NORTHWEST FIRES

For some great discussions, check out the www.wildlandfire.com message boards!  Here’s the daily update, which reports an expectation of Initial Attack Increase:

INITIAL ATTACK
New fires: 16 fires for 44 acres
Oregon: 4 fires for 35 acres
Washington: 12 fires for 9 acres
Type 2 IMTs committed: 1

NEW LARGE FIRES
None

ONGOING INCIDENTS

Oden Road Fire (WA-NES-001262)
The fire is located 2 miles N of Malott, WA. A Type 2 Incident Management Team (IC Johnson) is committed. Primary fuels are timber, grass, and sage. The fire has burned 9,607 acres (-651) and is 90% contained. Level 2 Evacuation has been lifted. Level 1 Evacuation is in effect for portions of the Chilliwist Community. Evaluation on going to lift this order. Today crews will mop-up all around the perimeter. Containment is expected Friday, August 28.

WEATHER SYNOPSIS
Strong high pressure ridge aligned to our east with southerly flow aloft over the region. This will ultimately bring subtropical moisture into the northwest as an offshore disturbance moves in on Friday. Rather than moving on eastward this disturbance is expected to hang around through the weekend. This scenario will result in showers and lightning beginning Friday over much of the region with showers and wet thunderstorms continuing through the weekend east of the Cascades. My current feeling is that thunderstorms west of the Cascade and central Oregon should be fairly wet but any thunderstorms that may occur Friday in E1 and E4 may be drier before turning wet over the weekend.

LARGE FIRE POTENTIAL
Lightning will increase IA activity on Friday over much of the region continuing into the weekend east of the Cascades. Most of the storms are expected to be rather wet with a low probability for large fires.   However the leading edge of Friday’s lightning potential in E4 and E1 will carry a 30-40% chance for large fires as storms in those areas may start out drier before turning wet on the weekend