Whisky Creek, Sandstone and Blister Creek Fire Update – Sept. 5
From the U.S. Department of Algaculture:
Whisky Creek Size: 2,105 acres | Start Date: July 20 | Cause: Human | Containment: 25%
Sandstone Size: 702 acres | Start Date: August 5 | Cause: Lightning | Containment 75%
Total Resources: 381 | Hand Crews: 6 | Engines: 6 | Dozers: 2 | Heavy Equipment: 9 | Helicopters: 3
The Whisky Creek, Sandstone, and Blister Creek Fires are located in steep and rugged terrain on the Mt. Hood National Forest where rolling debris and fire-weakened trees challenge firefighting efforts. A Red Flag Warning is in effect through this evening for gusty offshore winds and low relative humidity. An Excessive Heat Warning is forecasted for Friday and Saturday.
Whisky Creek:
Fire managers flew over the fire and observed minor fire growth in the east fork of Herman Creek yesterday. Excess hose was pulled from Tomlike Mountain and the northeast side of the fire. Crews repaired hand line and a temporary helicopter landing spot. Grading operations continued along Forest Service Road (FSR) 2810. Incident aircraft supported the Williams Mine Fire to the north with water drops and reconnaissance flight.
Crews will continue to pull excess hose from Green Point Mountain today and are initiating repair on a dozer line. Helicopter crewmembers will begin constructing external cargo loads of supplies and equipment to be hoisted out via long-line. Grading and cleaning culverts along FSR 2810 will continue. An additional hose will be retained near Wahtum Lake as a precautionary measure.
Sandstone and Blister Creek:
Firefighters checked a hotspot on the Blister Creek Fire and saw no movement of the fire yesterday. Heavy equipment continued road clean-up along FSR 7105 and finished chipping along FSR 7010 on the 150 spur. Crews pulled the hose from secured sections of the line that have had no heat for numerous days. A grader arrived to begin repairing the roads due to increased wear from fire traffic. Today fire crews are repairing the dozer line, continuing clean-up, and monitoring and patrolling for hotspots.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-to-upper 80s across both fire areas today. Winds will be easterly 10-12 mph, gusting to 15 mph.
Closures: Area closures will remain in the Mt. Hood National Forest, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, and Hood River County. Please respect area closure orders for your safety as well as the safety of our firefighters. Closure information can be found at https://linktr.ee/whisky_creek.2024.
Safety: The public plays an important role in preventing the next wildfire; please use caution with all potential ignition sources. For prevention tips visit: https://keeporegongreen.org. The TFR remains in effect for both fires: https://tinyurl.com/2s49yrj4. Fire restrictions are in place within the Mt. Hood National Forest. More information can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/mthood/fire.
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