Note: Click here for Wednesday's Cougar Peak Fire Updates
Map Shows Divisions, Uncontrolled Fire Edge, Completed Dozer Lines.
Note: Map is 1,500 Pixels Wide
Note: Click here for Wednesday's Cougar Peak Fire Updates
Afternoon Update for the Cougar Peak Fire:
Favorable weather conditions will allow firefighters to complete a planned, low intensity burnout operation on the southeast side of the Cougar Peak Fire this afternoon. The burnout will be a small block of area south of Cox Flat of low intensity to blacken the ground to reduce the fuels between the fire and control features. This operation will create visible smoke.
Basic Information
| Current as of | 9/14/2021, 1:18:56 PM |
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
| Cause | Undetermined |
| Date of Origin | Tuesday September 07th, 2021 approx. 01:45 PM |
| Location | 15 miles Northwest of Lakeview, Oregon |
| Incident Commander | Kevin Stock/USFS & Scott Magers/OSFM |
| Coordinates | 42.277 latitude, -120.613 longitude |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 858 |
| Size | 86,412 Acres |
| Percent of Perimeter Contained | 6% |
| Estimated Containment Date | Tuesday October 05th, 2021 approx. 12:00 AM |
| Fuels Involved |
Timber (Litter and Understory) Brush (2 feet) Medium Logging Slash Predominate fuels are timber, dry climate brush, logging and fuels reduction slash. |
| Significant Events |
Moderate; creeping; torching; spotting Narrative: Fuels recovering rapidly from the recent rain event. Surface fire moved today from the low category (low intensity, low probability of ignition, infrequent torching) to moderate activity. Aviation assets utilized to assist spot fire suppression. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions |
Provide Rural Structure Protection. Reinforce control lines on South and East. Continue construction and prep of contingency lines on west flank. Continue cold trailing in the north end grass and sage fuels. Construct handlines to tie multiple dozer lines together along the east flank. Continue scouting for opportunities. |
| Projected Incident Activity |
12 hours: Uptick in fire behavior expected. Overnight recoveries diminish significantly over the next 4 days. Moderate surface fire with single and small group torching likely. Light winds for this period limit spotting distance, however probability of ignition will rise each day as daytime humidity also deteriorate. 24 hours: Timber fuel models support moderate intensity surface fire, single to small group torching, increased probability of ignition. Torching runs possible today. Continued consumption of heavy fuels. 48 hours: Fuels exposed to several nights of poor day and nighttime humidity recovery will support active surface fire with group torching, high probability of ignition and rapid spread rates. 72 hours: Gusty, prefrontal winds will be present on the fire today. Active surface fire with spread potential in all directions will be possible. Long range spotting with a high probability of ignition is likely. Anticipated after 72 hours: Frontal winds (potentially gusting to 35-40 mph) could produce extreme rates of spread today on the heels of several days and nights of poor humidity recovery. Crown runs on exposed ridges possible with long range spotting and high probability of ignition. |
Current Weather
| Weather Concerns |
A light north to northeast wind 5-10 mph developed along ridgetops and exposed slopes in the afternoon after a cool front passed through the area last night. Otherwise, light terrain driven winds were observed in most valleys. Temperatures were a few degrees cooler in the 60s and lower 70s with good overnight RH recoveries still dropping around 20% in the afternoon. A few high clouds passed over the area in the early afternoon with slightly better visibility throughout Lake County. Light terrain-driven winds will prevail through Tuesday but a very dry air mass moving into the area will result in poor overnight recoveries in the 30-40% range at higher elevations, dropping to around 10% for many lower valleys in the afternoon. Another weak cold front moves through Wednesday bringing enhanced west to northwest winds and no precipitation. Light winds and dry conditions are expected Thursday with a stronger storm system arriving for the end of the week. Gusty west-southwest winds are expected Friday and Saturday as robust cold Pacific trough moves through the region with increasing rain chances beginning early Saturday morning. |
September 14, 2021 - Cougar Peak Fire Update for Tuesday Morning, 86,412 acres with 6% Containment.
Overnight Infrared Flight: Interpreted Size: 86,412 Acres a growth of 130 Acres over last flight.
