Sturgill, Nebo, and Goat Mountain 2 Fires

10/03/2022

Updates for the Sturgill, Nebo, and Goat Mountain Fires can now be found on the Double Creek page https://www.facebook.com/DoubleCreekFire2022/

Official fire information for the Double Creek Fire

09/29/2022

Double Creek, Sturgill, Nebo, Goat Mountain Two Fires
September 29, 2022
Daily Update – 8:00 AM

Highlights: Yesterday saw an increase in fire behavior across the fires. Today crews will assess those active fire areas and resources stand ready to respond to any changes. Overnight precipitation and more moisture today should substantially reduce fire activity.

Double Creek Fire: 161,510 acres, no change | 89% contained | 436 personnel assigned
The northern region was very active yesterday in the Cow Creek and Lightning Creek drainages. The northern portion received wetting rains overnight, and crews will assess fuel conditions in those areas today to determine resource needs for the next few days. Along the western side of the fire, suppression repair is nearly complete.

Eagle Cap Wilderness Fires
Sturgill Fire: 21,103 acres, no change | 72% of objectives achieved | 60 personnel assigned
The fire was very active yesterday and burned towards the Stanley Guard Station. Helicopters dropped water to slow fire spread and firefighters were in place to protect structures. The fire also moved toward Red’s Horse Ranch yesterday, where a structure protection task force remained in place. Active monitoring will continue today.

Nebo Fire: 12,602 acres, no change | 78% of objectives achieved | 0 personnel assigned

Goat Mountain 2 Fire: 548 acres, no change | 0 personnel assigned
Quiet for 13 days, the Goat Mountain 2 Fire made a run to the east, slopping over a ridgeline and backing down the west side of the Lostine River drainage. Helicopters made several water drops to slow the fire growth. This area will also continue to be monitored today.

Weather: A cold front moved through overnight bringing precipitation, higher relative humidity, and much cooler temperatures that will linger into Friday. Over the weekend, a gradual warming and drying trend is expected.

Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Temporary Area Closures: Closure orders are in effect for the Double Creek, Nebo, and Sturgill Fires. Closure Orders and Maps are available here. Roads within area closures and Forest Service Road (FSR) 8250 east to the junction with FSR 8250-040, FSR 3900-100, and FSR 3900-200 remain closed.

Road Closures: Upper Imnaha Road, Hat Point Road, Lower Imnaha Road, and Dug Bar Road are closed.

Restrictions: Fire Restrictions are in place for the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Campfires should be in fire pits surrounded by dirt, rock, or commercial rings. Flammable material shall be cleared within a 3-foot radius and avoid overhanging limbs. Attend fires at all times and fully extinguish when not attended.

Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Phone: 541-216-4579
Email: [email protected]
Double Creek Fire
InciWeb
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8366/
Facebook
www.facebook.com/doublecreekfire2022
YouTube
https://tinyurl.com/Double-Creek-Fire

Eagle Cap Wilderness Fires
Sturgill Fire InciWeb
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8364/
Nebo Fire InciWeb
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8363/
Goat Mountain 2 Fire InciWeb
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8380/
Facebook
www.facebook.com/SturgillNemoGoatMountain2Fires
YouTube
https://tinyurl.com/Eagle-Cap-Wilderness-Fires

09/28/2022

Double Creek, Sturgill, Nebo, Goat Mountain Two Fires
September 28, 2022
Daily Update – 8:00 AM

Highlights: Today will be very similar to yesterday with hot, dry, and breezy conditions and lower fuel moistures with increased fire behavior where pockets of heat remain. Close monitoring of areas of concern will be conducted and resources are pre-positioned to respond quickly as conditions change. Post-fire suppression repair will continue in portions of all fire areas as safety and conditions allow.

Double Creek Fire: 161,510 acres, 3,697 acre increase | 89% contained | 407 personnel assigned
The northern edge of the fire remains active with some movement into the Cow Creek Drainage overnight. Monitoring of this area continues with crews prepared to respond as needed. Substantial daily progress is being made in suppression repair along the western edge of the burn area and should be completed within a few days. Change in acreage due to growth and adjustment for accuracy.

