July 20, 2024 2:00 p.m.
Widespread lightning over the Pacific Northwest on Tuesday ignited many wildland fires.
An update from the Umpqua National Forest said firefighters are detecting, assessing, and attacking these fires as they develop. Fires on the Diamond Lake District of the UNF are now grouped as the Diamond Complex.
Command Incident Management Team Northwest 7, led by Commander Nate LeFevre, assumed command of the Diamond Complex at 6:00 a.m. Saturday. Currently there are nine fires totaling an estimated 1755 acres in the Diamond Complex, under a strategy of full suppression. This means firefighters are directly attacking the fire’s edge where access and firefighter safety allow, and implementing indirect strategies using constructed control lines, and utilizing national barriers where access issues and safety concern s prevent direct attack.
The fires currently comprising the Diamond Complex are:
*Pine Bench – 773 acres, north of Highway 138 near Dry Creek
*Trail – 701 acres, east of Highway 138 on the west slope of Mt. Thielsen
*Lemolo – 173 acres, north of Lemolo Lake on Bunker Hill
*Pig Iron – 2 acres, on Pig Iron Mountain, north of Highway 138
*Watson – 37 acres, north of Highway 138 on Watson Ridge
*Brodie – 40 acres, about 5 miles south of Highway 138 and south of Devils Canyon
*Trep – 21 acres, about 4 miles south of Highway 138
*Garwood – 2 acres about 3 miles southwest of Mt. Bailey
*Slide – 0.1 acres, northeast of the Pine Bench
*Clearwater – 0.1 acres
There are also several emerging fires that have been observed
The update said active suppression continues Saturday with the Lemolo, Trail, Pig Iron and Pine Bench Fires as priorities. As the fires progress, the team will reprioritize suppression actions. Active fire behavior is expected with incoming weather. Firefighters will remain vigilant to the possibility of more lightning.