Archie Creek & Thielsen
NORTHWEST INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM 12

Incident Commander: Bob Shindelar
October 9, 2020
The Archie Creek Fire is east of Roseburg in the North Umpqua corridor on state,
private, and federal land. The Thielsen Fire is located five miles north of Crater
Lake near Diamond Lake on federal lands. Clouds will build throughout the day,
with a slight chance of rain by this evening. Widespread rainfall will begin early
tomorrow morning and continue through the day. There is a possibility of a
rain/snow mix tomorrow night at higher elevations.
Yesterday’s Operations:
Archie Creek – Firefighters continued mop-up, patrol and suppression repair.
Crews also conducted hazard tree mitigation, particularly in the southeast area of
the fire. A flare-up occurred near Zig Zag Creek, and helicopters dropped water
on the area. Crews began backhaul in some divisions, which entailed removing
supplies and equipment from the fireline. This equipment, put in place for holding
fire line, will be taken back to camp, repacked, and sent out to other fires. The

Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team continued assessment of post-
wildfire environmental conditions.

Thielsen – The fire continued to smolder and creep in large stumps and deep
duff. Fire crews conducted mop-up and suppression repair along containment
lines.
Today’s Operations:
Archie Creek – Firefighters will continue to mop-up, patrol and conduct
suppression repair work. Hazard tree mitigation will continue in the southeast
area of the fire. Smoke will continue to be visible from the fire area today,
particularly in the southeast. Crews will continue backhaul operations throughout
the fire area, moving supplies and equipment from firelines back to base camp.
The BAER team will continue assessing post-wildfire environmental conditions
and determining appropriate mitigation actions needed to restore damaged
natural resources.
Thielsen – Mop-up and suppression repair will continue along containment lines,
and firefighters will continue improving a shaded fuel break along Forest Road 60.
Forest Road 005, near North Diamond, will remain closed today while crews cut
hazard trees.
Safety Message & Help for Fire Victims:
Please stay out of fire closure areas for your safety and that of the firefighters. Be
aware of heavy equipment and increased traffic in the area. Smoke will be
present today. Visit the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality at
http://www.oregon.gov/deq for Air Quality information. Rain may be heavy over
the next 48 hours. Be cautious driving in low visibility and wet conditions. Disaster
aid, and organizations helping victims of the Archie Creek Fire, can be found at

Archie Creek: 131,542 acres
CONTAINMENT: 94%
PERSONNEL: 291
Thielsen: 9,975 acres
COMPLETION: 71%
PERSONNEL: 128
CAUSE: unknown for both fires
RESOURCES:
Archie Creek Thielsen
Hand Crews 3 1
Engines 7 4
Dozers 2 3
Water Tenders 1 4
AIRCRAFT:
Helicopters 1 1
FIRE INFORMATION:
(971) 334-7674
2020.archiecreek@firenet.gov
INCIWEB:

FACEBOOK:

ThielsenFireInfo/

(CDC guideline and recommendations)

Closures, Restrictions & Evacuations:
 Roads – Highway 138E is open, but delays should be expected. The route to Miller Lake via FS Road 9772 remains
closed from the intersection with Hwy. 97 to the intersection with FS Road 110 due to firefighter traffic. Drivers are
being directed to take FS Road 9774 to connect with FS Road 110 as an alternative route. See www.tripcheck.com for
updates on highway closures.
 Bureau of Land Management – All BLM-managed lands in the Swiftwater Resource Area east of the Range 3 and 4
boundary line and north of Little River Road are closed. This includes portions of Rock Creek Road and all BLM
recreation and day use sites within the closure boundary, including Rock Creek, Lone Pine, Millpond, Scaredman and
Susan Creek campgrounds. Cavitt Creek Falls Campground is closed for the season. For more information, see

 Umpqua National Forest – Sections of the North Umpqua and Diamond Lake Districts remain under a fire closure
order. Umpqua Hot Springs, fire lookouts, cabins and group picnic sites remain closed. Diamond Lake Resort and
Diamond Lake are now open for public recreation, but Diamond Lake Campground is closed for the rest of the year.
North Umpqua District closure: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/7176/57090/ and Diamond Lake District
closure: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/7195/57398/. More information on Forest Service closures is available
at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/umpqua/alerts-notices. The Umpqua National Forest is currently at Industrial Fire
Precaution Level I. The fire danger is Moderate.
 Temporary Flight Restriction – There is temporary flight restriction for aircraft, including drones, for the Archie Fire.
No temporary flight restriction is in effect for the Thielsen Fire.
 Evacuations – No evacuations remain in place.

Lionshead Fire update for Friday, Oct. 9

Brian Gales, Incident Commander Aaron Schuh, Deputy IC

Start date: Aug. 16, 2020 Containment: 46% facebook.com/LionsheadFire
Fire size: 204,469 acres Public information: 971-277-5075 https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7049

