|
Text Size: A+| A-| A   |   Text Only Site   |   Accessibility
Oregon State Police - Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Black Crater Fire Conflagration Situation Report #3
OREGON STATE FIRE MARSHAL (OSFM) INCIDENT SITUATION REPORT
1230 hours 29 July 2006
Prepared by Donna Disch
 
OSFM REPORT -
TYPE OF INCIDENT:
Conflagration
 
INCIDENT NAME: Black Crater
 
DATE AND TIME FIRE STARTED: 23 July 2006 @ 1900
 
For Conflagration: DATE AND TIME CONFLAGRATION DECLARED: 27 July 2006 at 1545 hours by Governor Theodore Kulongoski and requested by Deschutes County Fire Defense Board Chief Taylor Robertson.
 
LOCATION: Deschutes County Three Sisters Wilderness, SW of Sisters.
 
The fire is located 3 miles from the Tollgate subdivision and is 5 miles from Sisters.  This brings the fire to ½ mile of the Tollgate evacuation trigger point.
 
SIZE: 4727 acres
 
CAUSE: Lightning
 
STATUS: The fire is 5 percent contained.  Fire behavior was active through the night.  The Office of State Fire Marshal is preparing to dispatch 6 more structural teams. 
 
Humidity is up the Haines Index is down to 3.  The temperature is 80 degrees with SW winds with gusts of 25.  Fire behavior expected to become more severe this afternoon.  Observed fire behavior includes short upslope runs with some crown fire and individual tree torching visible from Sisters and Black Butte Ranch area and points along Highway 20.
 
On 27 July 2005 structural fire task forces from Clackamas, Lane, Linn and Benton counties worked throughout the night to protect structures and rested in the morning, going back to fires around structures during the afternoon when the fire behavior becomes more extreme.  Four Central Oregon Task Forces and a Marion County Strike Team protected homes from fires in the evacuated Crossroads subdivision and residences on Edgington Road.
 
Road and area closure prohibits public access on approximately 70,000 acres around the incident. The purpose of the closure is to protect public health and safety and provide for safe firefighting. The closure will remain in effect until further notice.
 
Fire managers are protecting private property east of the fire perimeter and are maintaining and enforcing road and area closure for firefighter and public safety. Air operations will continue when air resources are available. They are keeping the public informed of the status of this highly visible fire.
 
RESIDENCES THREATENED: 250 residences currently threatened in the Crossroads, Edgington and Tollgate subdivisions.
 
A plan identified a fire perimeter trigger point for residents to receive notification for a possible evacuation and a second trigger point for residents to be asked to evacuate. The plan applied to 9 identified subdivisions in the Sisters area.
 
STRUCTURES THREATENED: Various outbuildings, the Whispering Pine Campground, the historic Trout Creek Butte Lookout.
 
RESIDENCES EVACUATED:  On the evening of 28 July 2006 Crossroads and Edgington subdivision were evacuated; from 128 residences in Crossroads and 29 homes in Edgington.  Tollgate remains under pre-evacuation notice.
 
The Greater Sisters Community Wildfire Protection Plan identified the structural vulnerable of the Crossroads subdivision as high to extreme for structural ignitability.
 
RESIDENCES LOST:  1 – The Linfield College Cabin was destroyed by fire the afternoon of 28 July 2006.  It was in an area with no fire protection.
 
OTHER STRUCTURES LOST:
 
COMMUNITY MEETINGS:
 
DONE:
Date: 29 July 2006
Time: 1000 hours         
Place: High School in Sisters
 
Date: 28 July 2006
Time: 1930 hours
Place: High School in Sisters
Comments: Attended by about 450 citizens
 
Date: 28 July 2006
Time: 0800 hours
Place: High School in Sisters
Comments: Attended by about 100 citizens. 
 
Date: 27 July 2006
Time: 1930
Place: High School in Sisters
Comments: 400-500 attending
 
INJURIES/FATALITIES: None known
 
SPECIAL CONDITIONS:  Fire threatens private lands including timberlands, campgrounds and spotted owl habitat.
 
Limited access, dead standing timber and continuous downed fuels, continued hot and dry weather, minimal air resources. 
 
AGENCIES INVOLVED IN SUPPRESSION: Oregon Department of Transportation, Oregon Department of Forestry, City of Sisters, Deschutes County Sheriff, Sisters School District, Sisters/Camp Sherman/Black Butte fire districts, State of Tennessee.
 
INCIDENT COMMANDER: --WILDLAND OR OTHER (STATE WHICH TYPE): Type 2 Northwest Oregon Incident Management Team: Joint letter of delegation with Oregon Department of Forestry as a signatory issued to IC Carl West on 26 July 2006.
 
STRUCTURAL INCIDENT COMMANDER:  Ted Kunze
 
COOPERATING AND ASSISTING AGENCIES: Oregon Department of Transportation, Oregon Department of Forestry, City of Sisters, Deschutes County Sheriff, Sisters School District, Sisters/Camp Sherman/Black Butte fire districts.
 
