W-5 Cold Springs Fire burns 80,483acres, 54 percent contained
UPDATE 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 31: The W-5 Cold Springs Fire has now burned for 14 days and is currently 80,483 acres with 54 percent containment Monday, according to InciWeb. Crews are reinforcing and maintaining existing containment lines.
The fire continues to burn actively in Tuledad Valley, particularly in response to wind. In the Buck Mountain Area fire behavior is mostly flanking and backing with occasional uphill runs in drainages and draws. Resources continue to make steady progress in fire containment and the threat of fire spread beyond containment lines has diminished.
West Valley Reservoir has reopened and is no longer being used for fire operations.
Dozers and hand crews are being utilized to make progress on the west side of the fire near Hat Mountain. Helicopters continue to cool hot spots in the southwest and northwest portions of the fire aiding firefighters on the ground and are gaining containment in those areas.
“While the full-suppression effort continues to protect life and property, much of the fire area is experiencing low- to moderate-intensity burning that may be beneficial to the habitat and the critters that depend on it. All burned areas on the forest will be analyzed for stabilization and rehabilitation efforts made to maximize beneficial effects and minimize additional negative disturbances. Fire removes low-growing underbrush, cleans the forest floor of debris, opens it up to sunlight, and nourishes the soil. Reducing this competition for nutrients allows established trees to grow stronger and healthier. History teaches us that hundreds of years ago forests had fewer, yet larger, healthier trees,” read InciWeb.
UPDATE 8:55 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29: The W-5 Cold Springs Fire has now burned for 12 days and is currently 74,819 acres with 53 percent containment, according to InciWeb.
UPDATE 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 29: The W-5 Cold Springs Fire has now burned for 12 days and is currently 72,196 acres with 45 percent containment, according to InciWeb.
The fire continues to grow to the North and Northeast. Several sheep and cattle grazing allotments, recreation and hunting areas, prehistoric cultural resources and private historic homestead ranch structures and cabins remained threatened. Modoc National Forest timber, recreation, and wilderness values are also at risk. The East Creek Bridge is also threatened. As fire moves into areas of residences, electrical infrastructure could be threatened.
Tactical firing operations on the south and southwest portions of the fire increased containment which allowed crews to engage at the fires edge.
While the full-suppression effort continues to protect life and property, much of the fire area is experiencing low- to moderate-intensity burning that may be beneficial to the habitat and the critters that depend on it. All burned areas on the Forest will be analyzed for stabilization and rehabilitation efforts made to maximize beneficial effects and minimize additional negative disturbances.
____
UPDATE 8:20 a.m. Friday, Aug. 28: According to InciWeb, The W-5 Cold Springs Fire has now burned for 11 days and is currently 70,795 acres with 41 percent containment. 
Fire is now well established in areas with difficult access that has not burned for decades containing dense juniper and mahogany woodlands. The W-5 Cold Springs Fire has a maximum elevation of 8,737 feet (Hat Mountain), a minimum elevation of 4,570 feet (County Rd. 1 adjacent to lower lake) for an average elevation of 5,824 feet and a perimeter of 113 miles. Crews continue to work to hold the fire to road systems.
The fire continues to move to the North and Northeast. several sheep and cow grazing allotments, recreation and hunting areas, prehistoric cultural resources and private historic homestead ranch structures and cabins remained threatened. Modoc National Forest timber, recreation, and wilderness values are also at risk. The East Creek Bridge is also threatened. As fire moves into areas of residences, electrical infrastructure could be threatened.
—
UPDATED 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26: According to Inciweb, “The W-5 Cold Springs Fire is currently 69,200 acres with 36 percent containment.”
—
The W-5 Cold Springs Fire is currently 65,000 acres with 15 percent containment Wednesday, Aug. 26.
According to InciWeb, fire is burning in sage brush, grass and juniper/mountain mahogany woodlands and is being managed for full suppression, 100 percent containment and 100 percent control. Fire is now well established in areas with difficult access that has not burned for decades containing dense juniper and mahogany woodlands. Crews continue to work to hold the fire to road systems.
The fire continues to move to the North and Northeast. several sheep and cow grazing allotments, recreation and hunting areas, prehistoric cultural resources and private historic homestead ranch structures and cabins remained threatened. Modoc National Forest timber, recreation, and wilderness values are also at risk. The East Creek Bridge is also threatened. As fire moves into areas of residences, electrical infrastructure could be threatened.
The W-5 Cold Springs Fire started on August 18 due to lightning and is burning about 11 miles east of California community of Madeline in Lassen County along Clarks Valley Road. The fire is now on two jurisdictions , the Modoc National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management’s Northern California District, two states, California and Nevada, and three counties, Lassen and Modoc counties in California and Washoe County in Nevada. Habitat for greater sage-grouse has been burned.
44,100 acres Greater Sage-Grouse Priority Habitat Management Area (PHMA) is within the fire perimeter. The South Warner Wilderness is closed. There are road closures in the Modoc National Forest, Bureau of Land Management Lands and county roads around the fire.
County Road 1 is closed south of Eagleville at Road 42 to the Nevada border. County Road 447 is closed from south of Duck Lake loop to the Nevada border.
Residences in the path of the fire have been evacuated. 20 private ranches with structures within 1 mile of fire. The fire has a high potential for continued spread to the north and northeast. With the continued spread, ranches, residences and other buildings will be threatened.
The Modoc Sheriff Department will be hosting a Community Information Meeting in regards to the W-5 Cold Springs Fire on Thursday, Aug. 27 at 5:30 pm at the Cedarville Park.
The incident command post has been established at the fairgrounds in Cedarville, CA . Fire is being managed by Interagency Incident command Team 13, Mike Wakoski, Incident Commander.
