Heavy equipment and hard work have allowed crews to gain ground on the Margarita wildfire on the fifth day since the beginning of the fire.
The wildfire is being held at about 70 acres and is considered 30% contained, according to a news release from the incident management team running the fire. More than 100 firefighters are now engaged with the fire, alongside engines and a pair of helicopters providing support, according to the news release.
Michael S. Lockett / The Daily World Dale Heidal, equipment group supervisor, walks down a logging road as he manages the heavy equipment for the Margarita wildfire.
“The objective today is to continue mopping up and improving fire lines. Specifically, the focus is on mopping up at the northeast corner of the fire and cooling or removing tree stumps at the northwest corner,” said the news release. “Crews on the east side of the fire will continue to improve dozer line to make it more secure. Up to four engines and a water tender will continue cooling hot spots along the south side of the fire.”
Heavy equipment is used to clear fire lines to slow the Margarita wildire to slow the spread of the blaze. (Michael S. Lockett / The Daily World)
Much of the work now is establishing the fire lines, areas where the fire is denied a path forward through hard work and heavy machinery.
“A fire line is a removal of fuel,” said Rachel Lipsky, public information officer for the incident management team.
Michael S. Lockett / The Daily World Dale Heidal, equipment group supervisor, walks down a logging road as he manages the heavy equipment for the Margarita wildfire.
Operations are currently directed at cooling the fire with engines and water drops and expanding the fire lines, according to the news release. Unseasonably dry conditions have seen fires spark across the county, though the Margarita fire is the largest, according to the county’s emergency management division.
“A lot of what they’re doing is cooling hotspots on the edge of the fire,” Lipsky said. “Water’s really just cooling and slowing the spread.”
By denying the fire any more fuel from the timber slash where it began or the forest around it, crews can stymie the spread to the broader forests in the region, strangling the fire before it expands.
Heavy equipment is used to clear fire lines to slow the Margarita wildire to slow the spread of the blaze. (Michael S. Lockett / The Daily World)
“Because it’s heavy dense timber it’s smoky,” Lipsky said. “It’s not huge, it’s not growing quickly.”
Fuels are rated by the length of time they burn, Lipsky said.
“The fuels are given hours. One hour fuels are like, grasses. It gets real big real fast and burns itself out,” Lipsky said. “Big standing green trees are thousand hours fuels. Slash is somewhere in the 10 hours fuels.”
Courtesy photo / Frank Kowoosh The Margarita wildfire is now about five days old.
The Quinault Village/Moclips Estates is still under a level 2 evacuation order, according to the news release.
“They should have bags packed, be ready to go,” Lipsky said. “A lot of that is because they only have one solid way in and out.”
Area residents should avoid setting more fires through negligence or malice, according to the news release. Drivers in the area should drive carefully and strive to avoid striking firefighters attempting to prevent the spread of wildfire with their vehicles, Lipsky said.
Contact Senior Reporter Michael S. Lockett at 757-621-1197 or mlockett@thedailyworld.com.
Courtesy photo / Frank Kowoosh A tanker drops water on the Margarita wildfire.
Crews battle the flames of the Margarita wildfire. (Courtesy photo / Frank Kowoosh)
Courtesy photo / Frank Kowoosh A helicopter does a drop on the Margarita wildfire.
Courtesy photo / Frank Kowoosh The Margarita wildfire has consumed about 70 total acres as of Aug. 7.
