The Okanogan Complex Fire was a wildfire affecting Okanogan County in north-central Washington state. It was composed of five fires that were caused by lightning strikes on August 15, 2015, with two of the fires near Conconully merging days later on August 19.[2] At its peak, it burned over 304,782 acres (123,341 ha)[1] of land and forced the evacuations of numerous towns, including Conconully, Twisp and Winthrop. Over 1,250 firefighters were deployed to the Okanogan Complex.[3] Three United States Forest Service firefighters were killed in an accident near Twisp on August 19.[4]Traditional methods of containing such wildfires, such as creating bulldozer lines, were not readily available due to the irregular terrain and because an inversion layer trapped smoke in the valley, making it difficult to fly in water by helicopter.[5]
Okanogan Complex Fire
Smoke from the fire on August 25
Date(s)
August 15, 2015 (2015-08-15) – September 19, 2015 (2015-09-19)
On August 24, some media outlets reported that it had become the largest wildfire in Washington state history, surpassing the Carlton Complex fire of 2014.[6] The Okanogan Complex fire did not merge into a single fire, and so the Carlton Complex remains the state's largest single fire.[7]
By August 25 more help was arriving and no more structures had burned. However, nearly all the fires had continued "to grow with little containment gained" and higher winds were predicted by the end of the week that would feed the flames.[8] On August 25, 2015, there were 1,345 firefighters and 15 percent of the fire had been contained.[9]
By September 19, the fire was 95% contained and management was turned over to local firefighters.[10]
The Twisp River Fire was one of the five fires that comprised the Okanogan Complex Fire.[11] It was reported on August 19 at 12:23 Pacific Daylight Time. The fire started when tree branches struck a nearby powerline. By 06:00 hours on August 20, it was reported to be 7,231 acres and had reached the outskirts of Twisp, Washington. The fire's final reported acreage on August 26 was 11,922 acres.[12][13]
Fatalities and entrapmentedit
After units responded to the fire, winds suddenly changed and the fire more than doubled in size in approximately 15 minutes. Three Forest Service (FS) fatalities and one critical injury occurred on Engine 642. Two Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) employees and a contract dozer operator were also entrapped in the fire but survived with minor injuries; all three sought refuge in a garage and then later deployed their fire shelters. Several other engines encountered severe fire conditions.[13]
On May 30, 2018, a lawsuit was filed against Okanogan County Electric Cooperative by Daniel Lyon, the lone survivor of Engine 642, who was severely burned in the fire.[14]
^ ab"Okanogan Complex Update - August 30". InciWeb (Press release). National Wildfire Coordinating Group. August 30, 2015. from the original on September 1, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
^Geranios, Nicholas K.; Skoloff, Brian (August 24, 2015). . KOMO-TV. Associated Press. Archived from the original on August 24, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
^Bush, Evan (August 24, 2015). "Okanogan Complex wildfire now biggest in state history". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
^Fieldstadt, Elisha (August 24, 2015). "Okanogan Complex: Washington Wildfire Is Now Largest in State History". NBC News. Associated Press. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
^Riggs, Dee (August 26, 2015). "Carlton Complex is still the largest, single fire in state history". The Wenatchee World. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
^Michelle McNiel (August 25, 2015). "Fires continue to grow, but not as fast". Wenatchee, Washington: The Wenatchee World. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
^Natalie Swaby (August 25, 2015). "Heat, winds a concern as firefight continues". KING 5 News and Associated Press. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
^"Corrected Okanogan Complex Update 9-19-2015". InciWeb. National Wildfire Coordinating Group. September 19, 2015. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
^"Okanogan complex largest fire in Washington history". Wildfire Today. August 25, 2015. The complex is now made up of what were five fires — the Twisp River fire, the Lime Belt fire, the Beaver Lake fire, the Blue Lake fire and the Tunk Block fire. The Lime Belt, Beaver Lake and Blue Lake fires have merged, according to the latest perimeter information from the U.S. Forest Service.
^"Twisp river fire fatalities and entrapments: learning review narrative". FRAMES Resource Catalog.
^ abUnited States Department of Agriculture. 2016. Twisp river fire fatalities and entrapments: learning review narrative. 44 p. This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Department of Agriculture.