Cougar Peak Fire Update
Northwest Incident Management Team 8, Incident Commander Kevin Stock
Oregon State Fire Marshal Incident Management Blue Team, Incident Commander Scott Magers
September 14, 2021 – Morning
Lakeview Ore. – The Cougar Peak Fire is estimated at 86,412 acres and 6% contained. Excellent progress is being made to secure perimeter lines and cool hot spots. Firefighters have also scouted and created miles of direct and indirect line while mopping up areas that threaten the existing containment lines. With the improvement in visibility, all aviation assets assigned to the fire were very active yesterday. A heavy equipment group continues to make progress around the fire assisting with line construction. A weak cold front has brought lower humidity to the region will accelerate the drying of fuels and increase fire activity.
Last night, crews patrolled the fire and worked hotspots found along the fires edge. Today’s priority will again concentrate on the eastern and southern edges of the fire. Handlines and dozer lines will be constructed to connect the existing containment lines. Hose lays will continue to help with mop-up efforts. The forecasted weather for today is expected to be favorable for tactical burning operations to reduce unburned fuel between the fire edge and the line. Fire managers plan to secure the fire line on the southwest corner of the fire with a burnout. Clear skies will give ground resources access to all available air assets today to extinguish flare ups and hot spots throughout the fire.
On the west side of the fire, the heavy equipment group will continue to reinforce contingency lines. Due to the limited availability of logistic support, all resources will continue to report to the Incident Command Post in Lakeview and there will not be a spike camp set up in Paisley. The burnout operations on Round Mountain are complete, and crews will continue mop-up in the area. Along the containment line on the southeastern portion of the fire, mop-up has reached 50-100 feet into the fires edge.
OSFM task forces will be helping with mop-up on the north and south sides of the fire. The great work the crews have accomplished on the fire has secured property and structures, for that reason the existing structure taskforces and overhead team are expected to demobilize tomorrow morning. Crews across the fire will continue to report all cattle found in or near the fire perimeter and have created a mapping system to assist livestock owners in locating their animals.
Behavior: An increase in fire behavior is anticipated. The dry air mass is expected to stay in the area through the week, resulting in critically low relative humidity. This may increase fire activity and increase smoke coming out of the Cougar Peak Fire.
Acreage: 86,412
Containment: 6%
Cause: Undetermined
Fire Information: (541) 900-5788 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.) E-mail 2021.cougarpeak@firenet.go
Air Quality: oregonsmoke.blogspot.com
Weather: A strong storm system is expected to arrive late in the week bringing southwest winds back Thursday, with stronger southwest winds Friday along with the chance of rain.
Resources-842: 2 - type 1 hand crews, 2 - type 2 IA hand crews, 17 - type 2 hand crews, 3 - camp crews, 4 - heavy lift helicopters, 2 - medium lift helicopters, 2 - light lift helicopter, 33 - engines, 19 - dozers, 19 - water tenders, and 2 - masticators.
Evacuations: The Lake County Sheriff’s Office evacuation levels remain at Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 evacuations in and around the Cougar Peak Fire. For further information please see: Lake County website https://www.lakecountyor.org/index.php Lake County Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Lake-County-Oregon-104435824529906 and an interactive map: https://tinyurl.com/InteractiveEvacMap
Temporary Flight Restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the Cougar Peak Fire. Please consult the Notice to Airman for specifics.
Red Cross Evacuation Shelter: The Lakeview shelter and planned emergency shelter in LaPine are both on standby and staff are available to reopen either shelter, if the need arises.
Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. Whenever a drone is spotted near the fire, all aircraft are grounded until we can be sure the drone is clear of the area. For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org. For the latest restrictions and regulations, including Oregon Department of Forestry and federal agencies, visit https://scofmp.org/restrictions.shtml.
Make sure to Know Before You Go. Please continue to #knowbeforeyougo! Check for fire restrictions in areas you are going to visit and do your part to stop accidental human caused wildfires. 85% of fire in Oregon are human caused, the greater percentage are all accident!
Click here for: Oregon Cougar Peak Fire Monday, September 13, 2021 Updates
