28 Jul 2009, 11:44pm
Oregon
by admin

Williams Creek Fire

Location: 3 miles W of Steamboat, Douglas Co. OR
Specific Location: Umpqua NF, Williams Creek, Lat 43° 20´ 20″, Lon 122° 47´ 13″

Date of Origin: 07/28/2009 (discovery date)
Cause: Under investigation

Situation as of 08/17/2009 8:00 am
Personnel: 449
Size: 8,395 acres
Percent contained: 100%

The Bureau of Land Management closure area, campground closures, the North Umpqua River closure and the level 1 evacuation notices will be lifted today. A main transmission line was energized at 1630 hours yesterday.

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Situation as of 08/15/2009 6:00 pm
Personnel: 582
Size: 8,395 acres
Percent contained: 92%

Costs to Date: $13,739,880

Powerlines to be energized at 1200 hours on 08/16/09. Continue demob. Transfer of
command scheduled 08/17/09 at 0600.

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Situation as of 08/14/2009 5:00 pm
Personnel: 684
Size: 8,389 acres
Percent contained: 88%

Continued smoldering, creeping, and some open flame in heavy fuels throughout the fire area. Firefighters have completed burnout operations. They will continue to mop-up the perimeter on all flanks of the fire. No evacuations are imminent.

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Situation as of 08/12/2023 6:00 pm
Personnel: 742
Size: 8,386 acres
Percent contained: 75%

Costs to Date: $12,270,648

Burnout operations completed along the NW corner of the fire. Continue to mop-up the perimeter on all flanks of the fire. Identify and improve as needed contingency control points and roads N of the fire area. Work with PacificCorp to get transmission lines repaired and hazard trees removed.

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Situation as of 08/11/2023 9:00 am
Personnel: 773
Size: 7,450 acres
Percent contained: 65%

Burnout operations are underway along the N and W edge of the fire. Fire is actively backing downhill, generally as an underburn with occasional group torching. Persistent smoldering, creeping, and some open flame in heavy fuels continues throughout the fire area.

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Situation as of 08/08/2023 6:00 pm
Personnel: 828
Size: 6,710 acres
Percent contained: 60%

Costs to Date: $9,005,217

Area Closure-North Umpqua Trail and River is closed from Thunder Creek
to Cougar Creek Trail #1507. Bougas Raft Launch, Fall Creek Picnic Area and Trail #1502.

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Situation as of 08/07/2023 6:00 pm
Personnel: 913
Size: 6,610 acres
Percent contained: 60%

Highway 138 has reopened for public travel. Precautionary evacuations (Level 1) remain in effect for Steamboat Inn; mandatory evacuations for Moore Hill Lane have been lifted. Transmission power lines remain threatened and are shutdown.

Mop-up efforts are occurring on all flanks along defensive line. Fire officials will conduct burnouts as favorable conditions allow.

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Situation as of 08/06/2023 6:00 pm
Personnel: 997
Size: 6,583 acres
Percent contained: 60%

Costs to Date: $7,537,750

Lower temperatures and higher humidities have slowed fire growth. Hwy 138 has been closed between Susan Creek and Steamboat (milepost 29 and 37). Canton Creek and Rock creek roads are also closed prohibiting access to several communities and popular recreation sites/businesses in the area. A main transmission line has been damaged and line continues to be shutdown.

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Situation as of 08/05/2023 6:00 pm
Personnel: 1,059
Size: 6,534 acres
Percent contained: 50%

Gusty winds and steep terrain are contributing to very active fire behavior on the north, east and western flanks. Fire crews continue with burnout operations on the N and W flanks.

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Situation as of 08/04/2023 6:00 pm
Personnel: 1,116
Size: 4,996 acres
Percent contained: 45%

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Situation as of 08/03/2023 6:00 pm
Personnel: 1,118
Size: 4,500 acres (no update)
Percent contained: 30%

Costs to Date: $3,540,376 (thru 08/02)

Hwy 138 has been closed between Susan Creek and Steamboat (milepost 29 and 37). Canton Creek and Rock creek roads are also closed. This makes access to several communities and popular recreation sites/businesses prohibited. A main transmission line has been damaged and line continues to be shutdown. Fire has burned to within a 1/2 mile of several residences. Private and BLM timberlands to the north, east and west are also threatened. A level 3 evacuation notice has been issued for Steamboat Inn. A level 2 evacauation notice in place for Moorehill Lane.

