Here is your early morning update on the Reading Fire burning in Lassen National Park
Current Situation: Firefighting efforts continue to be focused on protecting structures and controlling the growth of the fire. By taking advantage of recent cooler temperatures and higher humidity, firefighters have used this opportunity to engage in a more direct attack, therefore keeping the fire perimeter smaller. Using hard-hitting firefighting strategies, we have established stronger containment lines and are seeing improved progress.
The purpose of burning operations is to provide a larger margin of safety to the local communities. The contingency lines are completed and firing operations will continue to be conducted when and where burning conditions favor successful outcomes. These burning operations are conducted both day and night as conditions allow, and will result in smoke appearing some distance from the wildfire edge. All preparation work for structure protection has been completed and is in place. Engines are assigned today to structure protection and perimeter protection in order to respond quickly to any threat.
The fire will continue to spread northwest over West Prospect Peak and north over Badger Mountain down Hat Creek drainage. The eastern flank will continue spreading east towards Snag and Fantastic Lava Beds. The southeastern flanks and heel should continue burning north of Grassy Swale.
What can you do to help in the firefighting efforts Prepare your home, stay aware of the situation, and help your friends and neighbors where you can.
The Lassen National Forest and Lassen Volcanic National Park are working together and providing a coordinated response to the fire. Smoke will continue to pose health concerns for the public. Residents are encouraged to visit the “Protect Yourself from Smoke” website for smoke protection information at http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Wildfires/. Local air quality conditions and forecasts are available at http://airnow.gov/index.cfm action=airnow.main.
Closures – Lassen Volcanic National Park
Campgrounds:
- Butte Lake
- Crags
- Lost Creek
- Summit Lake North
- Summit Lake South
Roads:
The Lassen National Volcanic Park Highway is closed just past Manzanita Lake to Summit Lake. Park visitors can still access the Park at the north entrance to Manzanita Lake and the Loomis Museum and the south entrance in Mineral. Visitors have access to the Park Highway up as far as Summit Lake. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead for current information.
For additional information, please visit:
Lassen National Forest website: www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/lassen/alerts-notices
InciWeb: www.inciweb.org/incident/3112/
Lassen Volcanic National Park: www.nps.gov/lavo/index.htm or on Twitter@LassenNPS
- Location: 14 miles south of Old Station, CA.
- Command: Interagency Incident Management Team 3 (Pincha-Tulley)
- Start Date & Report Time: July 23, 2012 at 5:09 PM Cause: Lightning
- Acres: 23,958 NPS acres = 15,506 USFS acres = 6,662
- Percent Containment: 23%
- Estimated Containment: August 21, 2012
- Resources: Hand Crews: 32 Engines: 54 Helicopters: 3
- Injuries: 0 Structures Damaged: 0 Estimated Cost-to-Date: $7,499,836
- Total personnel assigned to the incident: 1,191
Reading Fire Map
