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Current Situation: Continued helicopter water drops on the southeast portion, cooled the fire in the location of the planned handline to be completed through wilderness. These cooling efforts slowed fire growth and enable firefighters to safely work in the area. Crews camped on the west side of Waldo Lake, near trail #3590 just outside of the eastern boundary of Waldo Lake Wilderness and are working to establish direct fireline as close to the fire’s edge as possible to stop spread to the south. Along Black Creek Road crews and heavy equipment removed fire weakened trees that have fallen or have the potential to fall, to provide for firefighter firefighter safety and continued access.  Four miles south of the fire, hand crews are improving the trail moving west from Fuji Mountain Trailhead toward Eagle Creek Road. Hand crews on the Slapjack Fire completed the fireline and hose lay and the fire has been holding within the established fireline

Today’s Activities: Helicopters will continue bucket drops for fire suppression and logistical support, assisting firefighters where needed.  Hand crews on the east side of the fire will continue establishing a fireline close to the fire’s edge, moving southwest toward Edith Creek. Minimal impact suppression tactics will be used within the wilderness. Heavy equipment crews will build direct fireline from Black Creek Road moving east toward the western edge of the wilderness boundary. The goal of these actions is to tie together this east-west fireline as close to the fire’s edge as possible. Additional timber fellers and heavy equipment will assist crews with removing hazard trees from Black Creek Road to establish safe ingress and egress. These same tactics will be used to open Forest Roads #2422 and the #2022 spur. A timber feller is a highly skilled sawyer that drops hazardous, unstable, trees that pose significant dangers to fire crews working in the area. Fireline construction along the #1928 road and further south to State Highway 58 will continue for several days. On the Slapjack fire, firefighters will begin extinguishing heat they find to further secure the fire perimeter.