Incident Media Photographs

Stayman Fire - August 21, 2024

Stayman Fire August 21, 2024

Yesterday, after a very thorough review of the expected weather forecast, fire behavior, and safety risk, a helicopter inserted two firefighters using their short-haul capability onto the ridge between Boulder Creek and Rainbow Creek about 4,000 feet above Stehekin. This new strategy is not always available, but when conditions align it can be provide an opportunity to place firefighters in critical locations. The two firefighters successfully cut trees and removed brush to construct a landing zone for a Type 3 helicopter to transport additional firefighters to the area. This area is currently lined with fire retardant but needs water bucket drops to keep the fire from spreading. This landscape is what firefighters call “jackstrawed”: dead and down debris is piled atop other dead and down debris, making a thick and challenging landscape for firefighting. Boots on the ground are needed – retardant and water cannot find all the hot spots that may be under logs, inside logs, in the root systems or buried under debris.

Depending on safety considerations, expected weather conditions, and expected fire behavior, additional firefighters will be transported to the ridge via this newly constructed helispot to further secure the fireline.

Photos courtesy of Derek Sams, Division Supervisor.

A resource advisor assesses a constructed handline near Stehekin. Handline, in combination with strategically placed water and retardant drops, are among the suppression actions being taken to stop fire spread and protect the community.

On the Pioneer Fire, optimal conditions have continued to allow aerial resources to drop fire retardant in strategic locations along the ridgeline between Boulder and Rainbow drainages up towards Sawtooth Ridge. The use of fire retardant has slowed fire growth providing an opportunity for firefighters on the ground to work on constructing handline in the area. 

On the Pioneer Fire, optimal conditions have continued to allow aerial resources to drop fire retardant in strategic locations along the ridgeline between Boulder and Rainbow drainages up towards Sawtooth Ridge. The use of fire retardant has slowed fire growth providing an opportunity for firefighters on the ground to work on constructing handline in the area.

On the Pioneer Fire, optimal conditions have continued to allow aerial resources to drop fire retardant in strategic locations along the ridgeline between Boulder and Rainbow drainages up towards Sawtooth Ridge. The use of fire retardant has slowed fire growth providing an opportunity for firefighters on the ground to work on constructing handline in the area.