North Complex News Release: September 16, 2020
415
Begin forwarded message:
From: 2020 CAPNF North Complex Information <2020.northcomplex.info@firenet.gov>
Date: September 16, 2020 at 5:46:01 PM PDT
Subject: North Complex News Release: September 16, 2020
2020 CAPNF North Complex Information has shared a OneDrive for Business file with you. To view it, click the link below.
Plumas NF Kurth Release Final_2.pdf North Complex News Release: September 16, 2020
On September 8th, 2020 one of the North Complex fires, the Claremont-Bear made a historic run after a spot fire jumped the Middle Fork of the Feather River from an uncontained fire edge. The fire ran from Cleghorn Bar to Lake Oroville as winds, terrain and dry fuels came into perfect alignment. The spot fire traveled more than 30 miles in 16 hours and spotted across Lake Oroville.
The spot fire was reported immediately and broadcast as an update at the beginning of the 1000 hrs Cooperator Meeting being live streamed. Thirty minutes later the spot fire was reported to be 1,000 acres.
Immediate notifications were made by Liaison Officers to the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office, Butte County Sheriff’s Office and Yuba County Sheriff’s Office. At 1108 hrs, evacuation of Lumpkin Ridge was recommended to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office.
Air Attack reported the spot fire with an estimated size of 5,000 acres and a running crown fire at 1130 hrs. Additional calls were immediately placed to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office with an updated recommendation to evacuate everything 5 miles west of the Butte-Plumas County line. Yuba County Sheriff’s office was called at the same time with a recommendation to evacuate everyone inside a 4-mile radius around Strawberry Valley.
Special thanks are extended to Butte County Sheriff Honea. Prior to entering unified command, and at the request of my team’s Liaison Officer, he sent one of his detectives to embed directly with the team’s Operations Section Chief to plan, coordinate and inform the immediate emergency notification, and evacuation of an estimated 23,000 people. This close coordination and direct communication pipeline enabled immediate notification of the fire movement and additional spot fires to jurisdictional and cooperating officers as they performed the evacuation.
The spot fire moved 20 miles beyond all fire prediction models identified. New spot fires in advance of the primary progression were reported up to 4 miles ahead of the fire front. Large clusters of spot fires were joining so rapidly that huge areas were igniting at once creating a very dangerous fire environment.
The Butte County Sheriff’s Office and all who helped execute their jurisdictional evacuation responsibility are to be commended for their effort to evacuate all affected communities and citizens.
-Jay Kurth, Incident Commander
California Interagency Incident Management Team 4
NORTH COMPLEX
Email: 2020.NorthComplex.Info@firenet.gov
Phone: (530) 316-4487
Facebook: www.facebook.com/USFSPlumas
Inciweb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6997/
North Complex Fire Morning Update September 12, 2020
415 298-9900
Begin forwarded message:
From: 2020 CAPNF North Complex Information <2020.northcomplex.info@firenet.gov>
Date: September 12, 2020 at 7:40:35 AM PDT
Subject: North Complex Fire Morning Update September 12, 2020
Incident Start Date: 8/17/2020Size: 252,313 acresContainment: 21%Fatalities: 9
Resources Assigned: Engines: 234 Handcrews: 78Dozers: 80Helicopters: 31 Water Tenders: 104
Total Personnel: 3,282
Current Situation
North Zone: Firefighters continued to make good progress on securing containment lines and there was no significant fire growth. Firing operations will be focused around the Lookout Rock and Ontop Mine areas. Structure protection groups continue to work in communities surrounding the fire’s perimeter.
South Zone: The most activity was located on the western side of Little Grass Valley, where firefighters continue to scout for opportunities to establish direct and indirect line construction.
West Zone: This area is being managed by CAL FIRE/Butte County: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/18/north-complex-fire/#incident-overview.
Both a detailed morning video operations update for the North and South Zones, and a live virtual joint press conference tonight at 6 p.m. can be viewed on Plumas National Forest’s Facebook page.
Evacuations and Road Closures
Mandatory evacuation orders and evacuation advisories are in place for Butte, Plumas, and Yuba Counties. Check the appropriate county’s Facebook page for their latest information.
