Updated: 5:56 p.m. Aug. 13

First discovered: More than a month ago, 1:35 p.m. July 7

Initial location: Lassen County, Calif.

Fire type: Wildfire, Type 3

Fire name: 3-1 PIT

3-1 PIT Fire initially started at 1:35 p.m. July 7 in Lassen County, 4 miles Se from Little Valley.

It has burned 1,055 acres of federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management after being active for more than a month. 98% of the fire was brought under containment by one firefighter as of Thursday evening. The cause remains undetermined. So far, the expenses for combating this fire is $7,500,000.

The primary fuel for the wildfire consists of timber, including grass and understory vegetation.

NIFC Fire Complexity Analysis

This wildfire is considered to be a Type 3 incident. What it means:

• Resources are usually local and some or all of the command and general staff positions may be activated, usually at the division/group supervisor and/or unit leader level. Units may have a predetermined Type 3 organization designated.

• Type 3 organizations manage initial attack fires with a significant number of resources, an extended attack fire until containment/control is achieved or an escaped fire until a Type 1 or 2 team assumes command.

• Initial briefing and closeout are more formal.

• Resources vary from several resources to several task forces/strike teams.

• The incident may be divided into divisions.

• The incident may involve multiple operational periods prior to control, which may require a written Incident Action Plan (IAP).

• A documented operational briefing will be completed for all incoming resources and before each operational period. Refer to Incident Response Pocket Guide for outline.

• Staging areas and a base may be used.

• By completing an Incident Complexity Analysis, a fire manager can assess the hazards and complexities of an incident and determine the specific positions needed (e. G, if sensitive public/media relationships are evident, then an information officer should be ordered as part of the team).

• When using a Type 3 organization or incident command organization, a manager must avoid using them beyond the Type 3 complexity level.

• A Type 3 IC will not serve concurrently as a single

Fire containment

What does it mean for a fire to be 98% contained?

Containment indicates what percentage of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 98% of the wildfire is halted from spreading, while 2% is still uncontrolled.

Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire. It is normally expressed as a percentage and it refers to how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded/enclosed by a control line that firefighters create. The containment percentage indicates a certain level of control, but it doesn’t always correlate to safety level. Also, it’s important to note that containment doesn’t mean a fire is out.

How is containment measured?

The incident’s central command constantly receives progress reports from firefighters on the ground. As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage. The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.

Source: National Interagency Fire Center