development, from the Red Salmon Complex is expected to continue through the day. Northeasterly transport winds will continue to drift the majority of smoke to the south and west of the fire. Smoke should remain generally elevated above the surface, which will keep impacts to the south of the fire in the Moderate air quality range. However, periods of heavier smoke could occur in Willow Creek, Hoopa Valley, and areas along the Hwy 299 midday before improving in the late evening. Forks of Salmon, with its closer proximity to the fire, can expect fluctuating light to heavy smoke impacts with an average of Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. In Orleans and Weitchpec smoke is expected to sink into valleys midday before improving in the late evening. Areas along the Oregon/California border and the Shasta Valley should experience generally Good air quality.

Red Salmon Complex: 23,221 acres, 42% contained, 781 personnel

Fire Resources: 10 crews, 6 helicopters, 28 engines, 4 bulldozers, 32 water tenders

Current Situation: Yesterday, crews successfully closed the gap at High Point Ridge, connecting the north and south firing operations along the crest; firefighters will continue to strengthen that line today. Interior fire in the drainage below the Ridge became active and did spot over the line. Crews were able to pick those spots up and will continue to mop them up. Crews also deployed hose line at the northern portion of Devil’s Backbone to facilitate firing operations from the north to the south, which will continue today as conditions allow. The southeast portion of the fire within the containment area continues to move south across the slopes and there is the potential for increased fire behavior and significant spotting. Crews are continuing structure protection assessment in the McNeal Creek and Forks of Salmon area. Aviation resources are available to support firefighters as fire behavior becomes active throughout the day.

Red Fire: Crews are maintaining the footprint of the Red Cap section in the northwest area of the fire, crews will continue to monitor, patrol and mop-up hot spots. The strategic firing operation along High Point Ridge has been completed and crews will continue to hold the line. Spotting over High Point Ridge occurred last night. All spot fires have been contained and will continue to be monitored and mopped up, and should pose no threat. The fire progression to the south will continue to be held along the indirect fire line on the ridgeline from Saddle Gap to Onemile Creek and from Eightmile Creek to Onemile Creek using strategic firing operations. From Soldier Trail up Devil’s Backbone ,crews are cutting indirect line, eventually meeting up with crews from the northern end of Devils Backbone working their way south. Contingency lines on Hopkins Ridge continue to be improved.

Salmon Fire: This fire remains within its current footprint. Islands of vegetation inside this area, will continue to burn. These are not threatening containment lines.

 The Red and Salmon Fires are burning on the Klamath, Six Rivers, and Shasta-Trinity National Forests. Great Basin Incident Management Team 5 is continuing to work closely with the Hoopa Valley Tribe, the Yurok Tribe and Karuk Tribe and local community liaisons.

Weather: Hot and dry weather will continue through today, which could increase fire activity. Temperatures will be in the mid to high 90’s in the lower elevations and in the high 80’s to low 90’s in the higher altitudes. Winds are expected at two to four mph, picking up this evening, with gusts up to 15 mph. A red flag warning is in place northwest of the fire until approximately 5:00 pm on Monday, with winds moving northeast, but is expected to have no impact on the Red Salmon Complex.

Air Quality: Smoke will continue to be produced as islands of unburned vegetation are consumed within fire control lines; other fires within the state are adding to local & current smoke amounts. Refer to fires.airfire.org/outlooks/NWCalifornia

Photos/Videos: Photos and videos of the incident are posted on Inciweb. inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6891 Closures: The Red Salmon Fire Forest Closure became effective on August 8, 2020. As hunting seasons open, hunters are reminded the closure is in place for their safety as well as the safety of firefighters. The full Forest Closure Order can be found on Inciweb. inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6891.

COVID-19: Great Basin Incident Management Team 5 is continuing precautionary practices to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in both fire camp and the surrounding communities. These measures include daily temperature screenings, mandatory use of face coverings, social distancing, implementing more virtual work, and smaller fire camps. Community

Community and firefighter safety are a top priority of both Team 5 and the National Forests of both Team 5 and the National Forests.

