Stone, Modoc NF

Stone, Modoc NF. Transfer of command from IMT 2 (Dalrymple) back to the local unit will occur tomorrow. Fourteen miles northwest of Adin, CA. Timber and brush. Minimal fire behavior. Road, area and trail closures in effect.

August 29, 2018 at 10:49 AM

NorCal Team 2 will transfer command of the Stone Fire to a Type 3 Modoc National Forest organization at 6:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 30, 2018.

The Stone Fire remains at 39,387 acres and is 100% contained. 696 resources are assigned to the fire, including three helicopters.

Mop up and patrol will continue today. Crews are anticipating a shift back into warmer, breezier conditions, and they will look carefully for any hot spots or snags that begin to show activity. Green islands of vegetation within the fire perimeter are continuing to ignite and burn, and residents and motorists should expect to see smoke within the fire perimeter for the next few days. The fire will be staffed into the foreseeable future to ensure that lines remain secure.

August 27, 2018 at 10:21 AM

Last night was another quiet night, and firefighters on the line continued to patrol the eastern and southern edges of the fire and to mop up the western and northern. Last night was the last full night shift, although crews will remain assigned to patrol the fire perimeter for the next few nights.

Crews will continue mop up and suppression repair today. Moderate winds from the northeast this afternoon could again cause some flare ups, particularly in the Turner Creek drainage, but the fire is expected to stay within containment lines.

Residents and motorists can expect to see smoke and isolated flames as unburned islands of vegetation continue to ignite and burn. Firefighters will continue to patrol and address any hot spots or hazards, like burning trees, that could threaten containment.

August 26, 2018 at 9:46 AM

The fire was very quiet overnight, with heat showing only on the west-northwestern edge of the fire. Crews continued some burning south of Loveness Road and east of Forest Road 42N77 to strengthen that line. The small slopover from day shift yesterday near Turner Creek was quickly lined and extinguished, but there is still a significant amount of heat in that area, and firefighters will be in there early to continue to strengthen lines and to address hot spots. Work this morning will also be focused on reinforcing lines to the north, as a high wind event is expected to arrive in the area today and may test those lines. Crews are being pre-positioned to respond to any heat detected that might pose a threat to lines.

In addition, crews have begun suppression repair around the fire. During repair, roads, culverts, and other infrastructure will be evaluated for damage, and water bars will be constructed to reduce erosion during winter. They are beginning to pull hose and any excess equipment from firelines.

Residents and motorists can expect to see smoke and isolated flames as unburned islands of vegetation continue to ignite and burn. Firefighters will continue to patrol and address any hot spots or hazards, like burning trees, that could threaten containment.

August 25, 2018 at 10:09 AM

YOU ARE INVITED: Join NorCal Team 2 for a CAMP TOUR at the California Pines ICP at 2pm on Sunday, August 26. Take an approximately 1 ½ hour tour with Incident Management Team staff to learn how firefighters are fed, housed, and supplied during a fire assignment and to get a current update on the Stone Fire. Please RSVP to mdffireinfo@gmail.com or by calling 530- 710-8620 so we can plan for parking!

The Stone Fire is currently 38,467 acres and 56% contained. There are 998 resources assigned to the fire, including seven helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft as needed.

The fire was quiet overnight, and crews were able to tie the last piece of dozer line from Turner Creek northeast along the Forest Road system into Loveness Road at Forest Road 42N17.  They assured that no heat was close to the fire’s edge on the eastern side of the fire, which is now completely lined.
Today, crews will continue to strengthen line, especially on the eastern and northern sides of the fire. A strong west wind event is predicted for tomorrow, and crews are preparing those lines to be tested. Firefighters are looking for and extinguishing hot spots close to containment lines, and checking for snags or other hazards that could cross the lines during high winds.

Crews are also initiating suppression repair, especially along dozer lines. During suppression repair, they will identify and address places where erosion could become an issue during winter rains. They will repair roads and other infrastructure which were damaged during fire suppression, and may re-cover lines opened during the fire.

Residents and motorists can expect to see smoke and isolated flames as unburned islands of vegetation continue to ignite and burn. Firefighters will continue to patrol and address any hot spots or hazards, like burning trees, that could threaten containment.

All mandatory evacuations on the Stone Fire have been lifted.

August 24, 2018 at 8:56 AM

The fire continued to burn actively until the wind decreased. Firefighters worked directly along the fire’s active edge, completing containment line along the northwestern edge between Forest Road 41N44E and Forest Road 41N17. They are also working on direct line northeast to Turner Creek. This work will continue today. Crews continued to patrol and mop up along Highways 139 and north of 299, and those areas continue to show little to no fire activity. The southern edge of the fire is looking good as well. Residents on County Roads 84 and 85 were notified that the evacuation order affecting them was lifted yesterday afternoon. These County Roads are currently open to residents ONLY, due to fire equipment and personnel in the area.

Residents in the area should be aware that there is still unburned vegetation within the fire perimeter that will continue to ignite and burn into the coming days. Crews are monitoring and taking suppression action on any hot spots or snags that could threaten containment lines.

