Email from Roger, the Walker Fire Chief:

Walker Fire attended a second meeting at 1600 for the Cellar Fire. The purpose was to transition from the Type 3 Incident Management Team (IMT) to a Type 1 IMT–this represents an escalation in response.

The first image (Link Below) is the same view point as last night and you can see far less activity today, more of a haze than that churning dark stuff yesterday.

https://walkerfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Cellar_1.png

Today was a good day in terms of operational effectiveness. They made good progress getting around the top corner of the fire from the NW flank to the E flank, remember it is the eastern flank that threatens us.

We need a few more good days for the work done today to hold, we are by no means out of danger, they simply had a good day. There is not much chance of rain for the next couple of days, then the chance goes up slightly every day until Tuesday where there is a very good chance of rain (great if it comes earlier), but keep in mind that is merely a weather forecast.

Part of what was effective today was a massive air attack dropping slurry (and maybe water) on the fire for what seemed like all day. Most of those resources are available again tomorrow which is also very positive. There has also been a lot of line construction and road fortification with several dozers.

This map (Link Below) was posted at the second meeting. It shows the current fire bumping into burn areas from many previous fires including the Goodwin and the Gladiator. This is helpful but these areas can still burn, the burning in these areas were it to occur should be less intense but hopefully it doesn’t come to that.

https://walkerfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Cellar_2.png

It needs to be stressed that a wildfire can do anything. There are expected fire behaviors but they are merely expectations not guarantees.

Roger Nusbaum
Fire Chief