Due to a fire near Caldwell Butte, the park road south of the campground to forest service 97 is closed until further notice due fire activity.

 Modoc firefighters responding to numerous lightning fires

Lightning ignited numerous wildland fires on the Modoc National Forest yesterday.More than 100 down strikes were recorded resulting in several single tree incidents and three larger incidents. Numerous ground crews, engines, air support and contractors are assisting with current incidents and are ready to respond to new incidents as they arise. Additional resources have been ordered to help with support. The larger incidents include: 

• Caldwell Fire:  the newest addition to Modoc Lightning Fires. The Caldwell Fire near the Lava Beds National Monument was hit with high winds that made it grow to 2,000 acres very quickly. Fire leaders and the Sheriff are currently in the area assessing threat to residents. The fire is not directly threatening Tionesta at this time and no evacuations have been ordered. Evacuation information for all Modoc County fires will be available on the Modoc County Sheriff's Office page. A full lightning fire update will be provided tomorrow morning and updated regularly at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6875/

· Allen Fire: Smoke jumpers were ordered to the last-reported-200-acre Allen Incident for initial attack. Ground     crews, helicopter and additional resources have been ordered.· Canyon Fire: The 250-acre Canyon Incident was lined with a dozer overnight and supported by Helicopter 520 this morning.· Rush Fire: One Type 2 helicopter is on order for the Rush Incident last reported at 0.25 acres.
Fire management personnel would like to remind forest users campfires are allowed only in designated recreation sites found at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/modoc/alerts-notices/?aid=58896.Please be fire safe during extreme fire weather conditions. It is important to be careful with campfires when recreating on the forest and while operating machinery and equipment. 

 If you have a fire to report, please call 911.

EMERGENCY CLOSURE ORDER BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

Action: Pursuant to 43 CFR 9268.3(d) and 43 CFR 8364.1, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is giving notice that a portion of public lands within the Southern Nevada District impacted by the Cottonwood Fire as described below, are hereby closed to other areas and certain forms of public access, effective July 24, 2020, at 12:01 a.m. In the management of lands to protect the public and assure proper resource conservation and protection, the BLM will continue to temporarily close portions of the public lands impacted by the Cottonwood Fire due to high fire danger and unsafe conditions. The health and safety of staff, fire fighters, and visitors in this recreation area is our number one priority.

Dates: This closure is effective immediately and will remain in effect until such a time conditions allow for safe recreation use within the area impacted by the Cottonwood Fire.

Supplemental Information: Under 43 CFR 9268.3(d), and 43 CFR 8364.1, the following are exempt from the provisions of this order:

Addresses: The closure notice and map of the closure area will be posted at various sites within the BLM Southern Nevada District Office, 4701 N Torrey Pines Dr, Las Vegas, Nevada, 89130. The areas affected by this closure order will be posted with appropriate regulatory signs and/or physical barriers to notify the public of the closure.

Penalties: On all public lands, under section 303(a) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), 43 U.S.C. 1733(a), 43 CFR 8360.0-7, and 43 CFR

Order Number 04-17-20-10

Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 CFR § 261.50(a) and (b), the following acts are prohibited on all National Forest System Lands described in this Order, within the exterior boundaries of the Cottonwood fire on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Spring Mountains National Recreation Area beginning July 24, 2020 at 17:00 p.m. and continuing until September 30, 2020, or until rescinded, whichever comes first.

1. This Order will be in effect beginning July 24th at 5:00 p.m. and shall remain in effect until September 30th at 12:01 a.m. or until rescinded, whichever comes first.

NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM: includes all national forest lands, and waters reserved or withdrawn from the public domain of the United States, national forest lands and waters acquired through purchase, exchange, donation, or other means, national grasslands and land utilization projects and waters administered under title III of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant ACT (50 Stat. 525, 7 U.S.C. 1010-1012), and other lands, waters, or interests therein acquired under the Wild and Scenic River Act (16 U.S.C. 1272-1287) or National Trails Systems Act (16 U.S.C. 1241-1249).

