FINAL UPDATE

Incident Name: Butte Lightning Complex        Incident Number: CABTU007660
Location:  Butte County
Command Team: CAL FIRE Incident Command Team #5
Lightning Complex Start Date:  June 21, 2008 
Incident Type: Wildland Fire Complex  
Number of Fires: 41     Number of Active Fires:     1
Total Acres for all fires:  59,440 Acres                     Cause: Lightning                                        
% Containment: 100%                       
Fatalities:  1 civilian     Injuries: 69 injuries
Structures Destroyed:  Estimated at this time to be 106 residences and 11 out buildings

Resources:
Hand Crews:  27  Dozers:  15  Engines:  59 Helicopters:  6 Tankers:  0
Water Tenders:  30 Overhead Personnel:  243 Total Personnel: 1,188

Aug. 1, 2008 - Full containment was achieved on the Butte Lightning Complex on Tuesday July 29th; however there will be resources in the fire area for several weeks performing suppression rehab operations.  Due to this fact, the Incident base camp will be moved to a different location starting Friday, August 1, 2008.  Base camp will be in service at the Magalia Reforestation Center, Station 17 on Steiffer Road. There are still a number of resources working on this complex to ensure that the fire will remain 100% contained.  We ask that everyone please be aware of the fire equipment utilizing Skyway and Pentz roads and to drive safely.

Current Situation: For the last three days, cooler weather and cloud cover has caused significant winds to surface, however 100% containment of the complex was achieved last night, at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 29th. Interior hot spots may continue to burn, but will be suppressed as they are discovered. Firefighters continue to mop up and patrol. Resources will remain in the fire area for the next several days, as needed.  As the fire activity decreases, resources will be released and possibly deployed to other fires throughout the state of California.

Camp Fire: Containment at 100%. Mop up and patrol continues as it will for the next several weeks. Due to significant winds for the past three days, multiple hotspots have materialized within the fire area.  Nevertheless 100% containment was achieved last night, Tuesday, July 29th.  Firefighters are continuing efforts to ensure that there are no flare ups of unburned fuels within the fire lines.   

PG&E Assistance:

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, contract inspectors and tree crews are assessing trees and performing emergency tree felling to remove hazards. Tree crews will be working in the area until the immediate hazards have been removed. If you have any questions regarding tree issues please contact PG&E at (530) 894-4476 and they will return your call within 24 hrs.

Lassen and Plumas National Forests Emergency Fire Area Closures:

There are multiple area and facility closures throughout the Lassen and Plumas National Forests including various parts of the Pacific Crest Trail. Public and firefighter safety remains the top priority. Closures are being evaluated daily. It is advised that if you plan on visiting the Lassen or Plumas National Forests that you call the following information numbers for updated closure information prior to leaving:

                           Lassen National Forest

• Almanor Ranger District office at (530) 258-2141
• Lassen National Forest office at (530) 257-2151
• Web access at www.fs.fed.us/r5/lassen

                           Plumas National Forest

• Beckwourth Ranger District office at (530) 836-2575
• Mount Hough Ranger District office at (530) 283-0555
• Feather River District office at (530) 534-6500
• Web access at www.fs.fed.us/r5/plumas

Yankee Hill Fire Safe Council Information:
Local meeting Thursday July 31, 2008 at the Yankee Hill Grange, 4122 Big Bend Rd.  Subjects: Control of soil erosion and tree removal for the fire affected areas.

Road Information:
Hwy 70 is closed from 5 miles west of Pulga (Butte Co) to the junction of Hwy 89 (Plumas Co.), due to a new fire on the Plumas National Forest.
Hwy 32 is open to traffic. You may contact Cal Trans for current road conditions at 1-800-427-7623.

Additional Information:

•  Saturday, July 26, 2008 Chief Daniel Packer, 49, of East Pierce Fire and Rescue of Washington State died on the fire line after deploying his fire shelter at approximately 3:15 pm on the Panther fire. The Panther fire is south of Happy Camp in Siskiyou County. Chief Packer was scouting the Panther fire at the time of the incident as a Division Supervisor assigned to the Type I team that was to take control of the incident the next day. Chief Packer leaves a wife, four daughters and two grandchildren.

•  Eighteen year old Firefighter Andrew Jackson Palmer of the Olympic National Park Service died Friday on the Eagle fire of the Iron Complex in Trinity County. He passed away at 5:10 pm Friday while being flown by a U.S. Coast Guard medivac helicopter to Mercy Medical Center in Redding, California. This was his first day on the job. Please keep those families that are affected by these tragedies in your thoughts.

• Even though the Camp fire is 100% contained it is an important fact that this fire complex may still contain hotspots and hazards. All residents who live in or near the affected areas should continue to maintain a heightened state of awareness, as there is still heavy equipment operating in the area. Officials are encouraging residents to monitor the fire situation in and around their area via local radio, television and other media outlets and CAL FIRE at www.fire.ca.gov and the Butte County Web site at www.buttecounty.net. If conditions change, fire and law enforcement officials will make immediate notification.

The Butte Lightning Complex consists of many cooperating agencies, ranging from local, state and federal agencies, as well as assistance from agencies outside of California and the nation. There have been many volunteers that have been active in helping those impacted by the fires.