[env-trinity] Eureka Times Standard July 7 2009

[Byron Leydecker]

Wilderness fire spreads

Eureka Times-Standard-7/7/09

By John Driscoll

 

A wildfire in the Trinity Alps Wilderness expanded swiftly to 3,300 acres
Sunday afternoon and Monday despite cooler temperatures, fire officials
said. 

 

While the fire is still far from most communities, it's burning on the hot
dry southwest slopes in trees burned by the 1999 Megram Fire, presenting a
challenge to firefighters. 

 

Winds and topography -- and in part better mapping -- is cited as the reason
the blaze grew from 300 to 3,300 acres in a day, said fire information
officer Kerry Greene. 

 

The Backbone Fire on the Six Rivers National Forest and the Trinity Fire on
the Shasta-Trinity National Forest have merged. The Atlanta-based National
Incident Management Organization is expected to take over management of the
fire on Wednesday. 

 

Six Rivers National Forest Supervisor Tyrone Kelley was scheduled to meet
with Hoopa Valley Tribe Chairman Leonard Masten Monday to discuss protection
of cultural sites in the area. 

 

Officials have called in significant resources to quell the blaze, including
nine hotshot crews, attack and helitack crews, eight helicopters and four
engines. Some 290 personnel are assigned to the fire. 

 

Roads and trails in the fire area are closed to the public. Rafting on the
Trinity River is still allowed, but officials are asking rafters to proceed
with caution near the helibase in Willow Creek. 

 

National Weather Service meteorologist Michael Stroz said the next few days
are forecast to be cool and breezy due to a weather 

system lingering over the West Coast. Wind at higher elevations could gust
to 20 miles per hour today, Stroz said, but humidity should increase at
night.

 

"That should help them to hopefully get a better handle on it," Stroz said. 

 

By the weekend, temperatures are expected to increase, and are forecast to
be in the 90s by early next week, Stroz said. 

 

 

FIRE FACTS 

 

Size: About 3,300 acres 

Started: July 1, 2009 

Resources threatened: No structures are threatened. 

Location: 36 miles northeast of Willow Creek in Trinity Alps Wilderness 

 

Resources: 

9 hotshot crews 

1 Type II initial attack crew 

1 helitack crew 

1 Type 3 helicopter; 2 Type 2 helicopter, 5 Type I helicopters 

4 engines 

3 water tenders 

Total personnel: 290#

 

http://www.times-standard.com/ci_12767167?IADID=Search-www.times-standard.co
m-www.times-standard.com

 

 

Byron Leydecker, JcT

Chair, Friends of Trinity River

PO Box 2327

Mill Valley, CA 94942-2327

415 383 4810 land

415 519 4810 cell

 <mailto:bwl3 at comcast.net> bwl3 at comcast.net

 <mailto:bleydecker at stanfordalumni.org> bleydecker at stanfordalumni.org
(secondary)

 <http://fotr.org/> http://www.fotr.org 

 

 

 

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