Eagle Cap Wilderness Fires
Sturgill Fire: 21,103 acres, 191 acre increase (adjusted) | 72% of objectives achieved | 60 personnel assigned
Less active burning occurred in the northwest corner yesterday with little movement. Additional crews have been deployed to Red’s Horse Ranch to reinforce existing structure protection as a precaution.

Nebo Fire: 12,602 acres, 2 acre increase | 78% of objectives achieved | 0 personnel assigned

Goat Mountain 2 Fire: 548 acres, 12 acre increase | 0 personnel assigned
Will continue to monitor these fires from aircraft as smoke and weather permits. The Goat Mountain 2 Fire generated most of the smoke observed yesterday with rocky terrain and bordering fire scars limiting fire spread.

Weather: High temperatures will be from the mid 70s to mid 80s in most valleys, and up to the mid 90s below 3000 ft. Ridgetop temperatures will be in the 70s with relative humidity in the 10 to 20% range for all elevations. Breezy winds expected with gusts to 28 mph at ridgetops and to 23 mph in valleys. Humidity recovery will be good tonight with valley relative humidity reaching 70 to 90% and 60 to 70% on ridgetops.

Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Temporary Area Closures: Closure orders are in effect for the Double Creek, Nebo, and Sturgill Fires. Closure Orders and Maps are available here. Roads within area closures and Forest Service Road (FSR) 8250 east to the junction with FSR 8250-040, FSR 3900-100, and FSR 3900-200 remain closed.

Road Closures: Upper Imnaha Road, Hat Point Road, Lower Imnaha Road, and Dug Bar Road are closed.

Restrictions: Fire Restrictions are in place for the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Campfires should be in fire pits surrounded by dirt, rock, or commercial rings. Flammable material shall be cleared within a 3-foot radius and avoid overhanging limbs. Attend fires at all times and fully extinguish when not attended.

Fire Information
Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Phone: 541-216-4579
Email: [email protected]

Double Creek Fire
InciWeb
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8366/

Facebook
www.facebook.com/doublecreekfire2022

YouTube
https://tinyurl.com/Double-Creek-Fire

Eagle Cap Wilderness Fires
Sturgill Fire InciWeb
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8364/
Nebo Fire InciWeb
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8363/
Goat Mountain 2 Fire InciWeb
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8380/
Facebook
www.facebook.com/SturgillNemoGoatMountain2Fires
YouTube
https://tinyurl.com/Eagle-Cap-Wilderness-Fires
# # #

09/27/2022

Double Creek, Sturgill, Nebo, Goat Mountain Two Fires
September 27, 2022
Daily Update – 8:00 AM

Highlights: Today will be hot, dry, and breezy with conditions similar to mid-August. Lower fuel moistures are anticipated to result in increased fire behavior where pockets of heat remain. Close monitoring of areas of concern will be conducted and resources are pre-positioned to respond quickly as conditions change. Post-fire suppression repair will continue in portions of all fire areas as safety and conditions allow.

