Taboose Fire Update

Today the Boise NIMO team transitioned command of the Taboose Fire back to the Inyo National Forest. There was no reported growth and total acres burned remains at 10,296 with 75% containment. Yesterday a crew of firefighters was flown up to the southwest flank to complete suppression repairs. Today those firefighters will remain attached to the incident to patrol the perimeter and monitor interior pockets of heat as islands of fuel continue to smolder. Fire behavior along the western flank within the wilderness has subsided significantly as it continues to burn out naturally.

The Inyo National Forest has issued a Forest Closure for the Taboose Fire area until further notice. Please respect the closure order, as it is put in place to protect the safety of the public and the firefighters. Wildfire compromises the integrity of trees and soil, making them unpredictable hazards. This closure order has been implemented to allow firefighters the ability to work efficiently and navigate the fire line safely while also protecting the public from hazards in the area.

Goodale, Taboose and Tinemaha campgrounds are now open, but please be mindful of the forest closure order still in effect around the fire area.

Closures:

Updated Road Closures

Tinemaha Road, Taboose Creek Road (beyond the campground), Birch Creek Road, Goodale Road (beyond the campground), and Goodale Creek Road.

Trail Closures

Red Lake and Taboose Creek Trails.

Please respect these closures and avoid the nearby fire area for your own safety and that of the firefighters.

This will be the last daily update unless there are significant changes in fire activity.

Overnight the fire remained within established control lines. The fire remains at 10,296 acres and containment has increased to 75%. There were no reported smokes across the line and the fire perimeter held firm against the northeasterly gusts. The weather outlook is favorable, with calm conditions expected through Thursday. Firefighters will be flown into the southern edge of the fire to complete repair and remove any remaining equipment. The remainder of the fire perimeter will be monitored by air and patrolled by a crew of 20 firefighters.

The Boise NIMO team will turn management of the fire back to the Inyo National Forest on Wednesday morning.

The Inyo National Forest has issued a Forest Closure for the Taboose Fire area until further notice. Please respect the closure order, as it is put in place to protect the safety of the public and the firefighters. Wildfire compromises the integrity of trees and soil, making them unpredictable hazards. This closure order has been implemented to allow firefighters the ability to work efficiently and navigate the fire line safely while also protecting the public from hazards in the area.

Goodale, Taboose and Tinemaha campgrounds are now open, but please be mindful of the forest closure order still in effect around the fire area.

Closures:

Updated Road Closures

Tinemaha Road, Taboose Creek Road (beyond the campground), Birch Creek Road, Goodale Road (beyond the campground), and Goodale Creek Road

Trail Closures
Red Lake and Taboose Creek Trails.

Please respect these closures and avoid the nearby fire area for your own safety and that of the firefighters.

Control lines will be tested again as the next frontal passage brings higher winds Monday afternoon in to Tuesday morning. The fire currently sits at 10,296 acres and 70% containment showing limited growth in the wilderness towards natural containment boundaries, away from infrastructure and communities. If weather conditions permit a crew will be flown into Division M, the southwestern flank, to implement suppression repair and remove remaining equipment. The rest of the fire perimeter will be patrolled for any remaining areas of heat, and completing suppression repair to return the landscape to as natural state as possible.

The Inyo National Forest has issued a Forest Closure for the Taboose Fire area until further notice. Please respect the closure order, as it is put in place to protect the safety of the public and the firefighters. Wildfire compromises the integrity of trees and soil, making them unpredictable hazards. This closure order has been implemented to allow firefighters the ability to work efficiently and navigate the fire line safely while also protecting the public from hazards in the area.

Goodale, Taboose and Tinnemaha campgrounds are now open, but please be mindful of the forest closure order still in effect around the fire area.

Fire Resources:

3 crews 5 engines 5 helicopters 1 water tender 243 personnel

Closures:

Updated Road Closures

Tinnemaha Road, Taboose Creek Road (beyond the campground), Birch Creek Road, Goodale Road (beyond the campground), and Goodale Creek Road

Trail Closures

Red Lak eandTaboose Creek Trails.

Please respect these closures and avoid the nearby fire area for your own safety and that of the firefighters.

As fire activity decreases, resources on the Taboose Fire are being scaled back to appropriately meet the needs of containment objectives. There was no growth overnight with total acres remaining at 10,293 with 65% containment. Suppression repair has been completed in the northern most division of the fire, crews are now focusing rehabilitation efforts on the eastern sections of line. Handline was completed in Division M, the most southern section and is tied into the natural barriers in the wilderness.

Another weather shift is expected today with ridgetop winds coming out of the southwest at 10-15 mph, with gusts up to 25 mph in the higher elevations by late afternoon. Frontal winds are likely to increase fire spread into the wilderness towards natural containment boundaries, burning away from infrastructure and communities. Due to the expected strong winds and the increased risk this poses to firefighter, firefighters will be staged on the line today. This will allow resources to be readily available in the event of new fire reports, while also keeping firefighters out of unnecessary risk.

