CLIFFDELL — A thick plume of smoke rose over the ridge Saturday afternoon across from Gold Creek Saloon, where several evacuees stopped while a helicopter lifted off with a water bucket across State Route 410.
Shelly Ely and Susan Llufrio, from the Tacoma area, said they planned to camp just a few miles down the road from their previous site at American Forks Campground. After two nights of enjoying the Perseid meteor shower in relatively clear skies, they were a little surprised to see so much smoke from the fast-growing Schneider Springs Fire.
It surpassed 15,042 acres Saturday morning, with 0% containment after it was ignited by a lightning strike on Aug. 3. More than 350 firefighters and support team members continued their work protecting structures, setting fire lines, and evacuating those in harm’s way as shifting winds promised new challenges.
Tents sit near State Route 410 at the Schneider Springs Fire fire camp Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021 near Naches, Wash.
A helicopter and a tanker returned to the air Saturday morning, following two days of skies too smoky for flying. Incident management team lead spokesperson Micah Bell said it remained too dangerous for firefighters to move toward the flames, so they focused on building containment lines near Bumping River Road and State Route 410.
“Given these conditions right now, the best way to suppress this fire is not direct,” Bell said Saturday afternoon. “Right now we’re not as worried about getting direct containment as we are preparing for if the fire comes down to (Bumping River Road).”
That’s where officials worked to evacuate 54 homes placed under Level 3 (go now) orders on Thursday. Another 564 housing units are under Level 2 (get set) evacuation orders.
Schneider Springs closures updated Aug. 14, 2021
Forest closures were officially extended Saturday afternoon to the Little Naches area north of 410, a popular spot for camping and motorized recreation.
The fire reached the Bumping River drainage when it doubled in size from Thursday to Friday, getting within a quarter mile to a half mile of the nearest homes in Goose Prairie, according to Yakima Valley Emergency Management operations manager Horace Ward.
Priority for resources
Northwest Interagency Coordination Center spokesperson Carol Connolly said the threat to homes pushed the fire up to No. 3 on the priority list among large fires in Washington and Oregon as of Friday afternoon, behind Washington’s Walker Creek Fire and Oregon’s Middle Fork Complex Fire. Initial attacks on new fires always take the highest priority.
A top spot on the list is critical when it comes to obtaining resources, especially since firefighters are battling 29 large fires in Oregon and Washington that had burned nearly 888,000 acres as of 5 p.m. Saturday. Connolly said more than 8,000 firefighters were dispatched throughout the region, comprising more than one-third of the country’s available firefighting force.
Schneider Springs Fire Aug. 14, 2021
Resources quickly ramped up from the 25-35 local and regional resources initially fighting the fire, as hotshot crews, smoke jumpers and engines from as far as Missouri began to arrive. Bell said they’re expecting two drone teams from the Southwest either Sunday or Monday, which will give crews improved mapping capabilities, even when heavy smoke prevents other aircraft from flying.
Protecting structures will be the primary goal as west-northwest winds push the fire toward Bumping River Road and State Route 410. Bell said closure of the highway could be possible if deemed necessary through discussions involving several agencies, including the Washington Department of Transportation.
Although the lower temperatures brought on by a cold front should help firefighters, they’ll also have to contend with stronger winds and rising humidity. Ward warned people should stay alert and cautious whenever they go out into the forest with fire conditions expected to remain at dangerous levels.
“With these forest fires, historically parts of the fire will still be going well into fall or until the snow falls,” Ward said, “until we see those temperature changes and a lot more moisture coming into the area.”
"danger" - Google News
August 15, 2021 at 08:58AM
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Danger level remains high for Schneider Springs Fire as closures expand - Yakima Herald-Republic
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