Tiger Canyon Fire update for Oct. 15
By Dan Thesman on Tuesday, October 15th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News Columbia Basin Top Stories
PENDLETON – The Umatilla National Forest released the following update today (Tuesday) on the Tiger Creek Fire:
Current Situation: The Tiger Creek fire remains at 534 acres, containment has increased to 83%, and personnel assigned to the fire now stands at 270. Yesterday, spot fires were located to the southwest of Low Ridge. Firefighters assisted by air resources quickly mitigated all areas of concern. Firefighters remain vigilant in patrolling the fire line to ensure the fire is secure. While the fire remains in its current footprint, most of the work is now on mop up and backhaul of equipment. Water bars have been installed on the handline and hazardous trees removed on much of Forest Service Road 65 within the burned area.
A total of 15 miles of fire hose was utilized on the Tiger Creek Fire. This is the equivalent of the driving distance between Walla Walla and Kooskooskie, or 265 football fields! All that hose is now being backhauled from the fireline. Once backhauled, each hose will be sent to the La Grande fire cache, where it will undergo thorough cleaning, testing, and inspection. After this process, the hoses will be prepared and ready for redeployment to assist with the next incident, wherever that may be. This backhaul effort is a critical step in ensuring equipment is ready for the next wildfire response, and it’s a testament to the dedication and hard work of the fire crews in maintaining the tools needed for future firefighting efforts.
Closures and Restrictions: Access through Forest Service Road (FSR) 65 up through FSR 64 to the junction with Indian Camp is closed. Government Mountain Road/FSR 6511 is closed from North Fork Walla Walla trailhead to the junction with FSR 65 at Tiger Saddle. Government Mountain Rd/FSR 6511 is open from the west to North Fork Walla Walla trailhead. The current fire danger rating is MODERATE and public use restrictions phase A for Umatilla National Forest are in effect. For more information regarding restrictions, please contact Umatilla National Forest Toll-free Information Hotline: 1.877.958.9663.
Weather: It will remain sunny with temperatures in the 60s and 70s during the day, with winds about 9 miles per hour, but a cold front will arrive on Tuesday night and bring with it some precipitation, starting out as a light rain, with snow showers later at higher elevations. Wednesday has a 100% chance of precipitation and temperatures in the 50s.
A warm and dry trend is expected for the next two days. Tuesday, a chance of rainfall is forecasted to begin later in the day and into the next several days as a cold front arrives Wednesday. Breezy conditions may exist with the frontal passage.
Smoke: Walla Walla’s air quality for today is good, some residents along Mill Creek may experience smoke as the fire continues to burn. Check out https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/?m=1 for more information.
Tiger Creek Fire map for Oct. 15, 2024