Cottonwood Fire Update

Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, July 25, 10:30 a.m.

• Acres: 2,817

• Location: Cottonwood Pass south of Highway 160

• Start Date: July 20th

• Cause: Lightning

• Containment: 97%

• Personnel: 193

Las Vegas, NV, July 25, 2020 – Portions of the Late Night Trail, 3 Mile Smile Loop and the Dead Horse Loop, have been impacted by the fire, but still remains intact.  Resource advisors from the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and Bureau of Land Management would like to remind recreationists to remain on designated trails and parking areas to reduce soil erosion. Today crews will continue working in the Southwest corner of the fire.

Great Basin Incident Management Team 6 will transfer command of the Cottonwood Fire to a local Bureau of Land Management Type 4 team. Incident Commander Eric Ellison will assume command of the fire at 8:00 P.M. on July 25, 2020. 

 Incident Commander Brook Chadwick and staff of the Great Basin Team 6 would like to extend thanks to the residents and visitors of Spring Mountains Natural Recreation Area and Clark County.

Stage II fire restrictions remain in effect for the state of Nevada.  For more information regarding fire restrictions please visit www.nevadafireinfo.org.

This will be the final update from Great Basin Incident Management Team 6 for the Cottonwood Fire.

Fire Information:

• Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6871/
• Facebook: @HumboldtToiyabeNF #CottonwoodFire
• Twitter: @HumboldtToiyabe #CottonwoodFire 

Cottonwood Fire Update

Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, July 24, 8 p.m.

·       Acres: 2,817

·       Location: Cottonwood Pass south of Highway 160

·       Start Date: July 20th

·       Cause: Lightning

·       Containment: 97%

·       Personnel: 193

Las Vegas, NV, July 25, 2020 – Firefighters continue making excellent progress on all sections of the fire and containment is now 97 percent. Minimal activity was observed on the fire today.  In the coming days, citizens may see smoke visible as well as dust devils coming out of the interior of the fire. There is no need to report columns. This is normal and will occur until all hotspots burn out completely.  Firefighters will continue to be in the fire area for several more days securing lines and looking for hotspots.

With suppression operations winding down and fire personnel being released to other fires, suppression repair will continue into next week. The goal is to mitigate or eliminate environmental resource impacts caused by fire suppression activities. Vegas Valley Hand Crew, a local Type 2 Initial Attack crew will remain engaged in suppression repairs as well as patrolling for hotspots into next week. This local crew is made up of veterans from the local community.

Chadwick’s Great Basin Team 6 will be transitioning the fire back to the local unit tomorrow evening.

Fire Information:

• Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6871/
• Facebook: @HumboldtToiyabeNF #CottonwoodFire
• Twitter: @HumboldtToiyabe #CottonwoodFire 

Cottonwood Fire Update

Las Vegas, NV, July 24, 2020 – With the successful efforts of firefighters, the Cottonwood Fire is holding at 93% containment and 2,833 acres, with full containment expected within the next few days. Firefighters will continue to suppress any hot spots and patrol the fire perimeter through the weekend. Suppression repair of the burn area is also underway, which is post-fire rehabilitation work designed to mitigate land disturbances caused by suppression activities. Resources on the fire will soon be tapered down and reassigned to other fires or return to their home units.

Cottonwood Fire Update

Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, July 23, 2020 8:00 p.m.

• Acres: 2,834

• Location: Cottonwood pass South of Highway 160

• Start Date: July 20, 2020

• Cause: Under Investigation

• Containment: 93%

• Personnel: 184

Current Activity:   Excellent progress was made by firefighters on the Cottonwood Fire today, resulting in an increase in containment to 93%. The fire continues to smolder with no perimeter growth from this morning, with the size remaining at 2,834 acres.

Currently there are 184 personnel assigned to the fire. Today, hand crews continued securing the flanks of the fire creating depth along the containment lines.  Fire behavior was minimal, giving firefighters a chance to progress further around the fire perimeter than yesterday.  Due to extremely steep topography and the inability to access parts of the fire the public may not see 100% containment reflected in future updates.  However fire personnel will continue to monitor the fire area for any activity.

