Green Ridge and Lick Creek Fires update

By Kevin Stock

Incident Commander

Northwest Incident Management Team 8

DAYTON–The current situation on the Green Ridge Fire indicated gusty winds Monday, August 30 tested and validated the strength of containment lines. There was no spotting and all containment lines held. The winds aided the burning of interior islands and pockets of fuel.

Fire crews will continue to patrol containment lines and conduct mop-up operations.

Further progress was made on direct containment of the fire in the southeast corner near Diamond Creek Road below Mount Misery. The objective for this area of the fire is to establish containment line going south then west and tie into the Diamond Peak trailhead.

Equipment no longer needed on the fire line is being returned to fire camp to re-supply other firefighting operations. Resource advisors are onsite to provide knowledge of cultural and natural resource areas to be protected. Advisors are also mapping all suppression line constructed for future repair. 

Regarding the Lick Creek Fire, size of the fire remains 80,421 acres and is now 100% contained. Smoke will continue to be visible as unburned pockets of vegetation inside the fire perimeter are consumed. Crews will continue to mop-up any interior pockets of heat and patrol lines as they can safely.

The Green Ridge Fire size is 40,059, Containment: 39%, Total Personnel: 153, Location: 30 miles east of Walla Walla, Reported: July 7, 2021, Cause: Lightning. 

The Lick Creek Fire is size 80,421, Containment: 100%, Total Personnel: 6, Location: 20 miles southwest of Asotin, WA, Reported: July 7, 2021, Cause: Lightning. 

The public is advised to stay clear of firefighting operations and drive safely! The public should watch out for fire crews and equipment while traveling on forest roads. Some roads remain closed with barriers. Barriers are in place to protect firefighters and the public, so please respect the closed areas. 

Weather and Smoke Information: Continued mostly sunny today with smoke and haze. Temperature highs will be cooler Tuesday, August 31, dipping to 56-61 degrees along the ridges and 65-70 degrees in the valley bottoms. Winds will be west-southwest 6-10 mph with gusts up to 18 mph in the afternoon. Minimum relative humidity will be higher Tuesday ranging from 30-35% above 5,000 feet and 20-25% in the valleys. Smoke information is available on Washington Smoke Blog at: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/

A reduced Fire Emergency Closure is in place on the Umatilla National Forest and has been updated as of August 28, 2021. The closure order map can be found at https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd948170.pdf 

 Evacuations: Garfield and Columbia County have dropped all Level 2 areas to Level 1. For more information on evacuations, please visit https://go.usa.gov/xFQJ2 for full information.

 Temporary Flight Restrictions: For the safety of the firefighters and aircraft fighting the Green Ridge and Lick Creek Fires, a Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the fire areas. Please consult the "Notice to Airman" for specifics. Wildfires are a "No Drone Zone." Whenever a drone is spotted near the fire all aircraft are grounded until we can be sure the drone is clear of the area. For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.