Creek Fire Oct. 27 update: Firefighters aim to prevent fire spread due to high winds
Smoke from the Creek Fire is expected to be pushed Tuesday afternoon over Fresno, due to winds blowing across the mountains from the northeast, where the fire is burning, according to the National Weather Service.
The National Weather Service in Hanford uses an Experimental High-Resolution Rapid Refresh computer model to forecast the direction in which the smoke will travel, said Jim Dudley, a meteorologist with the NWS in Hanford.
People are advised to avoid prolonged outdoor exposure Tuesday. “I think the biggest thing is that the winds are going to subside,” he said.
The winds will began to subside, decrease in speed and change direction beginning Tuesday night, which is a good thing as winds help keep fires active, like what happened Monday, Dudley said.
Red Flag warning
A Red Flag warning was issued through 5 p.m. Tuesday due to “strong easterly winds and low humidity,” according to Tuesday’s Creek Fire update from the U.S. Forest Service.
“Extreme fire activity is possible and if there is a new start or the fire escapes containment lines you can expect rapid rates of spread,” according to the morning update.
There was much fire activity north and northwest of Thomas A. Edison Lake on Monday due to the winds and low humidity.
“Much of this activity was in the form of interior green islands burning out and this portion of the fire remained active throughout the night,” the update reads.
On Tuesday, crews will continue to scout line locations in order to keep the fire from burning around the lake and moving south, according to the update.
“The far northern area of the fire has moved into areas of granite outcrops and there has been no movement in this area,” the update says. “From Junction Bluffs to Vermilion, there has been minimal eastward movement of the fire in recent days.”
Monitoring wind factor
A priority on Tuesday will be to patrol and ensure the fire stays within its existing footprint, according to the update.
Winds decreased overnight on Monday, but were expected to pick up again on Tuesday morning, with possible gusts of 30 to 40 mph on the ridges and in drainages aligned in a northeast to southwest direction, according to the update.
Meanwhile, in the northwest, firefighters continue to strengthen the fireline, mopping up, and removing hazard trees. On the western side of the fire, crews continue to patrol, mop up, backhaul any unneeded equipment, and remove hazard trees along roads. The southern end of the fire is unstaffed from the San Joaquin River to Shaver Lake, according to the update.
On the east side of the fire, in and below the horseshoe, crews are working on strengthening control lines and mopping up, according to the update.
Firefighters continue their structure protection work around the Vermilion Resort area.
Where fire, containment stands
The Creek Fire, which has been burning since Sept. 4., has scorched 374,466 acres. Containment remains at 63%, and a full containment is expected by Oct. 31.
As of Tuesday, a total of 865 fire personnel were battling the blaze. Since the fire ignited, a total of 26 firefighters have been injured, according to the update.
A total of 856 structures have been destroyed by the fire, 71 have been damaged and another 105 are threatened.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
This story was originally published October 27, 2020 at 10:53 AM.
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