11/20/16 Maple Springs/Old Roughy Morning Fire Update

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Fire Size:
Maple Springs Fire
7,788 acres, 53% contained
Old Roughy Fire
657 acres, 100% contained
Location:
North of Lake Santeetlah
Started:
11/04/16 Maple Springs
11/08/16 Old Roughy
Causes to be determined.
Total personnel:
315 responders
Management:
Rocky Mountain
Type 2 Blue Team
Burn ban in effect: www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/nfsnc/alerts-notices/
Air Quality Reports: http://webcam.srs.fs.fed.us/wildfires/WNC_Fires_AQ_Summary.pdf
Forest Closure Order Map: www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd524423.pdf.

Summary: 
A cold front moved across the area Saturday, bringing much colder temperatures, stronger winds and minimal rain over the Maple Springs fire. The north end of the fire received the most precipitation, with approximately two-tenths of an inch of rain falling. Only about two-hundreths of an inch of rain fell on the south end of the fire.

The rain and cooler temperatures helped offset the stronger winds and there was no increase in fire activity or acreage on the Maple Springs fire. The fire remains at an estimated 7,788 acres and containment increased slightly from 51 to 53 percent containment. The Old Roughy fire, meanwhile, is estimated at 657 acres and is 100 percent contained.

Weather today will be very similar to Saturday. Daytime temperatures will be in the high 30s to low 40s and relative humidities in the 20 percent range. Winds will be gusty in the morning before tapering off in the afternoon.

The Rocky Mountain Incident Management Blue Team managing the fire has brought in a blasting team to mitigate hazard trees in the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. Fire managers identified approximately two dozen dead hemlock trees that pose a safety hazard for firefighters working in the wilderness area and blasting is the safest and most environmentally friendly way to remove them. In addition, blasting the trees gives them a more natural appearance than cutting them down with chainsaws. Tthan cutting them down with chainsaws. As some residents in Robbinsville and surrounding areas may have heard, the blasting team conducted a successful test operation on Saturday afternoon by bringing down four trees. If winds permit, the tentative plan is to complete blasting operations on Sunday.he blasting team conducted a successful test operation on Saturday afternoon and the plan is to complete blasting operations today. The public can expect to hear loud booms throughout the afternoon from the blasting.

Work on both fires now consists primarily of patrolling and mopping up containment lines. An infrared flight Saturday night showed that any remaining hot spots on the Maple Springs fire are well within containment lines and do not pose a threat to breach those lines.

Firefighters have begun rehabilitation work on the Old Roughy fire and are making plans to begin rehabilitation on parts of the Maple Springs fire. The focus of the rehabilitation work will be filling in dozer lines constructed as fire breaks and building water bars to prevent erosion due to runoff.

With the opening of deer hunting season on Monday in Graham County, hunters are reminded to be aware of fire restrictions and Forest closures that are currently in place on the Maple Springs fire. For closure orders, go to www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd524423.pdf. Hunters are asked to keep an eye out for firefighters in the woods.

Incident Information:  http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5090/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MapleSpringsFire/

Fire Information Phone Line: 828-407-0653; Media Line 828-552-4730