Lionshead Fire Update 

Monday, Oct. 12

REDMOND, Ore. –

 

Within the fire zone, crews are constantly assessing hazards ranging from hazard trees to muddy roads, working when and where it is safe to do, and ensuring their vehicles and equipment do not cause more resource damage. Over the weekend crews have worked diligently to remove snags from the roadway that have fallen with the windy and rainy conditions. Firefighter and public safety are the top priority for the Incident Management Team and crews working around the fire perimeter.

 

Cooler and wet weather brings a new set of challenges for firefighters. Working in cold, wet conditions is unpleasant, and can affect firefighter morale. Incident Commander Brian Gales said well wishes and supportive comments from the public are a huge boost for firefighters during the long season.

 

“We really appreciate all the positive comments from the community about the hard work being done, and we relay it to the firefighters on the line every day,” Incident Commander Brian Gales said.

 

Now that active suppression, aviation and line construction are no longer essential to the containment effort, many crews and resources have been released from the incident to work on incidents that have staffing and resource needs. Daily objectives are also being adjusted to reflect the shorter daylight hours in which crews can work.

 

A wilderness resource advisor has been ordered to help coordinate suppression repair and mitigation in these more sensitive areas. The resource advisor will coordinate with other resources on the fire to ensure efficient and effective suppression repair.

 

Weather: Weather on Monday will continue to be windy with some precipitation in the morning. The weather will dry out on Monday afternoon until a new frontal system arrives Tuesday afternoon, bringing additional precipitation and winds. The weather is forecast to dry out and will begin a warming trend starting Wednesday.

 

Safety: Unpaved roads are very muddy, particularly on the west side of the Cascade Crest. The traveling public should avoid driving or parking on unpaved roads to avoid getting stuck.

 

Lionshead Fire

Pacific Northwest IMT #13

Public Information Phone: 971-277-5075

Media Inquiries: 541-904-0542

Incident E-mail: 2020.lionshead@firenet.gov

Incident Website: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7049 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHSR6_yJRQkHyGjvvqX99gw

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LionsheadFire 

Archie Creek & Thielsen
NORTHWEST INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM 12

Incident Commander: Bob Shindelar
October 12, 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 National Forest lands. Rain fell over the fires last

night, with a rainfall amount of about 0.2”. Temperatures today will be in the mid-
50s on the Archie Creek Fire and in the upper 40s on the Thielsen Fire.

Yesterday’s Operations:
Archie Creek – Mop-up and patrol continued across all divisions on the fire.
Crews worked to identify equipment and supplies no longer needed on the fire
and returned these supplies back to base camp for refurbishment and re-use.
Firefighters continued suppression repair work to minimize erosion and to protect
natural and cultural resources. Fire crews continued to remove hazard trees along
transportation corridors. The BAER team continued their post-wildfire
assessments to determine appropriate mitigation actions to restore damaged
natural resources on National Forest lands.
Thielsen – Fire crews continued mop-up and suppression repair work along
containment lines. In the North Diamond Division, firefighters improved ingress
and egress to Highway 138 and removed hazard trees along FS 005 road.
Additionally, firefighters removed debris in the southern area and chipped
vegetation debris in the northern area.
Today’s Operations:
Archie Creek – Firefighters will patrol around the fire and continue mop-up work
identifying and extinguishing any remaining hot spots near the fire perimeter. The
work to identify equipment and supplies no longer needed on the fire lines
continues today. Fire crews will collect pumps, hoses, and litter from control lines,
roads, and staging areas. Fire suppression repair work is ongoing to restore
natural drainage along fire lines, minimize erosion, and protect natural and
cultural resources. Firefighters will continue to methodically remove hazardous
fire-weakened trees and snags near roads. The BAER team will be working to
assess post-wildfire environmental conditions and determine appropriate actions
to mitigate the effects of fire suppression on National Forest lands.
Thielsen – Fire crews will remain engaged in mop-up and suppression repair
work along containment lines. In the North Diamond Division, work on improving
ingress and egress to Highway 138 will continue. Firefighters will identify and
remove hazard trees along FS 005 road. Firefighters will continue debris removal
in the southern area and chipping in the northern area.
Safety Message & Help for Fire Victims:

Archie Creek: 131,542 acres
CONTAINMENT: 95%
PERSONNEL: 261
Thielsen: 9,975 acres
COMPLETION: 75%
PERSONNEL: 87
CAUSE: under investigation
for both fires
RESOURCES:
Archie Creek Thielsen
Hand Crews 2 0
Engines 5 2
Dozers 1 3
Water Tenders 1 3
FIRE INFORMATION:
(971) 334-7674
2020.archiecreek@firenet.gov
INCIWEB:

FACEBOOK:

ThielsenFireInfo/

(CDC guideline and recommendations)
Please stay out of fire closure areas for your safety and that of the firefighters. Sawyers are felling hazard trees along roadway
corridors, and there is increased traffic as firefighters reposition heavy equipment on narrow roads. Visit the Oregon
Department of Environmental Quality at http://www.oregon.gov/deq for Air Quality information. Be cautious driving in low
visibility and wet conditions. Disaster aid, and organizations helping victims of the Archie Creek Fire, can be found at

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 – No temporary flight restrictions are in effect for the Archie Creek or Thielsen Fires.
• Evacuations – No evacuations remain in place.

Slater and Devil Fires Update
Monday, October 12, 2020; 9:00 a.m

Slater Fire – 156,417 acres and 75% containment
Hazard tree removal along Grayback Road (also known as Happy Camp Highway) between Takilma and Happy
Camp remains a high priority. This essential work will restore safe, reliable access for firefighters, residents, and
those working to bring power back to Happy Camp.
Patrol operations are in place along the northern perimeter of the fire, from Randolph Collier tunnel in the west
to the Left Fork of Sucker Creek in the east, with a focus on searching for and cooling any remaining hot spots.
Work is also underway along containment lines in shoring up drainage features to handle upcoming fall and
winter rains. Burned Area Emergency Response teams are assessing the fire’s impacts across the landscape to
guide future actions needed to preserve safety and critical natural and cultural resources.
Securing the fire’s edge along the Knopki and Chicago Creek drainages near Sanger Peak also remains a high
priority to limit further fire spread to the west. In addition to rugged terrain, forecasted wind and rain are adding
to challenges faced by firefighters as they work to extend and connect fire lines southward into the 2018
Natchez Fire scar.
Along the southern portion of the fire, crews continue to patrol, monitor, and strengthen containment lines near
Happy Camp and along the southwest flank up to Kelly Lake.
Devil Fire – 8,849 acres and 55% containment
The Devil fire is in monitor and patrol status. Remote cameras will be installed over the next few days to assist in
monitoring fire activity.
Weather and Fire Behavior
Light rain is expected over the fire area in the morning, followed by a mid-day drying period with light showers
possible overnight. Winds are gradually transitioning to a west/northwest flow, with temperatures expected to
reach the upper thirties and low forties. Smoldering and creeping fire behavior persists, especially under tree
canopies.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.
Evacuations
Anyone interested in accessing their home or property should
contact the local sheriff’s office.
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/roguesiskiyou/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-safetyand-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/firerestrictions.
Burned Area Emergency Recovery information and resources for
private landowners impacted by the fires are available for northern
California at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7237/ and for
western Oregon at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7222/.

Incident Statistics
Size:
Slater
Devil
156,417
8,849
Containment:
Slater
Devil
75%
55%
Injuries: 10
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
$41.3 million
$679,879
Resources
Hand Crews: 20
Engines: 50
Helicopters: 4
Fixed wing aircraft: 2
Dozers: 2
Water tenders: 9
Total Personnel: 907