^Marcy Stamper (July 20, 2018). "Injured firefighter in Twisp fire sues electric cooperative". HeraldNet.com. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
External linksedit
Wildfire Stories: Framing a Complicated Relationship, an Arcadia article about wildfires, amongst them the Okanogan Complex, on the Environment and Society Portal
April 12, 2024
okanogan, complex, fire, wildfire, affecting, okanogan, county, north, central, washington, state, composed, five, fires, that, were, caused, lightning, strikes, august, 2015, with, fires, near, conconully, merging, days, later, august, peak, burned, over, acr. The Okanogan Complex Fire was a wildfire affecting Okanogan County in north central Washington state It was composed of five fires that were caused by lightning strikes on August 15 2015 with two of the fires near Conconully merging days later on August 19 2 At its peak it burned over 304 782 acres 123 341 ha 1 of land and forced the evacuations of numerous towns including Conconully Twisp and Winthrop Over 1 250 firefighters were deployed to the Okanogan Complex 3 Three United States Forest Service firefighters were killed in an accident near Twisp on August 19 4 Traditional methods of containing such wildfires such as creating bulldozer lines were not readily available due to the irregular terrain and because an inversion layer trapped smoke in the valley making it difficult to fly in water by helicopter 5 Okanogan Complex FireSmoke from the fire on August 25Date s August 15 2015 2015 08 15 September 19 2015 2015 09 19 LocationOkanogan County WashingtonCoordinates48 31 08 N 119 39 43 W 48 519 N 119 662 W 48 519 119 662StatisticsBurned area304 782 acres 123 341 ha as of August 30 1 ImpactsDeaths3Non fatal injuries7Structures destroyed120 destroyed homesDamage 44 5 millionIgnitionCauseLightningMapOn August 24 some media outlets reported that it had become the largest wildfire in Washington state history surpassing the Carlton Complex fire of 2014 6 The Okanogan Complex fire did not merge into a single fire and so the Carlton Complex remains the state s largest single fire 7 By August 25 more help was arriving and no more structures had burned However nearly all the fires had continued to grow with little containment gained and higher winds were predicted by the end of the week that would feed the flames 8 On August 25 2015 there were 1 345 firefighters and 15 percent of the fire had been contained 9 By September 19 the fire was 95 contained and management was turned over to local firefighters 10 Contents 1 Twisp River fire 1 1 Fatalities and entrapment 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksTwisp River fire editThe Twisp River Fire was one of the five fires that comprised the Okanogan Complex Fire 11 It was reported on August 19 at 12 23 Pacific Daylight Time The fire started when tree branches struck a nearby powerline By 06 00 hours on August 20 it was reported to be 7 231 acres and had reached the outskirts of Twisp Washington The fire s final reported acreage on August 26 was 11 922 acres 12 13 Fatalities and entrapment edit After units responded to the fire winds suddenly changed and the fire more than doubled in size in approximately 15 minutes Three Forest Service FS fatalities and one critical injury occurred on Engine 642 Two Washington Department of Natural Resources DNR employees and a contract dozer operator were also entrapped in the fire but survived with minor injuries all three sought refuge in a garage and then later deployed their fire shelters Several other engines encountered severe fire conditions 13 On May 30 2018 a lawsuit was filed against Okanogan County Electric Cooperative by Daniel Lyon the lone survivor of Engine 642 who was severely burned in the fire 14 See also edit2015 Washington state wildfiresReferences edit a b Okanogan Complex Update August 30 InciWeb Press release National Wildfire Coordinating Group August 30 2015 Archived from the original on September 1 2015 Retrieved August 31 2015 Camp Dee August 18 2015 Conconully ordered to evacuate The Omak Okanogan County Chronicle Retrieved August 24 2015 Geranios Nicholas K Skoloff Brian August 24 2015 Okanogan wildfire is now largest in state history KOMO TV Associated Press Archived from the original on August 24 2015 Retrieved August 24 2015 Camp Dee August 19 2015 Three firefighters killed in Twisp blaze The Omak Okanogan County Chronicle Retrieved August 24 2015 Bush Evan August 24 2015 Okanogan Complex wildfire now biggest in state history The Seattle Times Retrieved August 24 2015 Fieldstadt Elisha August 24 2015 Okanogan Complex Washington Wildfire Is Now Largest in State History NBC News Associated Press Retrieved August 24 2015 Riggs Dee August 26 2015 Carlton Complex is still the largest single fire in state history The Wenatchee World Retrieved August 26 2015 Michelle McNiel August 25 2015 Fires continue to grow but not as fast Wenatchee Washington The Wenatchee World Retrieved August 26 2015 Natalie Swaby August 25 2015 Heat winds a concern as firefight continues KING 5 News and Associated Press Retrieved August 26 2015 Corrected Okanogan Complex Update 9 19 2015 InciWeb National Wildfire Coordinating Group September 19 2015 Retrieved November 6 2015 Okanogan complex largest fire in Washington history Wildfire Today August 25 2015 The complex is now made up of what were five fires the Twisp River fire the Lime Belt fire the Beaver Lake fire the Blue Lake fire and the Tunk Block fire The Lime Belt Beaver Lake and Blue Lake fires have merged according to the latest perimeter information from the U S Forest Service Twisp river fire fatalities and entrapments learning review narrative FRAMES Resource Catalog a b United States Department of Agriculture 2016 Twisp river fire fatalities and entrapments learning review narrative 44 p nbsp This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Department of Agriculture Marcy Stamper July 20 2018 Injured firefighter in Twisp fire sues electric cooperative HeraldNet com Retrieved March 30 2019 External links editInciWeb profile Wildfire Stories Framing a Complicated Relationship an Arcadia article about wildfires amongst them the Okanogan Complex on the Environment and Society Portal Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Okanogan Complex Fire amp oldid 1168999956, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