Double Creek Fire: 159,813 acres, 2047 acre adjustment | 89% contained | 451 personnel assigned
Acreage adjusted for more accurate measurement. The northern and southern edges of the fire remain the most active. Temperatures will reach the 90s in lower elevations and increased fire activity is expected in the Cow Creek drainage. Crews and aircraft will continue monitoring the fire and are prepared to respond as needed.
Eagle Cap Wilderness Fires
Sturgill Fire: 20,912 acres, 720 acre increase | 72% of objectives achieved | 63 personnel assigned
Active burning occurred in the northwest corner yesterday after 3 days of warm, dry conditions and reduced fuel moistures. A fire crew is being deployed at Red’s Horse Ranch to reinforce existing structure protection.
Nebo Fire: 12,600 acres | 0 personnel assigned
Goat Mountain 2 Fire: 536 acres | 0 personnel assigned
Will continue to monitor these fires from aircraft as smoke and weather permits.
Weather: High temperatures are forecast from the 80s to upper 90s in the valleys with relative humidity at 8 to 18%. Ridgetop temperatures will be in the 70s with relative humidity in the teens. Winds will increase, with ridgetop gusts to 30 mph and 22 mph in the valleys. Poor humidity recovery overnight to around 35%.
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Temporary Area Closures: Closure orders are in effect for the Double Creek, Nebo, and Sturgill Fires. Closure Orders and Maps are available here. Forest service roads within area closures and Forest Service Road (FSR) 8250 east to the junction with FSR 8250-040, FSR 3900-100, and FSR 3900-200 remain closed.
Road Closures: Upper Imnaha Road, Hat Point Road, Lower Imnaha Road, and Dug Bar Road are closed.
Restrictions: Fire Restrictions are in place for the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Campfires should be in fire pits surrounded by dirt, rock, or commercial rings. Flammable material shall be cleared within a 3-foot radius and avoid overhanging limbs. Attend fires at all times and fully extinguish when not attended.
Fire Information
Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM Phone: 541-216-4579 Email: [email protected]
Double Creek Fire
InciWeb
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8366/

Facebook
www.facebook.com/doublecreekfire2022

YouTube
https://tinyurl.com/Double-Creek-Fire
Eagle Cap Wilderness Fires
Sturgill Fire InciWeb
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8364/
Nebo Fire InciWeb
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8363/
Goat Mountain 2 Fire InciWeb
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8380/
Facebook
www.facebook.com/SturgillNemoGoatMountain2Fires
YouTube
https://tinyurl.com/Eagle-Cap-Wilderness-Fires

# # #

09/26/2022

Double Creek, Sturgill, Nebo, Goat Mountain Two Fires
September 26, 2022
Daily Update – 8:00 AM

Highlights: Today will be hot and dry with conditions similar to mid-August as opposed to late September. High fuel moisture and lack of wind will prevent any large fire growth. Instead, any active fire will be “skunking around”. This low intensity fire acts similar to a prescribed burn, cleaning up unburned pockets of fuel resulting in a more fire-resistant landscape and a healthier forest.

Double Creek Fire: 157,766 acres | 81% contained | 513 personnel assigned

The fire grew forty-nine acres in the last twenty-four hours. The northern and southern edges of the fire remain the most active. With temperatures expected to reach the mid-90s near Cow Creek, the fire will be more active, and smoke will be more evident. Crews and aircraft will continue to monitor the fire and are prepared to engage should the need arise.

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: 12,600 acres | 50% of management objectives achieved | 5 personnel assigned

The Nebo fire will not be staffed with firefighters or suppression repair resources today as no fire activity has been detected and fire suppression repair crews are focused on the Double Creek and Sturgill fires. Aircraft will continue to fly over the fire looking for smoke.

Sturgill Fire: 20,192 acres | 53% of management objectives achieved | 40 personnel assigned

The fire has not grown in several days. Pockets of interior fuel have been consuming with warmer and dryer weather. Yesterday this was confined to the northwest and southwest corners of the fire. Fire observers have noted that this low intensity fire is removing excess fuel and improving habitat for wildlife.

Goat Mountain 2 Fire: 536 acres | 0 personnel assigned

The Goat Mountain 2 Fire exhibited zero growth in the last twenty-four hours. Aircraft will continue to monitor the fire as smoke and weather permit.

Weather: Temperatures will top out in the mid-80s in the valleys and low to mid 90s on the north end of the Double Creek fire. Relative humidity will drop to around 15%, only recovering to the mid to high 30s overnight. Along the ridges, temperatures will be in the mid-70s with relative humidity dropping to around 25%.

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: Forest Service Road (FSR) 8250 east to the junction with FSR 8250-040, FSR 3900-100, and FSR 3900-200 remain closed. All forest service roads within the new area closure boundaries are closed. Wallowa County Road 727 remains open.

Restrictions: Fire Restrictions are in place for all National Forest System Lands within the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Campfires should be in fire pits surrounded by dirt, rock, or commercial rings and in areas not conducive to rapid fire spread. All flammable material shall be cleared within a 3-foot radius from the edge of the pit and free of overhanging material. Use existing pits wherever possible. All fires need to be attended at all times and fully extinguished when not attended.

