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The Oak Grove fire was reported at 2:48 p.m., Aug. 29 to Color Country Interagency Fire Center. It is currently burning near the Oak Grove Campground in Mountain Mahogany, chaparral, and oak brush. The Oak Grove Fire is being managed under a full suppression strategy using containment and confinement tactics to minimize fire spread and to prevent loss of

On Thursday, August 12, thunderstorm activity, including dry lightning, in Klamath and Lake Counties resulted in two new large fires that the agencies of the South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership (SCOFMP) are actively fighting. The Patton Meadow Fire was reported just before 3:30 p.m. and was caused by lightning. The fire is estimated to be 7,000 acres. The fire is burning approximately 10 miles west of Lakeview in Lake County on the Fremont-Winema National Forest Lakeview District and Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) protected state and private lands.For the Patton Meadow Fire, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Management has identified areas for Level 3 (Go Now), Level 2 (Get Set) and Level 1 (Be Ready) in the fire area.Lake County EvacuationsAll Evacuations have been lifted as of 10:32am on Monday, August 23rd, 2021The emergency closure area for the Bootleg Fire on the Fremont-Winema National Forest includes all of the Patton Meadow Fire area and is...

Incident Overview The Harris Mountain Fire started on July 23rd approximately 10 miles southeast of Cascade. The lightning caused fire grew quickly, burning over 3,000 acres within the first burn period. Northern Rockies Team 7, a Type II Incident Management Team, assumed command of the fire from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) at 6:00 AM on July 26th and managed the fire through August 14th.The fire is located in difficult and rugged terrain with fuels and topography driving fire activity. Location, along with limited resources creates challenges for immediate suppression. Multiple crews, engines, dozers, water tenders and air resources are assigned to the fire and providing point protection near structures.The Cascade County Sheriff's Office issued evacuation orders and notices for approximately 60 residences from July 25th to August 9th; currently all evacuation orders and notices are rescinded.  No evacuations have been issued for residents...

This will be the final update for the Goat Fire unless significant activity occurs. Heavy equipment, ground and felling crews worked hard in steep, rugged terrain over the last few weeks to create safe access to and from the fire, construct contingency lines, and aggressively seek and eliminate heat sources near the fire’s edge. Repair work from suppression activities will continue into the near future. Recent weather and natural barriers have assisted firefighters in accelerating these efforts and minimizing fire behavior. An infrared flight over the area on August 8th revealed no heat signatures and fire activity is minimal.  Small amounts of smoke may still be visible as interior islands of unburned vegetation continue to smolder.  The fire will be monitored just in case a low probability event occurs and it escapes control features. Area closures have been lifted, allowing the public back into the interior of the Flint Creek Mountains.  If you have further questions...

This will be the final update for the Goose Fire unless significant activity occurs. The Goose Fire is currently 7,522 acres and 90% contained as of August 9, 2021. The fire was ignited by lightning on July 1, 2021 32 miles SSE of Ennis, MT near Hoodoo Pass. Initial attack forces responded to suppress the fire, initially located in a 250-acre rock slide area, inaccessible to crews. On July 9, the fire moved eastward into the Lost Spring drainage south of Cliff Lake and north of Hidden Lake and up onto the Hidden Lake Plateau. Several air tankers dropped retardant to slow further progression. Joe Sampson’s Type 2 Northern Rockies Wildland Fire Management Team 5 assumed command of the fire at 6 am MDT on July 10, extending containment lines around the north, south, and east flanks. The fire is currently being managed by a local Type 4 Incident Management

This will be the final update for the Gatlin Gulch Fire unless significant activity occurs. Fire crews and heavy equipment, along with assistance from aviation resources, worked to create and improve safe access to and from the fire, construct fireline, and aggressively eliminate heat sources near the fire’s edge. Repair work from suppression activities will continue into the near future, and crews will continue to patrol the fire. At this time, fire activity is minimal with no visible smoke in the fire area. Small amounts of smoke may become visible with an increasing warming trend later this week, however crews will continue to monitor the fire. Road and trail closures have been lifted, allowing access to the public. If you have further questions related to the Gatlin Gulch Fire, please contact the Butte Ranger District at 406-494-2147.

