Coleville, CA…The Slink Fire was reported on August 29th at 6 p.m. in the Slinkard Valley southwest of Topaz Lake. It is burning in pinyon juniper, sage and grass and was a result of recent lightning in the area. September 1st, 2020– The Slink Fire behavior moderated today and hard work by firefighters has increased the containment to 10%. All evacuations in the towns of Walker and Coleville have been lifted and Highway 395 is now open to traffic.
The fire is now 11,000 acres. Air operations have been a challenge for the Slink Fire due to dense smoke creating poor visibility in the last few days. Today, however, clearer air gave aircraft the opportunity to engage in firefighting efforts for the entire operational shift. Several retardant drops were made by heavy airtankers, single engine airtankers and very large airtankers, also known as VLATS. A VLAT is a converted passenger jetliner that can carry up to 12,000 gallons of fire retardant. The combination of fixed wing retardant drops and helicopter water drops greatly supported firefighters on the eastern and southern portions of the fire.
Because of the proximity to the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, the Marine Corps personnel have offered assistance to the fire. They are being utilized in several ways to support the fire camp and logistical needs.
“The cooperation between the Marine Corps and the Incident Management team has been outstanding. They have been a valuable asset and we greatly appreciate their help. When we have needed anything, we didn’t even have to ask, they were already doing it,” said Scott Fraser, Sierra Front Team 2 Incident Commander.
A type 2 Incident Management Team has been ordered and will be taking over the fire in the next few days.
Incident Information
Basic Information
| Current as of | 9/1/2020, 8:14:29 PM |
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
| Cause | Lightning |
| Date of Origin | Saturday August 29th, 2020 approx. 06:00 PM |
| Location | Slinkard Valley 2 miles west of Coleville, California |
| Incident Commander | Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest |
| Incident Description | The Slink Fire Was Reported On August 29th At 6 P.m. In The Slinkard Valley Southwest Of Topaz Lake. |
| Coordinates | 38.568 latitude, -119.568 longitude |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 466 |
| Size | 11,000 Acres |
| Percent of Perimeter Contained | 10% |
| Estimated Containment Date | Sunday September 20th, 2020 approx. 12:00 AM |
| Fuels Involved | Mixed Conifer, Pinyon Juniper, sage and grass |
| Significant Events | Extreme fire behavior, spotting, group torching and wind driven runs were observed on portions of the fire today while fire behavior moderated on other sections of the fire. Crews were able to make good progress on the ground and with clearer air fixed wing aircraft were able to support ground forces with retardant. Helicopters were also able to fly all day and support with water drops. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Anchor and flank the incident to stop forward progress. Continue air support as available. |
| Projected Incident Activity | Fire will continue to burn on HTF land, in Carson Iceburg Wilderness, BLM and private lands |
Current Weather
| Weather Concerns | A significant heatwave projected starting Thursday lasting through Labor Day weekend. A dry unstable airmass could lead to plume dominated fire behavior this weekend. |
Source = USFS & Inciweb
Slink Fire Grows to 11,000 Acres, Evacuations Lifted, Hwy 395 Reopens & Smoke Output Drops added by admin on
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