Wind Sheered Smoke Column on July 29, 2015
Up slope Up canyon winds carry smoke above the ridge line to the east, higher elevation winds sheer the smoke column back to the west
Photo credit: InciWeb
Sierra Sun Times Public Safety Scanner
Click here for Thursday Information on the Willow Fire
Click here for Saturday Information on the Willow Fire
Click here for Saturday Information on the Willow Fire
Willow Fire in Madera County Near Bass Lake
Update: Friday 7:40 P.M.
Sierra National Forest announces a community meeting is scheduled for Saturday, August 1, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at the North Fork Town Hall.
4,394 Acres and 40% Contained
Total Personnel 1,958
The Willow Fire is located on the northern edge of the North Fork Fire Footprint from 2001 and is in steep and rugged terrain which requires hand crews to hike into the area and be supported by helicopters and air tankers. The southern edge of the fire is established in the previously burned area has a concentrated brush component larger dead timber debris, intermingled with a concentration of tree snags.
Crews have continued firing along the southern edge of the fire to prevent it from out flanking blackened control lines. USFS with CALFIRE are in Unified Command.
On the northern flank the fire, crews continue to gain progress northeast of a large granite face known locally as 7-Rock. A direct attack remains the most appropriate strategy.
The use of aircraft, both helicopters and tankers continue to be used to support ground crews. A portable retardant plant has proven to be very effective with air resources in reducing the turnaround time of helicopters.
Management action plans on the southern edge triggered additional residential evacuations of approximately 450 homes in the Cascadel Woods area.
Monsoonal moisture may produce thunderstorms on or near the fire causing lightning or erratic winds.
As the Willow Fire continues to burn, smoke will be impacting local communities. Smoke is typically greater in the morning and evening hours. Plan outdoor activities for times and places with low smoke levels. Up-slope breezes occur during the day, which will often take smoke into higher elevations. In the evening, these winds change direction and bring smoke back down slope to lower elevations.
A Willow Fire information phone number has been established for further information about the fire. That number is (559) 877-7449. Please be patient as call volume varies throughout the day.
Evacuations
- The Central Camp area, Douglas Ranger Station Rd and the Cascadel Woods are have been evacuated due to the fire.
- The American Red Cross has set up an evacuation center which is located at the Oakhurst Community Center, 39800 Road 425 B in Oakhurst, CA.
Closures
Campgrounds - Gagges, Whiskers, and Whiskey Falls are closed.
Willow Canyon Rd is closed. Central Camp Rd is closed. Autumn Ridge Rd (8S09) is closed. Douglas Ranger Station Rd is closed. Cascade Woods area is closed at Road 225 and 233.
Equipment
Engines 142
Hand Crews 43
Dozers 20
Water Tenders 35
Helicopters 9
Tankers available on request 4 Very Large Air Tanker 1
Basic Information
| Current as of | 7/31/2015, 7:40:11 PM |
|---|---|
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
| Cause | Human |
| Date of Origin | Saturday July 25th, 2015 approx. 02:30 PM |
| Location | NE of North Fork, CA |
| Incident Commander | David Cooper SCSIIMT And Kevin Smith CALFIRE |
| Incident Description | Wildfire |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 1,958 |
|---|---|
| Size | 4,394 Acres |
| Percent of Perimeter Contained | 40% |
| Fuels Involved | Timber, Chaparral, Tall grass. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Fire crews are engaged with structure assessment and protection. Direct and indirect line construction continues on all sides of the fire. Crews will continue to mop up where safe to do so. Firing operations will be conducted when indicated. |
|---|---|
| Remarks | The Willow Fire is located on the northern edge of the 2001 footprint of the North Fork Fire. The fire is now burning well into this area and resistance to control increases due to heavy brush and dead woody materials with critical live fuel moisture. Crews are engaged with firing along the southern edge of the fire to prevent it from outflanking blackened control lines. On the northern flank crews continue to gain progress northeast of the large granite rock known locally as the 7 Rock. A direct attack remains the most appropriate strategy in this area. Aircraft are being utilized to support crews working on the ground. The portable retardant plant is has proven to be extremely effective with reducing the time taken to return to the firelines. An evacuation center has been established in Oakhurst by the American Red Cross. |
Current Weather
| Weather Concerns | Monsoonal moisture over the area may produce thunderstorms on or near the fire causing lightning or erratic winds. Localized down canyon winds in the Willow Creek Drainage may push the fire at night. |
|---|
Update: Friday 5:06 P.M.
Sierra National Forest announces a community meeting is scheduled for Saturday, August 1, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at the North Fork Town Hall.
Update: Friday 6:53 A.M.