The Cottonwood Fire Temporary Flight Restriction will be lifted tonight at 9:00 pm.

Weather continues to be hot, dry and windy.  Fire managers would like to remind the public to please avoid the fire area, including Cottonwood Pass Road and the trail system accessed by the Late Night Trailhead. They would also like to encourage everyone to be diligent in preventing any new fire ignitions, as the fuel conditions are at critical levels to support large and rapid fire growth.

There are no Evacuations or Closures for the Fire Area.

Smoke: With minimal fire growth, fire managers anticipate minimal smoke from the fire for the next few operational shifts.

Fire Information:

• Inciweb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6871

• Facebook: @HumboldtToiyabeNF #CottonwoodFire

• Twitter: @HumboldtToiyabe #CottonwoodFire

• Fire Information Number: 707-789-1435

Incident Management Team: Great Basin IMT 6, Brook Chadwick Incident Commander

Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, July 23, 10:30 a.m.

• Acres: 2,834

• Location: Cottonwood pass south of Highway 160

• Start Date: July 20th

• Cause: Under Investigation

• Containment: 30%

• Personnel: 226

Las Vegas, NV, July 23, 2020 – Full suppression operations continue on the Cottonwood Fire today, as firefighters work to build upon the progress that was made yesterday and increase containment numbers.

An Infrared, or IR, flight was conducted last night over the fire area. Infrared flights are helpful for showing firefighters where pockets of heat are located, even if that heat isn’t visible to the naked eye. Last night’s flight found scattered heat in the southwest portion of the fire’s perimeter, which is where handcrews will focus their efforts today. Their assignment will be to locate those areas found by the IR flight and extinguish them completely. Engines will patrol and secure the remaining portions of the fire perimeter.

Operational command transitioned to Chadwick’s Great Basin Team 6 last night. Team 6 will assume all of Cottonwood Fire functions, which includes the fire’s planning, logistics, finance, communication and public information. The team will also provide local agencies with initial attack fire personnel to assist in any new fire starts that may occur today. With the increase in fire equipment, fire managers would like to remind the public to please avoid the fire area, including Cottonwood Pass Road and the trail system accessed by the Late Night Trailhead.

Weather is expected to be hot and dry with strong southernly winds. With temperatures over 100 degrees, fire managers would also like to encourage everyone to be diligent in preventing any new fire ignitions, as the fuel conditions are at critical levels to support large and rapid-fire growth.

Fire Information:

• Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6871/
• Facebook: @HumboldtToiyabeNF #CottonwoodFire
• Twitter: @HumboldtToiyabe #CottonwoodFire 

Good progress was made by firefighters on the Cottonwood Fire today, resulting in an increase in containment to 30%. The fire continues to smolder with no perimeter growth from this morning, with the size remaining at 2,834 acres.

Today, handcrews continued securing the west flank of the fire with handline, which is the portion of the fire located at the base of Mount Potosi. Engine modules worked the east flank along the roadways. Fire behavior was minimal, giving firefighters a chance to progress further around the fire perimeter than yesterday.

As the fire activity has moderated, the need for air operations has lessened. The Temporary Flight Restriction, or TFR, that is in place over the fire is no longer a concern affecting flight paths for the McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.

Yet another Red Flag Warning is in effect tomorrow with gusty winds and low humidity and firefighters expect to continue to experience temperatures over 100 degrees. Smoke may continue to be visible from the fire, especially from southwest Las Vegas. Fire managers would like to remind the public to please avoid the fire area, including Cottonwood Pass Road and the trail system accessed by the Late Night Trailhead. They would also like to encourage everyone to be diligent in preventing any new fire ignitions, as the fuel conditions are at critical levels to support large and rapid fire growth.

Command of the fire will transition to a Type 2 Interagency Incident Management Team, Chadwick’s Great Basin Team 6, this evening. Incident Management Teams provide support to the local unit by taking operational command of the fire, as well as providing several other functional areas including planning, logistics, finance, information, and communications.