Location of Origin: Santa Catalina Mountains Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/coronado/

Jurisdiction: Coronado National Forest Facebook: http://facebook.com/CoronadoNF

Size: 25 acres Twitter: @Coronado_NF

Personnel: 22 Percent Contained: 75%

Cause: Lightning

No smoke visible on Mercer Fire

The Mercer Fire was ignited by lightning August 22, 2019 in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness north of Melpomene road. The Saguaro Wildland Fire Module and the Mesa Interagency Hotshots worked to secure the fire yesterday and made great progress.

Last night, the fire transitioned from a Type 4 Incident commander down to a Type 5 Incident Commander. All firelines held overnight, and there was no smoke visible this morning.

Today, firefighters will hold, patrol and improve firelines, as well as cold-trail and mop-up (identify remaining smoldering fuels, and extinguish them ) as needed.

If fire activity does not increase, resources will eventually be released, and the fire will be placed in monitor status by Santa Catalina District personnel. This will be the final update for the Mercer Fire unless there is a significant change.

Precipitation can move across southeastern Arizona sporadically during monsoon season. Visitors to the Forest are encouraged to always practice fire safety, during every season of the year, and to be vigilant to build safe campfires and extinguish them completely before leaving them for any reason.

U.S. Forest Service
Coronado National Forest
300 W. Congress, 6th Floor
Tucson, AZ 85701
Voice: (520) 388-8300
Web: www.fs.usda.gov/coronado

Wildfire Update

Media Contact: Giselle Koehn
(520) 388-8484
daphne.denzel-koehn@usda.gov

MERCER FIRE UPDATE

August 23, 2019

Location: Santa Catalina Ranger District, Coronado National Forest

Acres: 25

Start Date: August 22, 2019

Cause: Lightning

Containment: 25%

Total personnel: 35

Location: Catalina Mountains, Pusch Ridge Wilderness

Fuels: Buffelgrass

The Mercer Fire was ignited by lightning on the Coronado National Forest, Santa Catalina Ranger District the evening of August 22. The fire is approximately 25 acres burning in buffelgrass in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness just north of Melpomene road. A Type 4 Incident Commander is on scene along with Saguaro National Park Wildland Fire Module, Mesa Hotshot Crew, and Air Attack. The spread potential is currently low as the crews on the ground are making good progress suppressing the fire.

The fire is currently burning in buffelgrass which is an invasive plant that changes the way fire burns within this Sonoran Desert Ecosystem. Buffelgrass fuel loads in the Sonoran Desert can range from 1 to 4 tons per acre. This is 2 to 4,000 times greater than historic fuel levels. Because of its heavier fuel load, it can burn under a wider range of weather conditions. This invasive species creates fuel continuity where there typically would be none, increasing the potential for fires to grow much larger than they would have historically. Buffelgrass also burns with an intensity far higher than native plant species. Rate of fire spread in buffelgrass has been measured at 2-3 miles per hour under moderate conditions, which is 10 times faster than predicted for usual desert fuels.

Buffelgrass can be spread from communities onto the forest by motor vehicles, people, pets, and from private lands that border the Forest. To help minimize the spread of buffelgrass go to http://www.desertmuseum.org/buffelgrass/ for tips on how to clear your property of invasive plants, and how to help fight buffelgrass spread in and around our public lands.

For updates please see the Coronado National Forest Facebook page at http://facebook.com/CoronadoNF.

The area and trail closure has been rescinded as of Tuesday, September 10, 2019.

The Cabinet District is conducting prescribed fire operations Wednesday, September 4, 2019 in the Trout Creek and Attlebury Creek drainages. Units will be aerially ignited by helicopter. All prescribed fire operations are scheduled when weather and fuel conditions are optimal to ensure success in meeting objectives on the ground. The objective of these prescribed fire treatments is to improve the quality, quantity, and distribution of forage for big game species and to reduce hazardous fuels accumulation thereby reducing the risk of future wildfires in populated areas.
Smoke is anticipated to be visible during ignition activities. Depending on weather and dispersal conditions, smoke may linger in the area for several days following prescribed fire activities. All prescribed fire operations are approved in advance by the Montana-Idaho Airshed Group based on predicted smoke emissions and dispersion forecasts.
For public and firefighter safety, an area closure order was issued for prescribed fire area on Friday, August 30, 2019 (see map). Please avoid burn areas as they can pose very hazardous conditions. For additional safety and prescribed fire information, please call the Fire Management Office at 406-827-0709.

