Oliver/Silver Complex Fires
Location: N of Oakhurst, Mariposa, Madera Cos. CA
Specific Location: Cowchilla R. area, Lat 37° 27´ 4″ Lon 119° 45´ 12″
Date of Origin: 06/21/08
Cause: Lightning
As of 06/25/08 the Oliver Complex is now called the Silver Complex on Sierra NF lands to differentiate those fires from the Oliver Fire, which is on private lands and is being managed by CalFire. We will report both here, since they started out with the same name.
Oliver Fire (CalFire) Situation as of 07/04/08 noon
Total Personnel: 321
Size: 2,789 acres
Percent Contained: 90%
Costs to Date: $11,915,343
Demobilizing base camp
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Oliver Fire (CalFire) Situation as of 07/03/08 noon
Total Personnel: 549
Size: 2,789 acres
Percent Contained: 85%
Costs to Date: $11,011,690
Minimal fire behavior with burning in interior islands in Division W. Remainder of the fire had smoldering with minimal fire activity. Division Mike is completely tied in. Efforts continue on Division Whiskey to tie in and improve line. Continue rehab planning and implementation. Continue demobilization of resources.
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Silver Complex Fire (Sierra NF) Situation as of 07/03/08 6:00 PM
Total Personnel: 211
Size: 1,161 acres
Percent Contained: 100%
Costs to Date: $3,340,000
Star Fire is 350 acres 100% contained. Fuller Fire is 25 acres 100% contained. All other fires in complex are either contained or controlled. Continue heavy mop up operations on the Star utilizing resources that are assigned.
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Oliver Fire (CalFire) Situation as of 07/01/08 7:00 PM
Total Personnel: 730
Size: 2,789 acres
Percent Contained: 75%
Costs to Date: $10,242,193
Line construction in Division Mike completed with continued widening, improvement and mop-up. Air support still needed in Division Whiskey. Continued demob of resources planned for operational period.
The evacuation warning for the residents in the Ponderosa Basin is planned to be lifted at 1800 on 7/2/08.
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Silver Complex Fire (Sierra NF) Situation as of 07/01/08 6:00 PM
Total Personnel: 271
Size: 1,161 acres
Percent Contained: 95%
Costs to Date: $3,300,000
Star Fire is 350 acres, 100% contained. Fuller Fire is 25 acres, 10% contained. All other fires in the complex are either contained or controlled.
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Oliver Fire (CalFire) Situation as of 06/30/08 7:00 PM
Total Personnel: 1,294
Size: 2,789 acres
Percent Contained: 65%
Costs to Date: $9,268,320
Continued backing and flanking activity in Division W with interior runs. Division M and W also have large unburned islands that continue to have activity.
Will begin to implement demob as long as adequate rest and drive time is achieved for resources.
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Silver Complex Fire (Sierra NF) Situation as of 06/30/08 5:30 PM
Total Personnel: 274
Size: 1,131 acres
Percent Contained: 92%
Costs to Date: $2,500,000 (not updated)
Star Fire 350 acres, 92% contained. Silverknob 570 acres, contained. Chiquito 54 acres, contained. Westfall 105 acres, contained. Poison and Gagg 1 acre each, declared out. One new fire, the Fuller, a lightning sleeper that woke up this morning is estimated at 50 acres, 0% containment.
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Oliver Fire (CalFire) Situation as of 06/29/08 7:00 PM
Total Personnel: 1,297
Size: 2,789 acres
Percent Contained: 55%
Costs to Date: $7,844,904
Slow, difficult progress on firing operation on Whiskey today with backing and flanking fire activity. The rest of the fire had smoldering and backing activity. Numerous interior islands continue to smolder and will significantly extend time required to control fire. The need to use contingency plans has reduced.
Firing operation is planned to continue into the night on Division Whiskey. Evacuation warning continues for residents in the Ponderosa Basin.
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Silver Complex Fire (Sierra NF) Situation as of 06/29/08 4:00 PM
Total Personnel: 498
Size: 1,081 acres
Percent Contained: 85%
Costs to Date: $2,500,000
Significant line construction was completed today on the Star fire. Only 70 chains of line construction remains.
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Oliver Fire (CalFire) Situation as of 06/28/08 7:00 PM
Total Personnel: 1,324
Size: 2,306 acres
Percent Contained: 40%
Costs to Date: $6,062,509
Fire progression in Division Mike is holding with continued line construction as well as in Division Whiskey. A firing operation is planned this date in Division Whiskey. Steep slopes (100%+) in Division Mike are making line construction slow and continue to threaten fire spread via rolling material.
