Sunday, November 27, 2016

11/27/16 - Clear Creek Update - 10:00am Update


For a downloadable, printable version of this update, click here.


Start date:  November 20, 2016
Location:  5 miles NW of Marion, NC
Cause:   Under Investigation
Total Personnel:   489 personnel
Current Size:   3,155 Acres
Containment:  40%
Resources Assigned: Thompson’s Eastern Montana Type II Incident Management Team is working closely with local NC Forest Service, US Forest Service, and McDowell County partners. Resources assigned to the incident include firefighters, engines and support personnel from 27 states, Washington, DC and 12 Native American Tribes:: 1 - Type I crew, 13 – Type II crews, 23 engines, 4 dozers, and 2 helicopters.
Closures: NC Hwy 80 from Toms Creek Road to the Blue Ridge Parkway remains closed to nonresidents. Clear Creek Road, at the junction with Old Clear Creek Road, is closed to nonresidents. It is anticipated that Hwy 80 will be reopened around 8 PM this evening.
Current Status: Fire crews finished bringing the fire down from the top of Poplar Ridge down to Hwy 80 and into the Locust Cove to protect homes and several hunting camps with great success.  Along the western edge of the fire and the southeastern portion dozer and hand crews successfully put in containment lines. Engines and crews continue to patrol and monitor the southern, eastern and northeastern perimeter of the fire near Clear Creek and Lake Tahoma Roads and extinguish any hot spots they find. Overnight, firefighters patrolled and monitored the fire along the southern, eastern and northern edges of the fire.
Planned Actions:  Today Firefighters will continue to work on the southwest and western areas of the fire to improve or finish constructing indirect fire line utilizing dozers and hand crews. Along the northwestern portion of the fire including near Locust Cove, crews will patrol and mop up as needed. Along the central portion of the southern border of the fire a handcrew is hiking in to explore putting a direct attack handline starting near the head of Clear Creek to hold the fire in place. Aviation resources are available and will assist firefighters as visibility allows in holding the fire lines and slowing fire spread with bucket drops. Night operations are scheduled again for this evening.
Weather:  Temperatures are expected to be lower with a high in the mid 50’s with humidity levels in the 30% range and light to moderate winds. Clear skies with sunny conditions along with the lower humidity and the change in wind direction from the South is leading to slower and shorter and active peak burn times
Smoke:  Smoke information is available at http://ncjic.blogspot.com/p/air-quality-smoke.html
A shelter is available upon request at Nebo Crossing Church for residents affected by the smoke from the Clear Creek Fire. Transportation is available by calling 652-3241 or 652-3982.

For a downloadable, printable version of this map, click here.

No comments:

Post a Comment