Trout Creek, Mont., August 19, 2019 — The Cabinet Ranger District of the Kootenai National Forest is planning a fall prescribed burn of up to 2,400 acres associated with the Minton-Trout Project. The purpose of the burn is to improve forage habitat for big game species and to reduce hazardous fuels in the East Fork and West Fork Trout Creek, and Attlebury Creek drainages. Ignition will be conducted by helicopter and will target heavy concentration of dead and down fuels. An area and trail closure will be in effect several days prior to ignition to ensure public safety.

Fire plays an integral role in our environment. Prescribed fire is similarly a critical tool in the Kootenai National Forest resource management program. By returning fire to its natural role on the landscape, we can improve forest conditions and facilitate safe management of future wildfires. Prescribed fire mimics naturally occurring mixed severity fire processes, reducing accumulation of fuels and improving growing conditions. The prescribed fire treatments in the Trout Creek area will improve the quality, quantity, and distribution of forage for big game species. The treatments will also reduce the threat of an uncharacteristic wildfire through the consumption of hazardous fuels that accumulate overtime.

Planned ignitions will only occur when weather and fuel conditions are optimal for achieving management objectives and when smoke impacts can be minimized for surrounding communities. All prescribed burns are approved in advance by the Montana-Idaho Airshed Group to ensure satisfactory levels of smoke dispersion.

A large smoke column is expected to be visible during the ignition phase. While autumn provides advantageous conditions for effective prescribed burning, residual smoke may linger for days or weeks until dispersed by weather and precipitation. The greater part of the smoke column is expected to dissipate within a day or two following ignition.

Conditions are carefully tracked to determine when ignition can occur without undue risk of fire spread outside of the burn unit area. Burn units were designed to utilize natural topographic barriers to control fire spread and progression. Prescribed fires will be closely monitored to ensure that ignition objectives are met and that the fire remains within the burn unit boundary.

A temporary trail and area closure will be implemented for public and firefighter safety during prescribed burn activities. The area closure will be rescinded when fire behavior is minimal or significant precipitation has occurred in the prescribed fire area. The temporary area closure will include the main stem, south branch, and west fork of Trout Creek (see attached map). The temporary trail access closure will include 1) Trail 774 from the Idaho border to the junction of Trail 795 and 2) Trail 779 from the Idaho border to Trail 774.

For more information, please contact Dusty Pierson, Assistant Fire Management Officer at 406-827-0709 or the Cabinet Ranger District office by phone at 406-827-3353 or in person at 2693 MT Hwy 200, Trout Creek MT 59874, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Information about this prescribed burn can also be found on the web at www.facebook.com/kootenainf, www.facebook.com/SCWildlandFireMT/, or at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/

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The New Meadows and McCall Ranger Districts continue to burn piles in and near Bear Basin. If weather allows they will look at 175 acres of broadcast burning in Bear Basin and another 75 acres adjacent to Rock Flat.

The Krassel District will look for opportunities to burn 2,000 acres at the Bald Hill project and 1,500 acres at the Four Mile project. Bald Hill is located two miles south of Williams Peak. Four Mile is located in the Fourmile Creek drainage, north of Poverty Flat.

Trails and roads that lead into the area will be posted with caution signs and a map of prescribed burn locations. Individuals may call the Krassel Ranger District at 208-634-0600, the New Meadows Ranger District at 208-347-0300 or the Council Ranger District at 208-253-0100 for more information.

This will be the final update on the Cow Fire unless there are significant changes to report on the incident.

The 1,975-acre Cow Fire remains 30 percent contained. Minimal smoke may be visible from the Cow Fire until the area receives significant rainfall. Firefighters will continue to monitor the fire to ensure it stays within control lines. Containment will steadily increase as crews further secure control lines by identifying and extinguishing sources of heat along the fire perimeter.