While the dry beans and corn in Lincoln County looked pretty good, the sugar beets, alfalfa and hay were in need of rain. KNOP (North Platte, Neb.), Aug 25, 2021

Honey production on a Prescott, Wisconsin farm was 50 pounds per hive, down from the average of 85 pounds per hive, for about 59% of normal. Drought means fewer flowers producing nectar for bees to make honey. Some honey farms noted that bee populations were also down, due to less food for the bees. CBS Minnesota (Minneapolis), Aug 22, 2021

Many livestock producers in northern Minnesota were reluctantly opting to sell animals, due to dry pastures, meager hay crops and the climbing costs of other feeds. Auctions were busier than usual, moving the cattle while prices remained good. Pastures yielded only a small amount of the usual forage this year, and the hay crop was about one-third of normal, so hay for sale is hard to find. Transportation costs can also make the hay very expensive. The Timberjay (Tower, Minn.), Aug 25, 2021

Nampa plans to shut off its irrigation on Sept. 7 on the same day that Pioneer Irrigation District will end operations. The Nampa and Meridian Irrigation District and the Boise-Kuna Irrigation District are scheduled to end their irrigation seasons Sept. 15. The end to the irrigation season is due to the lack of snow last winter, severe drought this summer and below normal reservoirs. Residents have been asked to conserve irrigation water to give farmers more time to irrigate. Residents are not to use potable water for irrigation because the city does not have enough potable water for drinking and irrigation. Idaho Statesman (Nampa), Aug 13, 2021

The Lewis & Clark Regional Water System in Tea has produced record amounts of water for the systems it serves, which include 15 members in South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa and the city of Sioux Falls. The system produced 32 million gallons one day and averaged roughly 28 million gallons daily in June. KELOLAND-TV CBS 11 (Sioux Falls, S.D.), Aug 19, 2021

The Tehama Board of Supervisors was aware that wells were running dry in the county. Red Bluff Daily News (Calif.), Aug 13, 2021

St. Paul residents may only water outdoors on an even-odd schedule as St. Paul Regional Water Services enacted outdoor watering restrictions as drought worsened. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources moved the regional water provider to a restrictive drought phase on Aug. 17 as the flow of the Mississippi River near Anoka fell to 1,500 cubic feet per second or less for five consecutive days. Minneapolis Star Tribune (Minn.), Aug 17, 2021

At Lake Minnetonka, people were removing their boats early, but cannot get them off of the lift. Many rivers and streams in northern and western Minnesota were increasingly parched amid drought, reaching “low flow,” which is less than 10% of normal flow. WCCO CBS Minnesota (Minneapolis), Aug 19, 2021

Mack Mountain Fire started August 5, 2021 and is burning 20 miles north of Kettle Falls, WA on the Colville National Forest.  Northwest Incident Management Team 7 assumed command August 21, 2021 at 7:00 am.  The lightning caused fire are burning in steep, rugged terrain with limited access.  Area and road closures are in place.  Boulder Creek Hwy and State Route 395 remain open.  The incident command post is located at the community college of Spokane in Colville, WA.

The Bulldog Mountain & Mack Mountain Fires started August 5, 2021 and are burning 20 miles north of Kettle Falls, WA on the Colville National Forest.  Northwest Incident Management Team 7 assumed command August 21, 2021 at 7:00 am.  The lightning caused fires are burning in steep, rugged terrain with limited access.  Area and road closures are in place.  Boulder Creek Hwy and State Route 395 remain open.  The incident command post is located at the community college of Spokane in Colville, WA.

Harrisonburg residents were urged to conserve water, but mandatory restrictions were not yet needed. WHSV-TV (Harrisonburg, Va.) Aug 13, 2021