Air support needed in Ponderosa Basin and Division Mike. contingency planning has succeeded in identifying potential 12,500 acre threats in each of Ponderosa Basin and Division Mike. Watershed values at risk are in the Devils Gulch drainage which is a major tributary to the Wild and Scenic Merced River and also in the Chowchilla river drainage which supplies the Eastman Reservoir. If significant fire damage occurs in these areas, there will be high potential for excessive siltation and degradation of water quality. There are some historical and pre-historic sites within the current fire perimeter and the contingency plan perimeter. USFS Resource Advisor is identifying sites of concern. The incident also has critical need for a PIO Type I and 2 additional PIO’s any type.
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Silver Complex Fire (Sierra NF) Situation as of 06/28/08 6:00 PM
Total Personnel: 529
Size: 1,061 acres
Percent Contained: 70%
Costs to Date: $2,100,000
Rehab continued on the Silverknob and Westfall. Line construction continues on the Star Fire. Poison Fire declared out.
Silverknob 570 acres; contained. Star 330 acres; 10% contained. Chiquito 54 acres; contained. Westfall 105 acres; contained. Poison 1 acre; contained. Gagg 1 acre, declared out.
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Oliver Fire (CalFire) Situation as of 06/27/08 7:00 PM
Total Personnel: 1,302
Size: 2,277 acres
Percent Contained: 20%
Costs to Date: $4,708,123
A Red Flag warning was issued by the NWS this morning for the fire area for thunderstorm activity in higher elevations and potential for outflow winds in the fire area. This warning is to continue until 6/28/08 at 2000.
Continued fire progression to the north and north east in heavy fuels with individual tree torching. Moderate to high intensity burning conditions with interior islands burning out.
There was a Ponderosa Basin community meeting being held this evening at 1800 hours with unified command officials.
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Silver Complex Fire (Sierra NF) Situation as of 06/27/08 6:00 PM
Total Personnel: 515
Size: 1,031 acres
Percent Contained: 75%
Costs to Date: $2,050,000
Silverknob 570 Ac - contained. Chiquito 54 Ac - contained. Westfall 105 Ac - contained. Star 200 Ac Poison/Gagg 1 Ac ea.
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Oliver Fire (CalFire) Situation as of 06/26/08 9:00 PM
Total Personnel: 1,215
Size: 2,200 acres
Percent Contained: 20%
Cost to date: $3.03 million
Structures Threatened: 200 residences, 225 outbuildings
Evacuations:
Aurora Road (5S09) and Standard Mill Road (5S03)
Evacuation Warning:
5100 block to 6100 block of Chowchilla Mountain Rd
Evacuation Centers:
Woodland Elementary School, 3394 Woodland Dr (Woodland Dr & Highway 49)
Road Closures:
Chowchilla Mountain Rd east of Westfall Road is open to residents only with proof of residency
The fire is in steep inaccessible terrain and is burning extremely dry brush and trees. Moderate fire behavior observed with the fire primarily backing downslope. The fire is in the Devil’s Creek drainage north of Roundtree Saddle Road.
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Oliver Fire (CalFire) Situation as of 06/25/08 7:00 PM
Total Personnel: 1,173
Size: 2,000 acres
Percent Contained: 20%
Cost to date: $2.03 Million
Chowchilla Mountain Road area. Moderate fire behavior observed with the fire primarily backing downslope. The fire is in steep inaccessible terrain and is burning extremely dry brush and trees. The fire moved into Devil’s Creek drainage.
Aurora Road (5S09) and Standard Mill Road (5S03) evacuated. 5,100 block to 6,100 block of Chowchilla Mountain Road under pre-evacuation warning. Red Cross evac shelter set up at Woodland Elementary School, 3394 Woodland Drive, Woodland Drive and Highway 49. Chowchilla Mountain Road east of Westfall Road is open to residents only with proof of residency.
Ponderosa Basin Community Meeting Friday June 27, 2008 at 6:00 PM, Mariposa County Fire Station #32, 5618 Creel Road, Mariposa.
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Silver Complex Fire (Sierra NF) Situation as of 06/25/08 9:00 AM
Total Personnel: 400
Size: 1,668 acres
Percent Contained: 0 to 100%
Gagg, Poison, Westfall, and 7 other fires 100% contained. Silver Knob Fire, 480 acres, 60% contained. Chiquito Fire 52 acres, 60% contained. Star Lakes Fire 30 acres, 0% contained. Ten smokejumpers have parachuted into the Star Lakes Fire (S of Yosemite NP) to begin constructing fire line.
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Situation as of 06/23/08 8:00 PM
Total Personnel: 339
Size: ~2,000 acres
Percent Contained: 5%
Total of 14 fires are active on the Sierra NF.
Madera County Sheriff has maintained the green alert on evacuations at this time. Signs are posted for residents and travelers along Hwy 41 and Hwy 49 corridors of hazardous driving conditions. Reverse 911 system will be activated when needed.