/

REDMOND, Ore. – Much of the repair and rehabilitation work firefighters and resource advisors (READs) being
done this week has focused on stabilizing and protecting areas of the burn zone against the incoming rains.
Mitigation measures on steep slopes have been prioritized to reduce erosion, particularly in the form of dozer line
repair. This work includes loosening soils compacted by heavy equipment to increase absorption; redistributing
berms of soil and vegetative material scraped away when bulldozers were cutting line; and creating water bars,
which channel water into ditches or unburned green areas.
Thursday, Prineville Hotshots helped guide strategic water drops on a spot fire near the finger to the north. Water
drops continued on Mt. Bruno as well.
A contingency line to the north that will benefit both the Lionshead and Riverside fire responses is nearly complete.
Hazard tree falling on the Hwy. 46 corridor is nearly complete. Interior burning in the northeast corner was more
subdued, but incoming winds could stimulate more activity today as a new weather front moves into the region.
Weather: Abundant rain is expected Saturday, Incident Meteorologist Chuck Redman said, estimating up to 2
inches of rain could fall on the west side of the Cascade Crest, with ½ to ¾ of an inch on the east side.
“We’re looking at a good thread of wetting rain throughout the weekend,” Redman, said, adding showers should
continue into Monday morning.
Safety: Rain is good news for suppression, but also poses additional hazards that can put firefighters at risk.
Depending on conditions, crews may have to stop work and seek shelter at times.
Many of the hazards firefighters face also apply to communities where residents and landowners have been
allowed to return, and also areas reopened to recreation and hunting.
Strong winds can topple trees and cause limbs to fall, while heavy rain can limit visibility, destabilize rocks, logs and
trees on slopes, wash out roads and cause mudslides or flash flooding. Cooler temperatures and wet conditions can
also lead to hypothermia.
Closures: Closure orders and maps for the Willamette, Mt. Hood and Deschutes National Forests and Prineville
District Bureau of Land Management can be found at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7049/ Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife has updated hunting information can be found at
Wildfires: Impact on hunting, fishing, wildlife | Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife

Slater and Devil Fires Update
Friday, October 9, 2020; 9:00 a.m.

A virtual community briefing will be offered today at 5:00 pm on the Slater and Devil Fires Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/SlaterAndDevilFireInformation. Presenters will include the Northwest Incident
Management Team 7 Incident Commander, Operations, National Forest managers, and other local officials.
Questions can be submitted ahead of time via email at slaterfirenorth.information@gmail.com or on our
Facebook page. Hope you can join us!
Slater Fire – 155,726 acres and 70% containment
On the northern flank, mop up, patrol, and structure defense continue along fire lines, with crews steadily
increasing the depth of containment. Firefighters have completed containment lines south of Browntown in the
Deadman’s Gulch area, and extended hand line to Swan Mountain.
Yesterday, on the eastern flank, firefighters located four small spot fires that began Wednesday when brisk
southwesterly winds pushed embers across a portion of hand line near Swan Mountain into the headwaters of
the left fork of Sucker Creek. Three of the spot fires are contained by rocky slopes. The fourth spot fire, measuring
approximately one-quarter acre, will be contained with hand line.
On the southern portion of the fire, crews continue to patrol, monitor, and reinforce containment lines in Happy
Camp and along the southwest flank up to Kelly Lake. Firefighters are focused on containing spot fires, as well as
increasing the depth of containment.
In the southwest portion of the fire, in the Knopki and Chicago Creek drainages, firefighters are working to keep
the fire east of Chicago Creek. Work continues to open roads leading into the East Fork of Chicago Creek, and
construct fire line to the south into the area burned by the 2018 Natchez Fire.
Hazard tree removal along the Grayback Road (also known as Happy Camp Highway) between Takilma and Happy
Camp remains a high priority. This work will restore safe, reliable access for firefighters, residents, and those
working to bring power back to Happy Camp. Repair of other roads damaged by the fire and fire suppression
actions is ramping up ahead of impending wet weather.
Devil Fire – 8,755 acres and 35% containment
Mop up and patrol continue along the northern and southern areas of the fire, with lines holding along the Butte
Fork of the Applegate River, 1040 Road, and Pacific Crest Trail. Crews continue patrolling the southeast flank,
building fire line into the Fort Goff Creek area.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.
Weather and Fire Behavior
The transition to cooler, moister air continues, accompanied by
brisk winds from the southwest. Some rain showers may arrive late
today and into Saturday, with the greatest chance for rain expected
Saturday afternoon. Rainfall totals between one-tenth and onequarter inch are expected. Areas exposed to higher winds from the
southwest may show increased burning ahead of the rain.
Evacuations
Anyone interested in accessing their home or property should
contact the local sheriff’s office.
Siskiyou County information: (530) 841-2900 or
www.facebook.com/SiskiyouCountySheriff/
Del Norte County information: (707) 464-7213 or
www.facebook.com/DelNorteOfficeOfEmergencyServices and
www.preparedelnorte.com/
Closures
The Klamath, Six Rivers, and Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests
have issued fire area closure orders for the Slater and Devil Fires.
The Pacific Southwest Region is under emergency fire restrictions,
although the use of gas stoves is allowed in open developed
recreation sites. Find closure orders and maps at:
www.fs.usda.gov/klamath, www.fs.usda.gov/rogue-siskiyou, and
www.fs.usda.gov/srnf.
Portions of both the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest’s Wild
Rivers Ranger District and Siskiyou Mountains Ranger District have
reopened for use. Some areas remain closed for emergency crews’
safety and to allow for fire suppression and burned area recovery.
Find closure orders and maps at: www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/rogue-siskiyou/alerts-notices.
The Bureau of Land Management Medford District has public lands closures in effect near the Slater Fire and South
Obenchain Fire. Find closure area maps at: www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-andaviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions.

Incident Statistics
Size:
Slater
Devil
155,726
8,755
Containment:
Slater
Devil
70%
35%
Injuries: 7
Fatalities:
Date detected:
2
9/8/2020
Cause: Under
investigation
Structures Threatened: 150
Structures Damaged: 11
Structures Lost (total):
Residential
Commercial
Mixed
Other
440
197
1
5
237
Estimated cost:
Slater
Devil
$39.2 million
$472,478
Resources
Hand Crews: 28
Engines: 64
Helicopters: 6
Fixed wing aircraft: 2
Dozers: 1
Water tenders: 14
Total Personnel: 1,097