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.

Fire Information
Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Phone: 541-216-4579
Email: [email protected]

Double Creek Fire
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8366/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/doublecreekfire2022
YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/Double-Creek-Fire

Eagle Cap Wilderness Fires
Sturgill Fire InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8364/
Nebo Fire InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8363/
Goat Mountain 2 Fire InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8380/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SturgillNemoGoatMountain2Fires
YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/Eagle-Cap-Wilderness-Fires

09/26/2022

- September 26 - 8:00 AM
Nebo Fire
12,600 acres
5 personnel

Sturgill Fire
20,192 acres
40 personnel

The Suppression Repair stage of a fire includes rehabbing the fire lines that were created during fire fighting. In some places the rehabilitation is being done by hand, while in other places heavy equipment can be used.

Photo of heavy equipment rehabbing a fire line.

09/25/2022

The Daily Operational Update video with Operations Section Chief John Wallace https://fb.watch/fMgdp4ebEM/

09/25/2022

Double Creek, Sturgill, Nebo, Goat Mountain Two Fires
September 25, 2022
Daily Update – 8:00 AM

Highlights: Forest Service Road 39 is open to the public, as are most other roads outside of the fire closure areas. Four roads of note that remain closed are the Upper and Lower Imnaha roads and Hat Point road and Dug Bar road. All roads and trails within the fire closure areas are closed. FOREST ORDER NO. 06-16-04-22-13 details all of the road, area and trail closures related to the Double Creek, Sturgill and Nebo fires.

Double Creek Fire: 157,717 acres | 81% contained | 518 personnel assigned
The fire grew six acres in the last twenty-four hours. With today’s higher temperature and lower humidity, smoke increased on the north edge of the fire. Contingency suppression plans are in place should the fire begin to move. Control lines are in place around the southern end of the fire. Repair of fire suppression impacts throughout the fire is ongoing.

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: 12,600 acres | 50% of management objectives achieved | 6 personnel assigned

There was no measurable growth of the fire in the last forty-eight hours. There has been no fire activity detected on the Nebo fire in two days. The suppression repair group has been working closely with resource advisors to alleviate the impacts caused by fire suppression while protecting natural and cultural resources.

Sturgill Fire: 20,192 acres | 53% of management objectives achieved | 47 personnel assigned

There was no measurable growth of the fire in the last forty-eight hours. Pockets of interior fuel have been consuming with warmer and dryer weather. Infrastructure is in place should any suppression action need to be taken. Air operations have begun assessing aircraft needs for hauling out equipment around Red’s Horse Camp. Crews have begun preparing equipment near the Stanley Guard Station for removal to Joseph.

Goat Mountain 2 Fire: 536 acres | 0 personnel assigned

The Goat Mountain 2 Fire exhibited zero growth in the last twenty-four hours. Aircraft will continue to monitor the fire as smoke and weather permit.

Weather: Temperatures should reach the 80s in the valleys and may hit 90 degrees on the north end of the Double Creek fire. Relative humidity will drop to the high teens and lower 20s today. Along the ridges, temperatures will be in the 70s with relative humidity at or below 30%.

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: Forest Service Road (FSR) 8250 east to the junction with FSR 8250-040, FSR 3900-100, and FSR 3900-200 remain closed. All forest service roads within the new area closure boundaries are closed. Wallowa County Road 727 remains open.

Restrictions: Fire Restrictions are in place for all National Forest System Lands within the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Campfires should be in fire pits surrounded by dirt, rock, or commercial rings and in areas not conducive to rapid fire spread. All flammable material shall be cleared within a 3-foot radius from the edge of the pit and free of overhanging material. Use existing pits wherever possible. All fires need to be attended at all times and fully extinguished when not attended.

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.

