Firefighters begin to mop up

Cache Mountain fire

Wednesday. 8:30 a.m. -- Fire crews were focusing on mop up operations on the Cache Mountain fire on Wednesday, July 31.

The fire is 85 percent contained at 4,200 acres.

Firefighters will douse smouldering areas "five chains" into the fire perimeter. A "chain" (the term is derived from an old-time logging measurement) is 66 feet, so the mop up will penetrate 330 feet inside the fire area.

The wind forecast was for lighter winds than fire crews coped with on Tuesday.

Helicopters will continue to attack problem areas or spot fires, particularly on the southern flank of the fire.

Fire officials cautioned firefighters at the Wedesday morning briefing to remain alert and "on top of their game," because the potential for fuels torching and the fire spotting still exists.

An air support officer sharply criticized some ground crew members for unauthorized use of a restricted air communications channel for "chatter."

Safety was heavily emphasized at the briefing, which began with a moment of silence in honor of three firefighters killed in a truck roll-over on a fire in California and a helicopter pilot killed yesterday in a fire-related crash, also in California.

So far there have been no serious accidents or injuries on the Cache Mountain fire, a record incident commanders want to keep.

Sisters District Ranger Bill Anthony cautioned against complacency.

"We've had some good days; we've won some battles," he said. "The war is not over."

Plans are being drawn up for rehabilitation of the fire area and demobilization of the 1,100 personnel working on the fire.

Black Butte Ranch residents will meet at noon on Wednesday to learn whether they will be allowed to return to the Ranch at 3 p.m.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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