[env-trinity] Pigeon Fire News

[Josh Allen]

Name: Pigeon Fire  

County: Trinity  

Administrative Unit: Shasta - Trinity National Forest
<http://www.inciweb.org/incident/357/>   

Status/Notes: 20% contained - 4,954 acres  

Date Started: September 2, 2006 9:56 am  

Last update: September 5, 2006 9:00 am  

Phone Numbers  (530) 623-9195 (Pigeon Fire Information) 

http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_current
<http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_current>  


Summary http://www.inciweb.org/incident/357/  


Pigeon: 4,790 acres 20% contained. Today the fire made a move north into
the North Fork Gulch. Hwy 299 has been reopened as of 12 pm today.
Current structural threat to Helena and Big Flat Community also exists.
Structure protection is in place for both communities. Mandatory
evacuations are in affect for the communities of Big Flat and Helena,
voluntary evacuations are in place for Big Bar and DeLoma. Power lines
affecting central and southern Trinity County are still shut down. Power
has been rerouted to Weaverville and Junction City. Team is working with
PG&E so their personnel can safely access and repair lines.

Even though Hiway 299 is opening, everyone is strongly advised to use
extreme caution while traversing the road. Travel will be single lane,
escorted by pilot vehicle between Helena and mile maker 35.5. NOTE:
Expect minimum of 15 minute delay. Highway is subject to closure at any
time based on safety and fire activity. Before traveling, make sure to
check with local CalTrans.1-800-427-7623

Fire Behavior

Pigeon: The fire was very active yesterday with gradient southwest winds
surfacing in the afternoon. Spotting out to a half mile, with crown
runs, group torching was observed.

Fire slopped over in area of Manzanita ridge. Crews are making progress
lining the slopover area. Fire behavior is expected to increase this
afternoon.

 

Today's Significant Events

Pigeon: Fire is still very active and spreading to the Northwest and
Northeast.

 

Planned Actions

Pigeon: Crews and equipment continue to construct fire line. Structure
protection mitigations have been implemented in affected communties.

 

Projected Movement

Pigeon: Today is expected to be similar to yesterday.

 

Growth Potential

Pigeon: Extreme

 

Containment Target

Pigeon: No estimate of containment

 

Remarks

Pigeon fire cause is under investigation. Highway 299 is now open to
1-way controlled traffic with pilot car escort between Junction City and
DeLoma California. Trinity River remains closed to rafters and other
water traffic from Slide Ranch Haul Out down to Big Flat. All trails
within fire area are closed to public. Incident management will be
transitioning from a type 2 to a type 1 management team.

 

Highway closure pushes Labor Day travelers to alternate routes 

 

by Carol Harrison, 9/5/2006   

http://www.eurekareporter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ArticleID=14683 

 

With State Highway 299 closed for the bulk of the Labor Day Weekend,
many North Coast travelers had little choice but to return home via
State Highway 36.

"Where else do you go?" asked the local California Highway Patrol
dispatcher before reaching the official CHP spokesperson.

"We are concerned," said CHP Sgt. Brett Fabbri, a North Coast resident
for the past 37 years who could not remember Hwy. 299 ever suffering a
closure on one of the biggest traffic days of the year. "299 is a busy
route during the holidays and right now, the only alternates are 36 or 3
in Trinity County."

"It will probably tag on two to two-and-one-half hours, if not more,"
Redding CHP Sgt. Mike Sherman said. "36 is a route that doesn't look
like it gets much travel, but it sure will (Monday)."

Sherman estimated 90 percent of the Hwy. 299 diversion went south on 3
to hook up with 36, or took 36 from its Red Bluff connection with U.S.
Interstate 5.

"The traffic flow has been extremely heavy," Sherman said of routes 3
and 36. 

He reported a boat trailer lost an axle on Hwy. 3 and started a 3- to
4-acre fire controlled by Hayfork personnel.

Earlier in the day, the CHP confirmed a Hwy. 36 fatality who came from
out of state and apparently took a corner faster than the Corvette could
handle. The 150-mile stretch of asphalt connecting Red Bluff to Fortuna
is virtually devoid of rest stops and fast food. Monday, it became
increasingly crowded with travelers yearning for both. 

"It's like watch out, here they come," said Yvonne Mills, owner of
Platina's General Store, which is located 37 miles west of Red Bluff on
Hwy. 36. "We've been getting a whole lot of traffic. We're usually open
'til 7 p.m. and on a big weekend, it's 10 p.m. Who knows when we'll get
out of here tonight."

When told that 299 was expected to remain closed all day, Mills groaned.

"Oh my gosh," she said at 2 p.m. Monday. "There's no restaurants, no
pull-outs, no bathrooms. I only have one 1,000 gallon tank of gas. I
don't know if I'll make it."

Regular unleaded at $3.59 is the only gasoline Mills carries. Diesel,
however, was available another eight miles up the road in Wildwood.

"Business has been great," said Debbie Nelson of Wildwood's general
store. She expected to stick with her 7 p.m. closing time and didn't
seem too concerned with meeting the extra demand.

"It's deer season," she said by way of explanation. "It's always busy in
deer season. This is no biggie."

Usually, according to Redcrest's Angie Flosi, Hwy. 36 is so lightly
traveled that she avoids it at night.

"I only do 36 if I absolutely have to," she said by phone Monday
afternoon as she headed back to California State University, Chico, via
Hwy. 20. "It's dark and windy and it's hard on me. I've got an older
car, too, and if a break down happens out there . . ."

"People don't realize it's 150 miles of mountainous, treacherous
roadway," Mills said. "After Wildwood, it's almost to Mad River, and
that store was closed at one time. I don't even know if it's open."

The Mad River Burger Bar was hectic well before the dinner rush.

"There's no way I can talk to you right now," said one frazzled worker
who had tried twice to no avail to get a break in the tide of customers.

"It's not bad in Trinity County until you get to Mad River, but then
from Mad River to Humboldt County it's a lot slower."

Sherman estimated peak traffic to be around 5 p.m. He said he assigned
three officers to the route and air support to handle the increased load
usually covered by one officer. 

Fabbri said the local CHP also posted extra help starting at the
Humboldt County border.

"It took me an extra half-hour Sunday to come down from Weaverville, but
it's hard to take a guess for the time today," Fabbri said. "Many people
waited until (Monday) hoping the main route might open."



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