Fire Information
Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Phone: 541-216-4579
Email: [email protected]

Double Creek Fire
· InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8366/
· Facebook: www.facebook.com/doublecreekfire2022
· YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/Double-Creek-Fire
Eagle Cap Wilderness Fires
· Sturgill Fire InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8364/
· Nebo Fire InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8363/
· Goat Mountain 2 Fire InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8380/
· Facebook: www.facebook.com/SturgillNemoGoatMountain2Fires
· YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/Eagle-Cap-Wilderness-Fires

09/25/2022

- September 25 - 8:00 AM
Nebo Fire
12,600 acres
6 personnel

Sturgill Fire
20,192 acres
47 personnel

Fire fighters train to ensure they can do their jobs safely. In the event that something does happen, trained medical staff and equipment are available to respond.

Photo of one of the ambulances staged at the Incident Command Post

09/24/2022

09/24/2022

Operations Update for Saturday, September 24th:

https://fb.watch/fL3ZP2HSP3/

09/24/2022

Double Creek, Sturgill, Nebo, Goat Mountain Two Fires
September 24, 2022
Daily Update – 8:00 AM

Highlights: Forest Service Road 39 is open to the public, as are most other roads outside of the fire closure areas. Four roads of note that remain closed are the Upper and Lower Imnaha roads and Hat Point road and Dug Bar road. All roads and trails within the fire closure areas are closed. FOREST ORDER NO. 06-16-04-22-13 details all of the road, area and trail closures related to the Double Creek, Sturgill and Nebo fires.

Double Creek Fire: 157,704 acres | 81% contained | 575 personnel assigned

The fire grew six acres in the last twenty-four hours. The northern and southern edges of the fire are the main area of interest in that they are still producing heat and smoke. Daily reconnaissance flights are utilized to monitor both edges for increased fire activity and contingency plans are in place to deal with any flare ups. An uptick in smoke was identified yesterday in the Freezeout drainage.

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: 12,600 acres | 50% of management objectives achieved | 11 personnel assigned

There was no measurable growth of the fire in the last forty-eight hours. Fire suppression repair is the order of the day. Fire control lines are being covered with native vegetation and water bars are being installed where needed. These actions will prevent control lines from becoming erosion channels. Crews will continue to monitor for any hot spots and mop them up when discovered.

Sturgill Fire: 20,192 acres | 53% of management objectives achieved | 47 personnel assigned

There was no measurable growth of the fire in the last forty-eight hours. Log trucks continue hauling trees to staging areas where they will be sold and then processed into wood products. Excavators and masticators are chipping brush and debris along several roads outside of the wilderness. Those chips then play a vital role in recycling nutrients back into the soil. Pumps, hoses, and other equipment are being transported by trucks back to Joseph for rehab.

Goat Mountain 2 Fire: 536 acres | 0 personnel assigned

The Goat Mountain 2 Fire exhibited zero growth in the last twenty-four hours. Aircraft will continue to monitor the fire as smoke and weather permit.

Weather: Temperatures should reach the high 70s and into the 80s in the valleys and on the north end of the Double Creek fire. Relative humidity only recovered to about 40% over nigh and will drop to about 20% today. A warming trend is expected through Tuesday.

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: Forest Service Road (FSR) 8250 east to the junction with FSR 8250-040, FSR 3900-100, and FSR 3900-200 remain closed. All forest service roads within the new area closure boundaries are closed. Wallowa County Road 727 remains open.

Restrictions: Fire Restrictions are in place for all National Forest System Lands within the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Campfires should be in fire pits surrounded by dirt, rock, or commercial rings and in areas not conducive to rapid fire spread. All flammable material shall be cleared within a 3-foot radius from the edge of the pit and free of overhanging material. Use existing pits wherever possible. All fires need to be attended at all times and fully extinguished when not attended.

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.

Fire Information
Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Phone: 541-216-4579
Email: [email protected]

Double Creek Fire
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8366/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/doublecreekfire2022
YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/Double-Creek-Fire

Eagle Cap Wilderness Fires
Sturgill Fire InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8364/
Nebo Fire InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8363/
Goat Mountain 2 Fire InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8380/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SturgillNemoGoatMountain2Fires
YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/Eagle-Cap-Wilderness-Fires