5 Mile Fire Update

Current situation: Oregon Interagency Incident Management Team 3, Incident Commander Doug Johnson, assumed command of the 5 Mile and Somers Fires this morning.  The incident command post is located at the Chief Joseph Rodeo Grounds in Joseph, Oregon.  Additional firefighting resources are on order to fill critical needs on the fires but limited resources are available due to high fire activity in Oregon Washington, Idaho, and California.  Resources will be prioritized to protect high value assets and the community of Imnaha.

5 Mile Fire – 3,700 acres, 5% contained. The operational priority is to secure the town of Imnaha and keep the fire from the Oregon Department of Forestry protected private lands of ranches and homes along the Imnaha River Road. Yesterday, retardant was heavily applied in a wide strip to check the movement of the fire toward Imnaha.  Night shift patrolled.  Today, firefighters will provide structure protection; remove fuels away from homes, and burn out around structures where necessary. Air resources usage will be limited this morning until the smoke inversion lifts. Aerial resources are on loan for use from the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest and the Oregon Department of Forestry.  Retardant planes are available for use.

Additional information is available on Inciweb at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4048/  and http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4053/

Information provided by Oregon Interagency Incident Management Team 3.