The ecosystem within the Cow Fire footprint will benefit from the low-intensity fire effects observed on the landscape. Lightning-caused wildfires have a natural role to play in Eastern Sierra forest ecosystems. Burned materials recycle nutrients back into the soil which enriches it and stimulates vegetation growth. New grasses, shrubs and trees replenish and grow stronger while old growth stands become more resilient. Wildlife habitats are created and an increase in food becomes available for animals to forage. The hazardous accumulation of logs and overgrown surface fuels on the forest floor are reduced which diminishes the risk of severe wildfires in the future. Heat from fire opens the strong resin which holds seeds inside of the serotinous cones of Lodgepole Pine, allowing the species to reproduce.

The public is encouraged to avoid the fire area. Post-fire hazardous such as fire weakened trees and burning stump holes may be present.

More accurate mapping confirms the Cow Fire at 1,975 acres. The fire perimeter remains 30 percent contained. As expected, the fire has slowly moved across the landscape and reached the natural barriers which firefighters have been reinforcing as control lines.

Now that the fire has reached the predetermined control lines, the complexity of the incident will begin to wind down. Command of the fire transitioned to a Type 4 management organization on Wednesday. The firefighters who remain assigned to the incident will focus on securing control lines and repairing suppression efforts where appropriate. Helicopters and pack strings of mules will begin to extract supplies that are no longer needed on the fireline.

What does it mean when fire managers declare the Cow Fire 30 percent contained? Fire managers assess the entire fire perimeter and report what percent of the whole boundary they consider secure. A section of control line is declared contained only when firefighters are confident that there is no heat or potential for fire to escape the line.

A control line can be a natural barrier such as rock outcroppings, creeks and old fire scars; or it can be a manmade fuel break such as a road, hand line or dozer line that is created with the use of tools or heavy equipment. In order to secure a control line, firefighters mitigate hot spots next to a fireline by “mopping up” or mixing the hot spots with water and soil to cool it down; similar to how you would extinguish a campfire. They also fell any burning trees that have potential to fall across the line and ignite fuels outside the fire perimeter. After the initial fireline is constructed, it may take several days or weeks for it to be declared contained.

Rain storms have significantly reduced smoke impacts from the Cow Fire. Smoke may settle overnight in the South Fork of the Kern River, Kennedy Meadows, Owens Valley and Olancha. Smoke will lift during the day and be visible from recreational sites and trails in the Golden Trout Wilderness, the Highway 395 corridor and surrounding communities.

Containment on the 1,800-acre Cow Fire has increased to 30 percent. All control lines around the fire perimeter remain secure. Fire managers are pleased with the post-fire effects that have been observed thus far. Containment will continue to increase as firefighters diligently work to secure the fire’s edge.

The Cow Fire experienced diminished fire behavior on Monday due to cloud cover, lower temperatures and higher humidity levels. Weather predictions show a chance of scattered showers, wind from the south up to 10 miles per hour, higher humidity levels and increased cloud cover through Wednesday. “We will continue to see lower-intensity fire behavior as a result of the higher humidity levels forecasted over the next few days. Additionally, the storm system moving through the area will allow for improved smoke ventilation and provide for better air quality” observed Jason Wingard, Incident Commander for the Cow Fire.

Smoke may settle overnight in the South Fork of the Kern River, Kennedy Meadows and Olancha. Smoke will lift during the day and be visible from recreational sites and trails in the Golden Trout Wilderness, the Highway 395 corridor and surrounding communities.

How does a wildfire get its name? On the Inyo National Forest, the dispatch center decides the name of each wildfire on the forest. The name is determined by geographical landmarks or features near the origin of the new start. Often dispatchers assign a name to a wildfire right after it has been reported, and sometimes before resources even arrive on scene. In order for a name to be viable, it cannot have been assigned to another incident on the Inyo National Forest that same year. In the case of the Cow Fire, the lighting strike which ignited the wildfire struck near Fat Cow Meadows in the Golden Trout Wilderness. This nearby landmark prompted dispatch to dub the incident the Cow Fire.

Closure Order:

Several back-country trail segments have been closed for public safety and firefighter focus. All segments are on R35E T18S Section 31 and R35E T19S Sections 4,5,6,8,9,17 and 18 of the Templeton Mountain topo map. The segments are:

A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place for the Cow Fire as well.