Double Creek, Sturgill, Nebo, Goat Mountain Two Fires Update, September 20

September 20, 2022 
Daily Update – 8:00 AM 

Public Meeting – 6:00 PM at Joseph Community Event Center and streamed via Facebook Live 

Highlights: Firefighters assigned to the Hells Canyon/Snake River corridor have begun to transition out of the area. On Double Creek’s north and south sections, crews work to identify burning vegetation/hot spots. Log trucks arrive today to start hauling out the cut timber produced after creating Sturgill’s shaded fuel break. Also arriving at the incident are five excavators, which will be assigned used for suppression repairs. 

Double Creek Fire: 157,267 acres | 38% contained |588 personnel assigned  

The lightning-caused Double Creek Fire is a full suppression fire, with the protection of lives and property the primary objectives. Firefighters on the Snake River pulled out equipment and gear south of Pittsburgh landing. Today they begin to remove the same items north of the landing. Crews continue to monitor and respond to hot spots on the northern portion of the slop over, the area of the Double Creek that jumped the Imnaha River.  

Eagle Cap Wilderness Fires  

The Nebo, Sturgill, and Goat Mountain 2 Fires were lightning-caused and are being managed to protect public and private infrastructure while playing a natural role within designated Wilderness. Progress on managed fires is expressed through the accomplishment of ecological and fuel reduction objectives as opposed to progress on full suppression fires, which is expressed through containment. 

Nebo Fire: 12,593 acres | 50% of management objectives achieved |84 personnel assigned 

Forest Service Road 3920-100 is receiving chipping treatments to prepare the landscape to be more fire tolerant. Taking out the larger pieces of debris and spreading them around as finer materials benefit both sides of the road by allowing nutrient cycling to occur and expanding the fire break beyond just the fire side. Fuel loading is reduced. Future fire personnel can use the road as a fire break or conduct indirect operations if another fire is heading towards that area. Collectively, this road and the others serve as a network to slow the spread of future fires. 

Sturgill Fire: 20,129 acres | 53% of management objectives achieved | 39 personnel assigned 

Along with the arrival of several logging trucks, five excavators are scheduled to arrive at the Joseph fairgrounds. They are going to be inspected, then sent out to aid in the suppression repair efforts that are starting to occur in various locations.   

Goat Mountain 2 Fire: 536 acres | 0 personnel assigned 

Fire activity on the Goat Mountain 2 Fire is minimal. Aircraft will continue to monitor the fire as smoke and weather permit. 

Weather: Temperatures continue to rise with the relative humidity dropping to around 30% through Wednesday afternoon.  Rain is expected to arrive Wednesday afternoon and persist through Thursday, while more rain is forecast to fall on Wednesday than Thursday, showers are expected to be scattered across the fire area on both days. 

Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Temporary Area Closures:  The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest issued Temporary Area Closures for the Double Creek Fire, Nebo Fire, and Sturgill and Goat Mountain 2 Fires. Closure Orders and Maps are available on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Fire Incident Updates page. 

 Road Closures: Lostine River Road at the Forest Service boundary is closed. Highway 350 going to the town of Imnaha is open. Lower Imnaha Road and Dug Bar Road are closed, Upper Imnaha Road is closed, Hat Point Road is closed, and FS 39 Road is closed from Target Springs Junction to Ollokot Campground [including the Canal Rd (3920) and Lick Creek Road (3925)].  

Restrictions: Fire Restrictions are in place for all National Forest System Lands within the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. All fires are prohibited except when fueled by liquid petroleum, charcoal contained in a firepan, or contained in a woodstove with a chimney and spark arresting screen. All fires need to be attended at all times, fully extinguished when not attended, and located in an area free of vegetation within three feet of the fire.  

Airspace: A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place for the Double Creek Fire to provide a safe environment for firefighting aircraft operations over the fire. Be aware that flight restrictions also apply to drones. Drones flying in areas of wildfire activity will cause firefighting aircraft to be grounded. Suspending air operations could decrease the effectiveness of wildfire suppression operations, allowing wildfires to grow larger and unduly threaten lives, property, and natural and cultural resources.