Red Rock Fire
Location: 15 miles W of Fort Jones, Siskiyou Co., CA
Specific Location: Red Rock Creek, Lat 41° 34´ 49″ Long 123° 09´ 00″
Date of Origin: 06/10/2009
Cause: Human (prescribed fire)
Situation as of 09/02/2009 4:30 pm
Personnel: 185
Size: 1,382 acres
Percent contained: 90%
Costs to Date: $4.2 million (est.)
A Type 3 team from the Klamath National Forest has taken over the Red Rock Incident. Continuing to mop-up and downsizing spike camps. The Etna ICP has been shut down and moved to the Salmon/Scott Ranger District office.
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Situation as of 09/01/2009 6:00 pm
Personnel: 185
Size: 1,382 acres
Percent contained: 85%
Costs to Date: $3,900,000
Custers NIMO team is still assigned, their planned release is on 9/3/09. Transition to the Type III organization occurred today at 0600. An area closure and two road closures are in place. Lover’s Camp Trailhead is also closed to the public. Type 2 helicopter support is necessary for demob of spike camp resources over next day.
Creeping and smoldering with backing and limited uphill spread. The only activity is located in Division G on the NW side of fire.
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Situation as of 08/27/2009 5:30 pm
Personnel: 436
Size: 1,277 acres
Percent contained: 75%
Effective immediately, the area closed is described generally as follows; starting at Paradise Lake to the south along the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) to Little Marble Valley, then eastward along the PCT to Summit Lake, then northeastward to Big Meadow and up along the Wilderness boundary and around back to Paradise Lake.
Also, two Forest Service roads are closed and are described as followed: Forest Road 44N45 from its intersection with the entrance to Indian Scotty Campground southwest to its intersection with Forest Road # 43N45 and Forest Road 43N45 from its intersection with Forest Road # 44N45 southwest to its termination at Lover’s Camp Trailhead.
The Lover’s Camp Trailhead is also close to the public until the Red Rock Fire is fully suppressed.
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Situation as of 08/25/2009 8:00 pm
Personnel: 393
Size: 871 acres
Percent contained: 50%
Fire managers completed all containment lines late today and began the process of installing fire hose and water distribution systems along the fire lines. The NW corner of the fire is burning in the Canyon Creek drainage that contains a dense stand of Shasta Red Fir. The fire is slowly burning along the E edge of the canyon towards Canyon Creek. During the next few days fire crews and helicopters will be initiating small-scale burnout operations under controlled conditions so that the fire slowly backs down the hill. If the fire is allowed to continue under uncontrolled conditions, fire managers are concerned that burning materials will roll/fall to the bottom of the canyon and aggressively burn to the top creating a significant spotting potential far in advance of the main fire. Five heavy-lift capacity helicopters are assisting fire crews by cooling hot spots with water from nearby lakes. There are no private lands or structures immediately threatened by either fire. Eleven fire crews are camping close to the fire at three primitive campsites to minimize travel time and to be more effective while working at the fire. Since these fires are within a Wilderness, minimum suppression tactics are being utilized.
A portion of the Pacific Crest Trail is closed. If you are a PCT hiker, you may take advantage of the following services:
The Etna City Park is available for overnight camping free of charge during this emergency.
You may ride the Stage bus from Etna to Seiad/Seiad to Etna for a total cost of $9.05 (payable by cash or check). Please note that Stage drivers do not make change. The fare between Etna and Yreka is $3.15, and between Yreka and Seiad is $5.90.
GOING NORTH: The Stage leaves from Etna City Hall on Main Street for Yreka every day at 6:45 am, 9:43 am, 12:22 pm, and 3:12 pm. The Stage leaves Yreka for Seiad Valley Mondays and Fridays only, departing from WalMart at 3:20 pm, or from the Stage offices at 4th and Miner Streets in Yreka at 3:28 pm.
GOING SOUTH: The Stage leaves from Seiad Valley at 8:10 am Mondays and Fridays only. The Stage leaves Wal-Mart in Yreka for Etna at 11:32 am and 12:24 pm, and from Price Less Foods (on Main Street) at 5:06 pm.
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Situation as of 08/24/2009 9:00 pm
Personnel: 368
Size: 802 acres
Percent contained: 45%
The Red Rock Fire is burning within the Marble Mountain Wilderness south of the Lover’s Camp Trailhead in the Red Rock watershed. It is currently estimated at 802 acres in size and became quite active Friday afternoon during a wind event which generated smoke that could be seen from the Medford/Rogue River Valley area. This fire was started in early June as a prescribed fire to reduce heavy fuels and restore meadow systems and wildlife habitat within the Wilderness. Unexpected winds and very hot and dry conditions gave fire managers challenges which exceeded local fire-suppression capabilities. No private lands or structures are immediately threatened, but the Klamath National Forest called in additional resources and the ORCA IMT to manage the fire. The ORCA IMT will assume command on Sunday at 06:00 a.m.
The National Incident Management Organization (NIMO) team based in Atlanta, GA is now assisting the Oregon and California (ORCA) IMT on both the Red Rock and Harrington Fires. George Custer will be the overall Incident Commander.
