The Williams Creek and Twin Lakes Fire continue to burn into Thursday with both at 0% containment.
The Williams Creek Fire (5 miles west of Orogrande) is estimated at 8,837 acres and is believed to be caused by lightning.
Red Flag weather conditions materialized in the early afternoon hours yesterday, with hot and dry conditions and erratic winds. The fire behavior and activity prompted the Incident Commander and Fire Operations personnel to recommend a “Level 3-GO” evacuation notice through the Idaho County Sheriff’s Office. As the fire continued to push under the influence of strong, gusty winds, the Incident Commander implemented an immediate evacuation for safety reasons.
Firefighting resources disengaged and pulled back to staging areas to assess and re-evaluate, given the fire’s progression. Firefighters re-engaged multiple times, as the winds subsided and fire behavior died down enough to ensure safe firefighting
operations. Resources remained on-site into the early morning hours, addressing hot spots within and around the community.
Under the Red Flag conditions, the fire made a 5-to-6-mile push from the west side of Orogrande. The fire established itself in the Five Mile drainage. The smoke column carried heat and embers to the east of Orogrande into the Silver Creek and Quartz
Creek drainages and into the old McGuire fire footprint.
Resources will continue to engage the fire in Orogrande and the Crooked River corridor, addressing and extinguishing hot spots and conducting damage assessments. Fallen trees, burned “snags” and downed powerlines present safety hazards.
An overnight infrared flight mapped the fire at 8,837 acres. Fire managers have requested a daytime infrared flight to further pinpoint the fire’s progression and location.
The Twin Lakes Fire (east of Twin Lakes and Hagen Creek) is estimated at 907 acres and is also presumed to be started by lightning.
An overnight infrared flight mapped the fire at 907 acres. The fire was active yesterday, but no major growth or movement occurred. Firefighters have completed structure protection measures at Square Mountain Lookout and continue to monitor fire behavior and fuels conditions.
A much cooler and more stable air mass will sit over the area today, with temperatures trending 20 degrees cooler. An inversion will persist through the day above ridgeline, acting as a cap and limiting smoke ventilation. Northwest winds, with gusts to 20 mph, will persist throughout the day, mainly along upper exposed ridgelines and drainages.
The air mass will remain dry, with relative humidity levels dropping to 20%. Overnight temperatures are expected to dip below freezing. This moderation in weather should keep fire behavior relatively subdued due to the inability to vent. Crown runs are possible where wind and slope align, given the dry conditions and heavy concentrations of bug-killed spruce trees.
Closures surrounding both fire areas are necessary to protect the safety and welfare of the public and provide for safe firefighting efforts and access. Specific closure information and maps are posted on Inciweb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8372/ as they are implemented.
The Twin Lakes Fire closure includes the following roads and trails:
OPEN:
NFSR 444 Gospel Road – open from junction with NFSR 221 to Moore’s Guard Station/Campground
CLOSED:
NFST 312 – North Moore’s Trail – closed from trailhead to MP 6.83/jct with NFST 383 Square Mountain
NFST 383 – Square Mountain Trail – closed from MP 6.64/jct with NFST 315 to MP 7.16/jct with NFST 312
NFST 315 – Kentucky Creek Trail – closed from trailhead/jct with NFST 313 to MP 7.71/jct with NFST 383
NFST 313 – Hump Trail – closed from MP 15.4/jct with NFST 384 to MP 18.1/jct with NFST 315
NFST 384 – Square Mtn. Spur Trail – closed from trailhead/jct with NFST 383 to MP 1.37/jct with NFST 313
NFST 383 – Square Mountain Trail – closed from trailhead/jct with NFSR 444 to MP 1.59/jct with NFST 384
NFSR 444 – Gospel Road – closed from MP 11.57 at Moore’s Campground to end of road at Square Mountain Lookout
The Williams Creek Fire closure includes the following roads and trails:
CLOSED:
NFSR 233 – Crooked River Road – closed from jct with NFSR 522 to jct with NFSR 233I at Orogrande Summit
NFSR 492 – Santiam Sourdough Road – closed from jct with trail 415 to jct with trail 416
NFSR 233I – Wild Horse Campground Road – closed from jct with NSFR 233 to end of road
NFST 299 – Crystal Lake Trail – closed from TH /jct with NSFR 233I to jct with trail 803 at MP 2.04
NFST 803 – Ten Mile Spur – closed from TH/jct with Trail 299 to end of trail/jct with Trail 415
NFST 415 – Ten Mile Trail – closed from TH/junction with Trail 803 at MP 6.49 to TH/jct with NFSR 492
NFST 416 – Old Golden-North Hill Trail – closed from TH/jct with NSFR 492 to end of trail jct with NSFR 478A.
NFSR 478A – Forest Road 478A – closed from jct with Trail 416 at 0.2 to jct with NSFR 478
NFSR 478 – Nipple Mountain Road – closed from jct with NSFR 478A at MP 1.56 to jct with Trail 807 at MP 1.65
NFST 807 – Five Mile Trail – closed from end of trail/jct with NSFR 478 to TH/jct with NSFR 2003
NFSR 2003 – Five Mile camp Road – closed from jct with Trail 807 at MP 0.15 to beginning of road/jct with NSFR 233
