Fire Update – 09/15/2011 7:30 a.m. PT
All information from the Mt Hood National Forest
The Dollar Lake Fire was visited Thursday by small quantities of mist and
drizzle. The highest rain-gauge reading was 7/100ths of an inch at Ghost
Ridge. The moisture hasn’t penetrated far into the forest floor, however,
and forest fuels continue to smolder deep into the ground.
Hand-held infrared sensors are helping firefighters locate and eliminate
hot spots which may not otherwise be seen or smelled at this stage of the
fire. With the help of the IR sensors, firefighters have completed mop-up
along the eastern quarter of the fire perimeter.
Crews are making headway with respect to establishing firelines, but 3
miles of line remains to be built.
Excess resources are being demobilized. Two hotshot crews who have
been camping in the wilderness and working on Cathedral Ridge will be
extracted today because of deteriorating weather conditions. Some air
resources are also being released -- six aircraft remain. Some of the
158,000 feet of hose that were delivered to the lines over the duration of
the fire have been returned to fire camp for cleaning, drying, and rolling.
Temperatures are expected to decline another 10 degrees at higher
elevations, and winds will decrease from gusts of 30 to gusts of 20 mph. A
light rain is forecast to reach the Hood River drainage on Sunday. Today,
however, the fire may experience clear skies in the afternoon. Warming is
expected next week, and the number of visible smokes will likely increase.
CLOSURES
Area & Road:
Forest Roads: 16 and 18 are closed and all forest roads within the area closure boundary.
Forest Roads 2840, 3511, 3512 are closed. For details on area closures please see:
www.inciweb.org/incident/2563/
Campgrounds:
Lost Lake resort & Campground are open but the surface of lake remains closed (no swimming
or boating is allowed on the lake), McNeil, Riley Horse Camp, Lost Creek, Kinnikinnick, Tilly Jane, and
Cloud Cap.
Trails:
Pacific Crest Trail from the Rushing Water Creek crossing, north to Wahtum Lake;
Trail #600 from Gnarl Ridge Trail #652 northwest to its terminus at Ramona Falls Trail #797;
Burnt Lake Trail #772 from the Burnt Lake north trailhead, south to the wilderness boundary;
Cast Lake Trail #773 and Horseshoe Trail #774 from the trailhead in Riley campground south to the wilderness boundary;
Sandy River Trail #770 and Ramona Falls Trail #797;
Yokum Ridge #771;
Mazamas Trail #625;
Vista Ridge Trail #626, Elk Cove Trail #631 and Pinnacle Ridge Trail #630
FOR ADDITIONAL AND UPDATED FIRE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT:
Thank you to the Mt Hood Chamber of Commerce for the distribution of current and critical information concering the Villages of Mt Hood.