 Fire Continued hot and dry weather is expected to increase fire activity inside containment lines again today. Detailed fire information at: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6891

Smoke Smoke production from the Red Salmon Complex is expected to increase again this afternoon, with possible plume development. A shift to a more northerly wind today will drift the majority of smoke to the south of the fire. This should cause Moderate to possible brief periods of heavier smoke impacts for Willow Creek and other communities along the Hwy 299 corridor. Forks of Salmon, with its closer proximity to the fire, can expect fluctuating light to heavy smoke impacts with a forecasted 24-hour average of Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. Otherwise, remaining smoke over local areas this morning will again mix down to the surface midday, which will degrade air quality in Orleans, Weitchpec and Hoopa Valley before improving in the evening. Areas along the Oregon/California border, the Shasta Valley, and the North Coast should experience generally Good air quality and clearing skies with the forecast northerly winds.

Red Salmon Complex: 22,446 acres, 42% contained, 760 personnel

Fire Resources: 10 crews, 6 helicopters, 23 engines, 4 bulldozers, 32 water tenders

Current Situation: Last night, crews made significant progress in closing the gap at High Point Ridge and are within approximately ½ mile of connecting to the firing operations on the south end of the ridge. Crews continue to battle the fire in rugged terrain and extreme heat; several firefighters have been staying in spike camps near the fire line for weeks at a time. After five weeks of relentlessly fighting the Red Salmon Complex, crews remain focused on containment as resources are stretched. With the heat and single-digit humidity, fire activity is likely to increase wherever the fire is established on the lower slopes. Crews in the Forks of Salmon and McNeal Creek area will continue structure protection assessments. Aviation resources will support firefighters if and when fire behavior becomes active.

Red Fire: Crews are maintaining the footprint of the Red Cap section in the northwest area of the fire, crews will continue to monitor, patrol and mop-up hot spots. The strategic firing operation along High Point Ridge will continue as conditions permit. From Soldier Trail up Devils Backbone crews are cutting indirect line, eventually meeting up with crews from the northern end of Devils Backbone working their way south. The contingency lines on Hotelling Ridge on the east side of the fire are complete, firefighters continue to improve contingency lines on Hopkins Ridge to the west.

Salmon Fire: This fire remains within its current footprint. Islands of vegetation inside this area, will continue to burn. These are not threatening containment lines. The Red and Salmon Fires are burning on the Klamath, Six Rivers, and Shasta-Trinity National Forests. Great Basin Incident Management Team 5 is continuing to work closely with the Hoopa Valley Tribe, the Yurok Tribe and Karuk Tribe and local community liaisons.

Weather: Temperatures are expected to range from the mid 90’s to 100 degrees and in the low 90’s in the higher elevations. Weather conditions will be even drier, which remains a concern as high temperatures coupled with dry conditions could result in increased fire activity. Today winds are expected from the east at roughly six mph with gusts up to 10 mph and anticipated to flow from the northwest midday between 4-6 mph with gusts at 12 mph.

Air Quality: Smoke will continue to be produced as islands of unburned vegetation are consumed within fire control lines; other fires within the state are adding to local & current smoke amounts. Refer to fires.airfire.org/outlooks/NWCalifornia Photos/Videos: Photos and videos of the incident are posted on Inciweb. inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6891

Closures: The Red Salmon Fire Forest Closure became effective on August 8, 2020. As hunting seasons open, hunters are reminded the closure is in place for their safety as well as the safety of firefighters. The full Forest Closure Order can be found on Inciweb. inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6891. COVID-19: Great Basin Incident Management Team 5 is continuing precautionary practices to prevent the spread of

COVID-19 in both fire camp and the surrounding communities. These measures include daily temperature screenings, mandatory use of face coverings, social distancing, implementing more virtual work, and smaller fire camps. Community and firefighter safety are a top priority of both Team 5 and the National Forests.

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Fire
Hot and dry weather is expected to increase fire activity inside containment lines again today.  Detailed fire information at:  inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6891