Monday will see the potential for a north to northwest change in winds and gusts up to 30-40 mph possible above 8,000 feet, which has the potential to challenge control lines.

The Inyo National Forest has issued a Forest Closure for the Taboose Fire area beginning today and lasting until further notice. Please respect the closure order, as it is put in place to protect the safety of the public and the firefighters. Wildfire compromises the integrity of trees and soil, making them unpredictable hazards. This closure order has been implemented to allow firefighters the ability to work efficiently and navigate the fire line safely while also protecting the public from hazards in the area.

Goodale, Taboose and Tinemaha campgrounds are now open, but please be mindful of the forest closure order still in effect around the fire area.

Fire Resources:

7 crews 5 engines 5 helicopters 1 dozer 4 water tenders 269 personnel

Closures:

Updated Road Closures

Tinnemaha Road, Taboose Creek Road (beyond the campground), Birch Creek Road, Goodale Road (beyond the campground), and Goodale Creek Road

Trail Closures

Red Lake, Birch Lake & Taboose Creek Trails.

Please respect these closures and avoid the nearby fire area for your own safety and that of the firefighters.

Limited growth occurred along the western flank for a total of 10,293 acres burned with 65% containment. This area is expected to see a small degree of growth as it burns up in to the John Muir Wilderness. The rocky terrain is too dangerous for firefighters to work the ground, so crews will utilize these natural fire barriers in conjunction with constructed control lines to allow the western flank to burn out naturally. The area will benefit from moderate fire activity as it promotes a healthier landscape and wilderness ecology. As of 6:00pm yesterday evening the fire transitioned from the California Interagency Incident Management Team 11 to the Boise NIMO team. The NIMO team will continue the progress and successful strategies set in place by the CIIM team. Containment objectives remain the same as crews work to construct the remaining portion of handline at the southwest corner. The remainder of the perimeter will continue to be patrolled and rehabilitation plans will be implemented.

Weather conditions will prove favorable for firefighters today as conditions are expected to remain calm throughout the afternoon. Warmer temperatures and lower humidity mean there is still potential for fire growth, so crews will remain vigilant as they continue their progress today. Sunday may bring a shift in wind direction from the southwest. Firefighters will work to strengthen control lines that may be challenged by this wind event.

NEW The Inyo National Forest has issued a Forest Closure for the Taboose Fire area beginning today and lasting until further notice. Please respect the closure order, as it is put in place to protect the safety of the public and the firefighters. Wildfire compromises the integrity of trees, making them unpredictable hazards. Scorched soil, high winds, rain and snow can all cause trees to lose branches or fall without warning. This closure order has been implemented to allow firefighters the ability to work efficiently and navigate the fire line safely while also protecting the public from hazards in the area.

Fire Resources:

8 crews 8 engines 5 helicopters 1 dozer 4 water tenders 343 personnel

Closures:

Evacuation Orders Evacuation Advisories

Baxter Ranch Community of Aberdeen and Community of Birch Creek

Road Closures

Tinnemaha Road, Taboose Creek Road at Aberdeen, Birch Creek Road, McMurry Meadows Road, Goodale Road, and Goodale Creek Road

Campgrounds

Tinnemaha, Goodale Creek and Taboose Creek Campgrounds are currently closed.

Trail Closures

Red Lake, Birch Lake & Taboose Creek Trails.

Please respect these closures and avoid the nearby fire area for your own safety and that of the firefighters.

There was no additional growth on the fire today with total acres burned remaining at 10,269 with 65% containment. Fire crews anticipate tying in constructed hand line along the southwestern flank with the natural barriers of the John Muir Wilderness by end of shift today, which has been the primary containment objective over the past 24 hours. The north, east and southern most divisions saw minimal fire activity, reporting smoke from smoldering interior islands posing no threat to established control lines.

NEW The Inyo National Forest has issued a Forest Closure for the Taboose Fire area beginning today and lasting until the fire is out. This means you must stay out of the burned area and the listed roads and trails going into the fire area. Hunters, please pay attention! You could be fined or imprisoned for trespassing into the area during the closure. Please respect the closure order, support the firefighters by staying out of the way and letting the land heal. The full Forest Order will be posted on the Inyo National Forest Webpage.

Closures:

Tinnemaha Road, Taboose Creek Road at Aberdeen, Birch Creek Road, McMurry Meadows Road, Goodale Road, and Goodale Creek Road

Tinnemaha and Goodale Creek and Taboose Creek Campground is closed

The fire was quiet overnight, with a total of 10,269 acres burned and 64% containment. Overnight engines patrolled containment lines on the northern and eastern divisions while crews remained spiked out on the more remote sections of the fire line to the south-southwest. With the increased hazards and dangerous conditions associated with night operations, firefighters take extra precautions while monitoring fire behavior to ensure crew safety. The end of this week also brings a transition in fire management. The California Type 2 Incident Management Team will transition with an incoming NIMO (National Incident Management Organization) who will take over management of the fire this evening at 6 PM. The NIMO team will work to keep the progress towards containment while also developing long-term management strategies.

