U.S. Forest Service Southwest Complex Incident Management Team 2 offers an update on fire suppression repair in the Park Fire area. One reason this work is important is that it protects downstream communities and their water treatment facilities, say Southwest CIMT 2 personnel. These facilities are easily fouled by mud and debris from burned areas.
Recently, crews repaired a drainage east of Highway 32 near Deer Creek Trailhead. This drainage flows directly into Deer Creek and had been filled with dirt by the construction of a dozer line. The crew used hand tools to dig out the large drainage then lined it with rocks to prevent future erosion and fouling of Deer Creek. They went on to construct a several rock-lined catchments to keep mud-laden runoff out of the creek. Videos and photos of the equipment, firefighters and suppression-repair activities are being produced daily and can be found on the LNF Facebook page: facebook.com/LassenNF.
On Sept. 1, the roads and hazard-tree groups finished work on Hogback and Plum Roads. Both groups then began work on Ponderosa Way for the next several days.
Another work location is west of Highway 89 near the McGowan cross-country ski area, where crews are repairing a wide dozer-constructed fireline. Initially, heavy-equipment operators spread the bulldozed vegetation back over the fireline. Now hand crews are putting the finishing touches on the project by evenly distributing slash and cutting hung-up vegetation that is suspended above the ground. Getting the vegetation down on the ground is important to reduce soil erosion and speed up decomposition, say personnel.
The firefighters are also using hand tools to knock down berms created by the equipment. This is happening on numerous hand- and dozer-constructed firelines on the northeast corner of the fire.
Fire suppression activities often damage or clog culverts, say team personnel. This can occur as easily as dozers crushing ends of culverts or hand crews filling catch basins with brush as they construct fireline. Repairing damaged culverts falls to the roads group. They are working along highways and forest roads to repair damage like this, which, if left undone, could risk the integrity of the road and safety of those who travel it.
Crews open crushed culverts and remove brush, ash, sediment and rocks clogging catch basins or culverts. To reflect the progress of repair activities by the roads, hazard-tree and supression-repair groups working on federal lands, the public information map has been modified to show where the work is being done and the completion status.
Temperatures are forecast to continue to rise. No significant precipitation is forecast at this time, and humidity levels remain extremely low, say personnel. It will not be uncommon for smoke tendrils evolving from isolated stumps, logs or snags in the fire boundary to be visible from roads. This will continue until a season-ending precipitation event but does not pose a threat to containment lines and should not cause alarm.
Outside the fire perimeter, fuel load, including grass, brush and timber, is very dry and ready to burn. Any new fires would be difficult to control. Personnel ask that all residents and visitors ensure they are continuing to be diligent in their use of equipment that can be an ignition source for these fuels.
Lassen National Forest lands, roads and trails near the fire are temporarily closed. Individuals are responsible for knowing where they are in relation to the closure area. Those in the area can keep firefighters and themselves safe by abiding by the closure order. Those recreating on public lands can be prepared by viewing Forest Order No. 06-24-07 and the associated map at fs.usda.gov/alerts/lassen/alerts-notices.
Fire restrictions are in effect within the LNF. Details are available in Forest Order No. 06-24-04: fs.usda.gov/alerts/lassen/alerts-notices. Links to other land management agencies’ fire restrictions are available in the Park Fire information linktree.
The Park Fire began July 24. It is currently 98% contained at 429,603 acres. Resources assigned include 577 personnel, 31 water tenders, 22 excavators, 15 dozers, 14 crews, 13 engines, 12 skidsteers, 9 feller bunchers, 7 chippers, 6 masticators, 5 road graders, 3 log loaders, 1 backhoe, 1 helicopter and 1 processor.
Park Fire information from Southwest CIMT 2 is available at 530-414-9298 and [email protected].
Park Fire information from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is available at 530-529-9233.
Information provided by Southwest Complex Incident Management Team 2
