Starting a thread for the (very) late July lightning fires.
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From Inciweb as of 20:55 this evening
Incident Overview
A lightning storm passed over the Shasta-Trinity National Forest on July 28, 2021. Six positive downstrikes were recorded, two of which have resulted in fires. More fires may be detected as lightning is predicted to continue for the next several days. All detected fires, regardless of location, are being managed under full suppression strategies.
The two detected fires are the Rush Fire in the Trinity Alps, and the McFarland Fire south of Highway 36 near Wildwood.
July 31, 2021
7:00 pm:
- There is a new lightning-caused fire reported on the Trinity River Management Unit. The Panther Fire is located on the south side of the Trinity River south of Del Loma, and is burning in old fire scar from 2008. It has no road access. Smokejumpers have been ordered, and aircraft is working the fire.
6:16 pm:
- There is a new lightning-caused fire reported on the South Fork Management Unit: The Springtime Fire is estimated at 1/4 acre. Ground resources are on scene.
5:30pm
- There are three new lightning-caused fires on the Mount Shasta Management Unit:The Tamarack Fire east of Parks Creek is approximately 1/4 acre and the Cement FIre (below Cement Bluff) is less than 1/4 acre. Both are being suppressed by ground and air resources. The Deadfall Fire (approximately 50’ by 50’ above Deadfall Lake and adjacent to the Pacific Crest Trail) is being staffed by smokejumpers. The PCT remains open.
July 30, 2021
6:00pm:
- Marland Fire (previously the McFarland Fire) is approximately 400 acres, evacuation warnings from Trinity County Sheriff’s Office remain in effect
- Rush Fire remains at .6 acres with line around it.
- 4 new fires were detected: Tamarack Fire, Deadfall Fire, Cement Fire and Springtime Fire. Smoke jumpers and additional resources are responding.
11:28am:
- McFarland Fire evacuation warnings issued. Check the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page for the latest on evacuations.
7:50am:
- Rush Fire is estimated at .6 acres and is lined. Smokejumpers are on scene; requesting more jumpers to help solidify containment.
- McFarland Fire is estimated at 40-50 acres. It is currently 3% contained. Ground and air resources are on scene, with more on order for today.
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The RDD jumpers put their last eight jumpers out with four each on the Deadfall and Cement fires. So if the Panther fire gets its jumper order filled, it will have to be from out of the region. Eight did reinforce the Rush fire this morning, helping out the original four from yesterday evening.
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@smkj79 I heard Jumper 21 return to RDD this evening off Tamarack empty. Is that a region 2 resource?
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“@smkj79 I heard Jumper 21 return to RDD this evening off Tamarack empty. Is that a region 2 resource?”
I believe the 21 in this case is just part of the tail number. I also believe that this is a CASA 212 that is on a CWN contract rather than an Exclusive Use Contract but I’m not totally certain of that. All CASAs in the smokejumper mission are from Bighorn Airways in Wyoming. Good aircraft with great heavy paracargo capabilities.
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McFarland is well established in an area without any recent fire history. It’s the first of August and gnarly fire weather is forecast this week. Any reason to think it won’t kick our asses until it runs out of fuel?
2020 August Complex in purple, 2015 fires in dark blue, 2008 fires are light blue.
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New fire almost due east of Mt Shasta, name is Antelope.
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There is a “Moff”’or “Mauf” incident I’m hearing as well in the SHF, but on mobile with headphones. They’re ordering up the world with aircraft and resources.
Edit: back at “base” and nothing on #firemappers or anything regarding this. I’ll update if I hear better.
Cleaned the ears out, I think I’m hearing the Lost fire, which is east and south of the Antelope fire. Lost AA cancelled all fixed wing and rotor ordered to the Lost. Fire boxed in with retardant, 2-3 acres and holding, ground is working the flanks and IC is good with resources on scene.
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The 4 northwestern fires are (from north to south) believed to be the McCash, Cronan, either Haypress or Packers, and Summer. McCash is KNF but I believe that whole Ranger District is administered by SRF, Packers is SHF (but sounds like they’re running it as part of the KNF River Complex), the other two are KNF.
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Anybody have any insight as to why team 11 has not assumed command 2 days after their inbrief?
CA-SHF McFarland Fire: 7,485 acres, timber and brush, 5% contained. Threat to structures with Evacuation Orders and Warnings issued. Threat to State Highway 36, private timberlands, power-lines, gas pipelines and communication infrastructure. Type 2 CA Team 11 (Fogle) assigned but has not yet transitioned to command.
Team 11 has assumed command. Website is wrong.
SHF-Cinder far NE corner of the McCloud District Caltopo map here
1 acre in the timber, AA, copter and S2 working it
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