Weather and Air Quality
Southwest winds will increase from yesterday with afternoon gusts of up to 18 mph. Significant smoke will remain in the region and will reduce visibility and keep temperatures below normal.
Smoke outlook: fires.airfire.org/outlooks/EasternSierra or www.airnow.gov/
Forest Closures
Due to unprecedented and historic fire conditions throughout the state, the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region has closed all eighteen National Forests in California, including the Plumas National Forest.https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd801413.pdf
Meetings are being broadcast daily through Zoom:
- Cooperators Meeting daily at 10 A.M.: https://usfs.zoomgov.com/j/1602646317
- Planning Meeting daily at 7 P.M.: https://usfs.zoomgov.com/j/1600484186
California Interagency Incident Management Team 4 is implementing measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in both the fire area and surrounding communities
NORTH COMPLEX
Email: 2020.NorthComplex.Info@firenet.gov
Phone: (530) 316-4487
Facebook: www.facebook.com/USFSPlumas
Inciweb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6997/
North Complex Fire AM Update 9-12_2020 FINAL.pdf
2020-09-11-EasternSierra-Outlook.20200911144009.pdf
North Complex Fire Evening Update for September 10, 2020
4
Begin forwarded message:
From: 2020 CAPNF North Complex Information <2020.northcomplex.info@firenet.gov>
Date: September 10, 2020 at 7:33:26 PM PDT
Subject: North Complex Fire Evening Update for September 10, 2020
North Complex Fire Evening Update for September 10, 2020
Incident Start Date: 8/17/2020 Size: 244,203 acres Containment: 23% Resources Assigned:
Engines: 254 Handcrews: 73 Dozers: 76 Helicopters: 18 Water Tenders: 98 Total Personnel: 3,108Current Situation
North Zone: From Lee Summit to Claremont Peak, the fire remains in the current footprint. Crews are engaged with tactical firing operations near Lookout Rock and reinforcing structure protection in the Bucks Lake, Haskins, and Highlands areas. Crews are prepping existing roads and building dozer lines to tie in with old fire scars and contingency lines from the Camp Fire. This will eventually tie in with Highway 70 north of Elephant Butte.
South Zone: Tonight, crews will continue to construct line along the Pacific Crest Trail and prep a series of existing roads south of Little Grass Reservoir to tie into La Porte Road. Structures within the Little Grass Valley Reservoir area are not currently impacted or threatened by fire but are being prepped with structure protection and hose lays as a contingency.
West Zone: This area is being managed by CAL FIRE/Butte County: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/18/north-complex-fire/#incident-overview. Butte County Sheriff reported 7 additional civilian fatalities for a total of ten.
Evacuations and Road Closures
Mandatory evacuation orders and evacuation advisories are in place for Butte, Plumas, and Yuba Counties. Check the appropriate county’s Facebook page for their latest information.
- Butte County Sheriff’s Office: https://www.facebook.com/bcsonews
- Plumas County Sheriff’s Office: https://www.facebook.com/plumascountysheriff
- Yuba County Sheriff’s Office: https://www.facebook.com/yubacountysheriff
Weather and Air Quality
Winds have shifted and are now coming from the west. Smoke is currently in the Hazardous category in Quincy and Chester and will continue through the night. Smoke outlook: https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/EasternSierra .
Forest Closures
Due to unprecedented and historic fire conditions throughout the state, the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region has closed all eighteen National Forests in California, including the Plumas National Forest.https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd801413.pdf
Meetings are being broadcast daily through Zoom:
- Cooperators Meeting daily at 10 A.M.: https://usfs.zoomgov.com/j/1602646317
- Planning Meeting daily at 7 P.M.: https://usfs.zoomgov.com/j/1600484186
California Interagency Incident Management Team 4 is implementing measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in both the fire area and surrounding communities
NORTH COMPLEX
Email: 2020.NorthComplex.Info@firenet.gov
Phone: (530) 316-4487
Facebook: www.facebook.com/USFSPlumas
Inciweb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6997/
Bucks Lake Fire Department Inc. 