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Situation as of 08/02/2024 7:00 pm
Personnel: 1,042
Size: 4,500 acres
Percent contained: 20%

Burnout on NE and E flanks occurred today. Aggressive action on the N and W flanks in preparation for burnout as conditions permit. Continue to scout and look for opportunities to take direct action on the fire perimeter. Patrol and hold the S and E flank, direct line construction on the W flank, where appropriate to reduce the threat to structures.

Estimated Containment Date: Friday August 7, 2023

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Situation as of 08/01/2024 9:00 pm
Personnel: 957
Size: 3,250 acres
Percent contained: 20%

Level 3 evacuation implemented for Steamboat Inn. Hwy 138 remains closed between mp29 and mp37 until further notice. Two campgrounds evacuated, powerlines damaged and shut down. Burnout on NE and E flanks occurred today.

RED FLAG WARNING. FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING FOR ABUNDANT LIGHTNING.

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Situation as of 07/31/2009 10:00 pm
Personnel: 612
Size: 2,384 acres
Percent contained: 20%

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Situation as of 07/31/2009 11:00 am
Personnel: 463
Size: 2,168 acres
Percent contained: 10%

Hwy 138 still closed. Powerlines damaged and still threatened.

Planned Actions: Hold fire N of Hwy 138; hold W flank of fire E of Raspberry Creek; hold E of Fairview Creek and away from the residences. Fire Perimeter Maps [here]

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Situation as of 07/29/2009 10:00 pm
Personnel: 244
Size: 1,630 acres
Percent contained: 0%

Significant long range spotting, torching and major runs this afternoon. Very active fire behavior on all flanks. Forest level hazard analysis has identified the area as high risk for crown fire and large fire growth.

Fire management will transition to Ken Paul’s ORCA team at 0600 hrs on 7/30. It will be a Unified Command with Ken Paul and Dennis Sifford of DFPA.

Fire is ~13 miles W of 2008 Rattle Fire [here].

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Situation as of 07/28/2009 9:00 pm
Personnel: hand and engine crews from the Umpqua NF and Douglas Forest Protective Association responded with three helicopters and three air tankers to the fire. More crews arriving.
Size: 200 acres
Percent contained: 0%

State Hwy 138 between milepost 29 near Susan Creek and milepost 37 near Steamboat Creek remains closed. No report on PacifiCorp powerline. Temps over 100°F today and tomorrow.

Bogus and Williams Creek campgrounds are closed. Additional Forest closures in the fire area may be forthcoming. The Umpqua NF also moves to an Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) III Very High, partial shut-down, tomorrow which restricts industrial operators working on National Forest Land. This restriction also prohibits all cutting of firewood. In addition, beginning Wednesday, July 29, public use restrictions on campfires, smoking, motorized travel, and internal combustion engines will go into effect for the Umpqua NF.

30 Jul 2009, 7:45am
by Rick S.


Where is initial attack when we need it? There is no excuse for this in 2009; this fire [blow up] could have been prevented.

1 Aug 2009, 10:25pm
by bear bait


Not on the North Fork. Too close to the ranger station at Glide. It takes three days for the piss fir willies to gather to talk about the fire, to hold hands and sing about world peace, have a day of speeches about how bad Bush was, and then they put on the yellow shirts and start wringing their hands.

I know some contract folks down there now. I will find out the man on the fire line stories when it is over. OH… that might be October. I guess I will have to wait. Silly me. The target size of the fire is probably in excess of 30,000 acres. That will take some doing. It must be discomforting to have to drive all over hell’s half acre to get to the fly fishing from the San Francisco. I hope the smoke isn’t too bad. Fishing in the smoke is awfully painful. Hurts you eyes. Lungs. One of the benefits of fire “for resource use.”

2 Aug 2009, 10:02am
by bear bait


I see on the news this morning the Williams fire has filled the Rogue Valley with smoke. That has to make 100 degree plus temperatures more tolerable. So you do have to wonder if the obvious health costs of all that smoke will show up in a USFS press release. There ought to be a way for those people to let the Umpqackers know their fire is not appreciated.

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