4,394 Acres and 30% Contained
Total Personnel 1,920
The Willow Fire is located on the northern edge of the North Fork Fire Footprint from 2001 and is in steep and rugged terrain which requires hand crews to hike into the area and be supported by helicopters and air tankers. The southern edge of the fire is established in the previously burned area and resistance to control along the flanks increases. This is due to the concentrations of brush and larger dead timber debris, intermingled with a concentration of tree snags.
Direct attack on the southern flank is no longer feasible as it has become unsafe for firefighters and there is a low probability of success. Crews have initiated firing along the southeast edge of the fire to prevent it from out flanking them and maintaining safety. Further south a contingency line from the 2001 North Fork Fire has now become the primary control line to protect the community of Cascadel Woods. Due to this CALFIRE has now entered into Unified Command with the USFS.
On the northern flank the fire pushed through a large granite face known locally as 7-Rock. Crews will continue to scout the previously constructed fuel breaks and road systems on the northern edge with a potential for use as other contingency lines.
The use of aircraft, both helicopters and tankers continue to be used to support ground crews. A portable retardant plant was established today to enhance the effectiveness of air resources and reduce the turnaround time of helicopters.
The expected high pressure system moved into the fire area bringing much warmer temperatures. Monsoonal moisture may produce dry thunderstorms Today turning wet Friday and Saturday.
As the Willow Fire continues to burn, smoke will be impacting local communities. Smoke is typically greater in the morning and evening hours. Plan outdoor activities for times and places with low smoke levels. Up-slope breezes occur during the day, which will often take smoke into higher elevations. In the evening, these winds change direction and bring smoke back down slope to lower elevations.
A Willow Fire information phone number has been established for further information about the fire. That number is (559) 877-7449. Please be patient as call volume varies throughout the day.
Evacuations
- The Central Camp area and Douglas Ranger Station Rd above Trails End was evacuated due to the fire.
- The American Red Cross has set up an evacuation center which is located at the Oakhurst Community Center, 39800 Road 425 B in Oakhurst, CA.
Closures
Campgrounds - Gagges, Whiskers, and Whiskey Falls are closed.
Willow Canyon Rd is closed. Central Camp Rd is closed. Autumn Ridge Rd (8S09) is closed. Douglas Ranger Station Rd is closed at Trails End.
Equipment
Engines 132
Hand Crews 44
Dozers 18
Water Tenders 33
Helicopters 9
Tankers available on request 4
Very Large Air Tanker 1
Basic Information
| Current as of | 7/31/2015, 6:31:01 AM |
|---|---|
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
| Cause | Human |
| Date of Origin | Saturday July 25th, 2015 approx. 02:30 PM |
| Location | NE of North Fork, CA |
| Incident Commander | David Cooper SCSIIMT And Kevin Smith CALFIRE |
| Incident Description | Wildfire |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 1,920 |
|---|---|
| Size | 4,394 Acres |
| Percent of Perimeter Contained | 30% |
| Fuels Involved | Timber, Chaparral, Tall grass. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Fire crews are engaged with structure assessment and protection. Direct and indirect line construction continues on all sides of the fire. Crews will continue to mop up where safe to do so. |
|---|---|
| Remarks | The Willow Fire is located on the northern edge of the 2001 footprint of the North Fork Fire. The fire is now burning well into this area and resistance to control increases due to heavy brush and dead woody materials. A direct firefighting strategy on the southern edge is no longer feasible due to the low probability of success and being unsafe for firefighters. Along the northern flank the fire continued to move through an area known locally as the 7 Rock. Aircraft are being utilized to support crews working on the ground. A portable retardant plant was established today which will reduce the time taken to to return to the firelines. |
Current Weather
| Weather Concerns | The high pressure ridge is in place over the region which is bringing much warmer temperatures to the fire area. Localized down canyon winds in the Willow Creek Drainage may push the fire at night. Anticipated monsoonal moisture may produce dry thunderstorms beginning Thursday turning wet Friday and Saturday |
|---|
Update: Thursday 7:00 P.M.
3,383 Acres, heavy brush and timber, 30% Contained
South Central Sierra Interagency IMT (Cooper) is in Unified Command with CAL FIRE (Smith)
Evacuations remain unchanged.
Structure protection of Cascadel, Central Camp, and Bass Lake subdivisions.
To reduce the logistical complexities associated with travel distances the fire has been separated into two geographic and one functional branch.
An Evacuation Center has been established in Oakhurst at the Oakhurst Community Center.
Equipment
Engines 132
Hand Crews 44
Dozers 18
Water Tenders 33
Helicopters 9
Tankers available on request 4
Very Large Air Tanker 1
Total Personnel 1,900