Weather today is predicted to be less windy, with higher morning humidity. These lighter winds and cooler temperatures are predicted through the day today and tomorrow, with another wind event anticipated on Sunday.

Motorists can expect temporary delays on roads within the fire area. The most updated conditions are available from Caltrans at http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi or by calling 1-800-GAS-ROAD.

August 23, 2018 at 7:11 AM

The fire was active on its southwestern corner, backing toward dozer line along Forest Road 41N57A (east of the Rose Canyon Road). Firefighters are actively engaged in holding that line this morning, and that work will continue into the day shift. Crews were able to make progress to the northeast directly along the fires edge, and on contingency lines east of the private timber lands and south of the CalFire station along the Forest Road system. Active fire behavior early this morning caused the fire to slop over the dozer line along Forest Road 42N35A. Crews are looking this morning for opportunities to contain the slop on the roads directly northwest of the fire. The fire was also active in the Hulbert Creek drainage.

Crews also prioritized line construction along the Loveness Road in anticipation of the strong southwest winds which are predicted to move into the area today.

Today, firefighters will work to mop up and patrol lines, watching for any snags or hotspots that could re-ignite under the expected windy conditions. They will continue the work of the night shift, and be prepared to move if winds shift as predicted.

The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for windy and dry conditions. Ridgetop winds are forecasted to sustain at 12-18 mph, with gusts to 25 mph.

Motorists can expect temporary delays on roads within the fire area. The most updated conditions are available from Caltrans at http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi or by calling 1-800-GAS-ROAD.

Mandatory evacuations and road closures remain in effect for County Road 84 and County Road 85.

August 22, 2018 at 9:05 AM

A public meeting will be held TODAY, August 22, 2018, at the Adin Community Center at 4 p.m., located at 605 California Highway 299, Adin, Calif., 96006.

A heavy inversion over the fire area resulted in limited aircraft use yesterday.

Much of the fire showed only moderate activity overnight. Crews worked on containment lines on Forest Road 42N07 on the north side of the fire, bringing line up to tie in with Forest Road 42N60 (northwest of Howard’s Gulch). Lines held well along Highway 139 and west of Canby. Crews will work to mop up in these areas today, being extremely careful to locate and extinguish any remaining hot spots and removing threats to the line in anticipation of a wind shift later today. Progress was also made on the southern end of the fire, where firefighters were able to complete containment line around the southwestern corner and work dozers directly along the fire’s active edge. They worked overnight on dozer line south of the Calfire station, on the Rose Canyon Road east of County Road 91. The fire showed the most activity again on the western and northwestern sides, and firefighters will work today to continue line construction in that area and to scout opportunities for contingency lines.

The weather today is predicted to be slightly warmer than yesterday, and that, combined with dry, breezy conditions and a heavy load of both live and dead vegetation, is resulting in active fire behavior. Winds are expected to be gusty, switching to west-southwest by afternoon. The National Weather Service has issued a Fire Weather Watch for the fire area beginning tomorrow, August 23, due to an expected increase in wind.

Motorists should expect quickly changing conditions on Highway 299 and on roads within the fire area. Piloted traffic and temporary closures can be expected. The most updated conditions are available from Caltrans at http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi or by calling 1-800-GAS-ROAD.

Mandatory evacuations remain in effect. Evacuation orders have been lifted for County Road 214 and County Road 215. Mandatory evacuations and road closures are still in effect for County Road 84 and County Road 85.

August 21, 2018 at 9:08 AM

There will be a community meeting TODAY, August 21, 2018, at the Cal Pines Fire Station at 4 p.m., located at 345 County Road 230, Alturas, Calif., 96101

Crews used favorable conditions overnight to burn directly along the fires eastern edge from Howard’s Gulch to the southeast. Line along the eastern edge of the fire, including along Highway 139 and west of Canby, is looking good, with crews getting good depth of line and mopping up. Conditions also allowed firefighters to work directly on the fire’s edge from Highway 299 to the northwest, with both hand crews and dozers making good progress on containment overnight.

A strong east wind caused activity to pick up on the fire’s western edge, and the Happy Camp Lookout has been wrapped and prepared. Two residences around Forest Road 41N57 (on the west side of the fire) were also evacuated.

Today, firefighters will look for opportunities to work directly along the fire’s edge east of County Road 91, where the fire pushed last night. They will also continue to prioritize structure protection around the fire. For the areas with containment line in place, crews will work to mop up to ensure that the lines remain secure.

Repopulation has occurred for County Road 214 & 215.

Mandatory evacuations remain in place along County Road 84 and 85 from Hwy 299 to the fires edge.

Class 1 Airshed over the South Warner Wilderness has been impacted by smoke.

Road closures include County Rd 84 and 85. Hwy 299 is opened through fire area to controlled traffic. Continued closure threat to CA Highways 139 and 299.

The communities of Canby and California Pines continue to be threatened.