NEW The Inyo National Forest has issued a Forest Closure for the Taboose Fire area beginning today and lasting until the fire is out. Please see the attached map. This means you must stay out of the burned area and the listed roads and trails going into the fire area. Hunters, please pay attention! You could be fined or imprisoned for trespassing into the area during the closure. Please respect the closure order, support the firefighters by staying out of the way and letting the land heal.

Light winds, cooler temperatures and high relative humidity meant fire behavior was minimal throughout the night. The calm conditions are anticipated to continue through Friday and Saturday, with another potential wind event beginning on Sunday.

Fire Resources:

8 crews 8 engines 6 helicopters 1 dozer 5 water tenders 350 personnel

Closures:

Evacuation Orders

Baxter Ranch

Evacuation Advisories

Community of Aberdeen and Community of Birch Creek

Road Closures

Tinnemaha Road, Taboose Creek Road at Aberdeen, Birch Creek Road, McMurry Meadows Road, Goodale Road, and Goodale Creek Road

Campgrounds

Tinnemaha and Goodale Creek and Taboose Creek Campground is closed

Trail Closures

Red Lake, Birch Lake & Taboose Creek Trails.

Today firefighters worked to secure the 6-acre spot that had breached control lines last night on the southern division of the fire for an updated total of 10,269 acres with 64% containment. Efforts are now being focused on this area. Crews are being moved to this section of line in order to prevent southern progression of the fire along the wilderness border. Firefighters aim to curb the fire between constructed hand lines and natural barriers along the steep slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Lines constructed on the eastern flank held this afternoon and crews continue to strengthen perimeters by identifying and extinguishing areas of heat. Most of the fire activity is still occurring along the western flank within the John Muir Wilderness. A BAER (Burned Area Emergency Response) team has responded to begin assessing ecological values affected by the Taboose Fire. The team will implement strategies to stabilize environments and minimize the negative impacts of fire on natural and cultural resources.

Please note that Taboose Creek Campground, administered by Inyo County has been closed.

The afternoon brought increased wind activity from the northwest, but this is anticipated to slow down significantly in to the evening with Friday and Saturday bringing calmer conditions. Crews on the fire line experienced cold and breezy conditions today, with snow flurries above 8,000 ft. The next wind event is predicted to move in Sunday afternoon.

Fire Resources:

8 crews 8 engines 6 helicopters 1 dozer 5 water tenders 350 personnel

Closures:

Evacuation Orders

Baxter Ranch

Evacuation Advisories

Community of Aberdeen and Community of Birch Creek

Road Closures

Tinnemaha Road, Taboose Creek Road at Aberdeen, Birch Creek Road, McMurry Meadows Road, Goodale Road, and Goodale Creek Road

Campgrounds

Tinnemaha and Goodale Creek and NEW Taboose Creek Campground is closed

Trail Closures

Red Lake, Birch Lake & Taboose Creek Trails.

Please respect these closures and avoid the nearby fire area for your own safety and that of the firefighters.

Firefighters worked to hold the fire perimeter overnight through the predicted wind event, resulting in limited fire growth at a total of 10,263 acres with 63% containment. Crews held the newly established control lines along the eastern flank, and the day shift will work to secure those lines. Fire personnel are carefully navigating the southern most division, utilizing handline construction and hose lays in conjunction with natural barriers to hold the perimeter. Overnight the shifting winds resulted in a small, 6 acres spot in a drainage north of Armstrong Canyon. Most of the growth occurred along the western flank as the fire continues to edge into rock formations within the John Muir Wilderness. Today firefighters will work to secure the spot, strengthen control lines and protect the established perimeter.

Please note that Taboose Creek Campground, administered by Inyo County has been closed.

Winds are anticipated to subside after the cold front passes through Thursday. Warmer temps and calmer conditions are expected Friday and Saturday which should moderate fire behavior. The adverse winds will continue into the afternoon, at about 5 to 10 mph, which could still pose a challenge to crews working the southern divisions.

Fire Resources:

8 crews 18 engines 6 helicopters 1 dozer 5 water tenders 400 personnel

Closures:

Evacuation Orders

Baxter Ranch

Evacuation Advisories

Community of Aberdeen and Community of Birch Creek

Road Closures

Tinnemaha Road, Taboose Creek Road at Aberdeen, Birch Creek Road, McMurry Meadows Road, Goodale Road, and Goodale Creek Road

Campgrounds

Tinnemaha and Goodale Creek and NEW Taboose Creek Campground is closed

Trail Closures

Red Lake, Birch Lake & Taboose Creek Trails.

Please respect these closures and avoid the nearby fire area for your own safety and that of the firefighters.