OSFM RESOURCES –
Task Force/Strike Team
# of Personnel
# of Equipment
Fire Departments
Clackamas County Task Force #1
1
Support
Boring
Clackamas County Task Force #1
4
Type I Engine
Lake Oswego
Clackamas County Task Force #1
4
Type I Engine
Boring
Clackamas County Task Force #1
4
Type I Engine
Clackamas
Clackamas County Task Force #1
2
Type II Tender
Estacada
Clackamas County Task Force #1
3
Type III Engine
Sandy
Clackamas County Task Force #1
2
Command
Canby
 
20
 
 
Linn County Task Force #1
1
Command
Albany
Linn County Task Force #1
4
Type I Engine
Albany
Linn County Task Force #1
4
Type I Engine
Albany
Linn County Task Force #1
4
Type I Engine
Sweet Home
Linn County Task Force #1
2
Type II Tender
Tangent
Linn County Task Force #1
3
Type III Engine
Lebanon
 
18
 
 
Lane County Task Force #1
2
Command
Coberg
Lane County Task Force #1
4
Type I Engine
Lane County
Lane County Task Force #1
3
Type I Engine
Springfield Fire
Lane County Task Force #1
2
Type II Engine
South Lane County
Lane County Task Force #1
3
Type III Engine
Lane RFPD
Lane County Task Force #1
2
Type III Engine
McKenzie
 
16
 
 
Benton County Task Force #1
2
Command
Corvallis
Benton County Task Force #1
4
Type I Engine
Alsea
Benton County Task Force #1
4
Type I Engine
Corvallis
Benton County Task Force #1
4
Type I Engine
Philomath
Benton County Task Force #1
3
Type III Engine
Corvallis
Benton County Task Force #1
2
Type II Tender
Corvallis
 
19
 
 
Marion County Strike Team #1
1
Command
Salem
Marion County Strike Team #1
2
Tender
Hubbard
Marion County Strike Team #1
2
Tender
Stayton
Marion County Strike Team #1
2
Tender
Jefferson
Marion County Strike Team #1
2
Tender
Marion County
Marion County Strike Team #1
2
Tender
Silverton
Marion County Strike Team #1
1
Tender
Salem
Marion County Strike Team #1
1
Support
Marion County
Marion County Strike Team #1
1
Support
Salem
 
14
 
 
Yamhill County Strike Team #1 (DISPATCHED 29 July 2006@0950)
 
 
 
Lincoln County Task Force #1
(DISPATCHED 29 July 2006@0950)
 
 
 
Klamath County Task Force #1 (DISPATCHED 29 July 2006@0927)
 
 
 
Clatsop County Task Force #1 (DISPATCHED 29 July 2006@0935)
 
 
 
Marion County Task Force #1
(PRE-ALERT 29 July 2006@0945)
 
 
 
Clackamas County Task Force #1
(PRE-ALERT 29 July 2006@0950)
 
 
 
Total task force participants for Black Crater Conflagration
 
87
 
 
Task force: one task force leader with command vehicle, capability to refill own water tanks, three type I or II engines with off-pavement capability, one type III engine and one tender.
 
OSFM INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM: Green Team

Position
Name
Fire Service
Administrator
State Fire Marshal Nancy Orr
OSFM
Agency Representative
Chief Deputy Randy Simpson
OSFM
IC
Ted Kunze
Canby Fire
Deputy IC
John Ingrao
Clackamas
IIO
Colleen Olson
OSFM
Safety Officer
Marc Rogelstad
Boardman
Planning
Jim Whelan
Stanfield
Deputy Planning
Dennis Ross
Hillsboro
Resource Unit Leader
Paul Nees
OSFM
Logistics
Dave Fields/Glen Eisner
OSFM/Portland
Finance
Keith Brown
OSFM
Ops Chief
Dana Burwell
Springfield Fire & Rescue
Deputy Ops
Bruce Weimer
La Grande
Div/Grp Supervisors
Perry Palmer/Kevin Anderson/Ray Brunton/Wes Hively
Lebanon/Albany/Springfield/McKenzie
Communications Unit
Bruce Bjerke/Jim Taylor**
Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue/Redmond
Communications Techs
Jeff Klupenger/Drew Holmes
Sisuslaw Valley/Redmond
** Communications Unit is made up of representatives from ARESMAT: Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) Mutual Assistance Teams (MAT)
 
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
 
PRESS RELEASES:
28 July 2006: Structural firefighters protect homes in Black Crater Conflagration near Sisters 
27 July 2006: Black Crater Fire near Sisters declared as Oregon's second conflagration
 
OTHER RESOURCES:
Oregon Department of Forestry
 http://egov.oregon.gov/ODF/FIRE/OPS/daily.shtml

Pacific Northwest Fire Situation Report (NW Interagency Coordination Center):
http://www.nwccweb.us/information/fire_info.asp
 
 
Page updated: October 12, 2007

Text Only | State Directories | Agencies A to Z | Site Map | About Oregon.gov | Oregon.gov|
File Formats | Oregon Administrative Rules | Oregon Revised Statutes | Privacy Policy | Web Site Feedback|

Get Adobe Acrobat ReaderAdobe Reader is required to view PDF files. Click the "Get Adobe Reader" image to get a free download of the reader from Adobe.