The damaged fiber optic cables have been temporarily repaired. Numerous Native American cultural sites/heritage trail are threatened along with the Booneville Power Plant and associated infrastructure, Burlington Northern Railway and Lake County Rail lines and Sierra Pacific commercial timber holdings. Grouse Mountain Repeater site is threatened, which could impact National Flight Following, Air Guard & Tone loss.

NWS Medford has upgraded the Fire Weather Watch to a Red Flag Warning for Tues morning through Tues evening for abundant lightning on dry fuels.

August 20, 2018 at 7:05 PM

Evacuation orders have been lifted for County Road 214 and County Road 215. Mandatory evacuations and road closures are still in effect for County Road 84 and County Road 85.

Highway 299 is open to piloted traffic control. Highway 139 north and south is open and can be used as an alternate route to County Road 91 back to Highway 299.

Please drive safely through fire zones as smoke may limit visibility.

August 19, 2018 at 10:36 AM

The fire remained active overnight due to dry conditions and low humidity recovery. An Infrared flight was flown over the fire early this morning. The fire has increased to 16,746 acres and is still being reported as 0% contained. There are 570 resources assigned. Fire crews worked throughout the night on structure defense, completing dozer lines west of Highway 299 and south of County Road 84. The fire continues to hold south of the 35 junction. Strategic firing operations and dozer lines were completed along the frontage road west of 139.

Today will be a critical day on the fire line, as crews will be dealing with weather changes this afternoon. The inversion layer is expected to lift earlier today and that, along with strong gusty winds and hot temperatures, will lead to increased fire activity. Continued priorities will be structure defense and reinforcement of contingency lines. Crews will scout areas for containment on the north side of the fire.

There is a Red Flag Warning in effect through this evening for strong gusty winds and low humidity. Increased cumulus or smoke plumes may be seen over the fire this afternoon due to unstable conditions over the fire. Cumulus collapse can cause erratic winds, challenging firefighters and rapidly increasing fire activity.

Several mandatory evacuation orders are in effect for the following areas:

West side of Highway 139 from Ambrose to Canby north of 299, including County Roads 214 and 215.

County Road 84, west of Highway 299, County Road 85, and east of the fire’s edge, and the north side of Highway 299 between County Roads 84 and 85.

Road closures: County Road 84 from Bushy Ranch to Canby and County Road 85.

August 18, 2018 at 9:18 AM

The fire was again active until about 11 p.m. After that, firefighters took advantage of favorable nighttime conditions and made good progress on line construction around the fire. Dozers worked overnight to push lines from Highway 139 (at Howard’s Gulch) southeast to Highway 299, followed by ground crews who were able to blacken and reinforce the line with strategic firing. They also pushed dozer adjacent to the fire’s active edge north of Highway 299 from County Road 84 east to County Road 214, and will likely complete firing along that line by the change of shift this morning.

Today, crews will again prioritize structure protection and assessment around the fire. They will work to improve and hold the lines constructed last night through today’s active burn period. Firefighters assigned to the north/ northwestern edge of the fire will scout opportunities for containment.

Weather today is predicted to be similar to yesterday, with critically low moisture and hot temperatures. Winds are expected to primarily be light, but even normal seasonal winds can be gusty, especially in drainages aligned to the northeast. Cumulus buildup is expected to be slightly less likely than yesterday. A Fire Weather Watch has been issued by the National Weather Service for tomorrow, August 19, 2018, for excessive heat and low fuel moisture.

Due to the decrease in fire activity, firefighters were able to LIFT the closures on Highway 299 and 139. Motorists are advised to stay tuned in as the fire situation is dynamic and may change quickly, especially as fire activity increases in the afternoon and evening.

Several mandatory evacuation orders are in effect for the following areas:

West side of Highway 139 from Ambrose to Canby north of 299, including County Roads 214 and 215.

County Road 84, west of Highway 299, County Road 85, and east of the fire’s edge, and the north side of Highway 299 between County Roads 84 and 85.

August 17, 2018 at 8:59 AM

There will be a public meeting TODAY, August 17, 2018, at the Canby Community Hall at 4 p.m.

The Stone Fire remained active overnight due to extremely low humidity recovery and a strong southwest wind, growing to an approximate 5,445 acres before settling down around 1am.

Today, firefighters will prioritize structure protection along Highways 139 and 84, and do point protection on structures within the fire area. Other priorities include continuing indirect dozer line (containment line constructed ahead of the fire’s active edge) from the Pit River northeast toward Washington Mountain to stop spread along the southeastern edge of the fire, and to keep the fire south of Highway 139. The fire is currently approximately one mile south of Highway 139.

Weather today is expected to be similar to yesterday, with highs in the upper 80s to mid-90s.  Similar burning conditions are predicted, and firefighters will be especially wary as cumulus buildup is again expected this afternoon. Cumulus collapse can cause strong gusty, outflow winds which are hazardous to firefighters.

NorCal Team 2 took command of the Stone and Modoc Fire at 6am this morning.