Today’s fire update.                        🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨Updates from the Hammonds Rocks Fire and the Thompson Hollow Fire in the Michaux Forest District as of Saturday morning, April 26, 2025.    *   The acreage for Hammonds Rocks fire is currently at 471 acres; The acreage for the Thompson Hollow Fire is currently at 2323 acres  *   Some of the increase in acreage can be attributed to yesterday’s burn out operations (Burn out operations occur when fire personnel burn the fuel that is between the control line that they are working on and the edge/perimeter of the fire.  Burning off this fuel is a way of strengthening the lines — with less burnable fuel near the fire lines … that reduces the chance or opportunity for the fire to “jump” the line when the weather becomes windy and drier)  *   Both fires did receive precipitation yesterday afternoon, overnight and this morning but the precipitation amounts were very variable  *   The precipitation was enough to moderate fire behavior but it was not significant enough to “put the fire out”  *   Personnel worked a night shift and will be working throughout the day — taking advantage of the moderating weather conditions and precipitation  *   Highest safety concern is snags!  There is a lot of standing dead trees (snags) along the roads, trails, and in the fire areas.  Higher and shifting winds are expected for this (Saturday) afternoon; which will potentially increase this hazard.  Additionally, the roots of snags in the fire area could have been burned making those trees even more prone to falling.  Some of the snags are also burning and are hollow — they act as “chimney’s” and throw sparks over long distances.  This “spotting” behavior was observed by fire personnel overnight and early this morning.  *   Today’s activities will be to mitigate the snags and strengthen the fire lines

4 replies on “Today’s fire update.                        🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨Updates from the Hammonds Rocks Fire and the Thompson Hollow Fire in the Michaux Forest District as of Saturday morning, April 26, 2025.    *   The acreage for Hammonds Rocks fire is currently at 471 acres; The acreage for the Thompson Hollow Fire is currently at 2323 acres  *   Some of the increase in acreage can be attributed to yesterday’s burn out operations (Burn out operations occur when fire personnel burn the fuel that is between the control line that they are working on and the edge/perimeter of the fire.  Burning off this fuel is a way of strengthening the lines — with less burnable fuel near the fire lines … that reduces the chance or opportunity for the fire to “jump” the line when the weather becomes windy and drier)  *   Both fires did receive precipitation yesterday afternoon, overnight and this morning but the precipitation amounts were very variable  *   The precipitation was enough to moderate fire behavior but it was not significant enough to “put the fire out”  *   Personnel worked a night shift and will be working throughout the day — taking advantage of the moderating weather conditions and precipitation  *   Highest safety concern is snags!  There is a lot of standing dead trees (snags) along the roads, trails, and in the fire areas.  Higher and shifting winds are expected for this (Saturday) afternoon; which will potentially increase this hazard.  Additionally, the roots of snags in the fire area could have been burned making those trees even more prone to falling.  Some of the snags are also burning and are hollow — they act as “chimney’s” and throw sparks over long distances.  This “spotting” behavior was observed by fire personnel overnight and early this morning.  *   Today’s activities will be to mitigate the snags and strengthen the fire lines”