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Lava Fire Transitions to Type 3 Incident Management Team
OLA, Idaho, September 7, 2024 – Wyoming Team 6, a Type 3 Incident Management Team, took command of the Lava Fire at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 7. The lightning-caused fire was first reported on September 2 at 11:20 p.m. and is currently 1,611 acres in size, burning in heavy timber, brush and grass approximately 9 miles north of Ola, Idaho, in the Chief Eagle Eye Creek Drainage.
Firefighting resources include multiple fire engines, air resources and three hand crews, with 191 personnel currently assigned to the incident. Additional resources have also been ordered.
Yesterday, the fire moved predominately south due to windy conditions. Crews worked to contain the northeast flank of the fire and retardant lines near Third Fork Ridge are holding. Retardant from air resources and helicopter bucket drops have helped slow fire growth. One common way fire retardant works is by reducing the receptiveness of fuels in the surrounding area to slow the rate of combustion and limit the spread of flames. Due to windy conditions, short range spotting is occurring outside the fire perimeter and crews are working to suppress those spots. Today, there will be continued use of air resources to support firefighting efforts. The Forest Service uses all available strategies and tools to suppress wildfires, and public and firefighter safety are the top priorities for fire managers.
Hot and dry conditions are expected to continue today. Expect to see increased fire activity during the afternoon.
The Boise National Forest has implemented the Lava Fire Area, Road, and Trail Closure 0402-06-62 (map) for public and firefighter safety. Visit the Boise National Forest Alerts and Notices webpage for further details.
An InciWeb page has been established for the Lava Fire. Visit https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incidentinformation/idbof-lava-fire for more information.
For other news, events and information about the Boise National Forest, visit the Forest website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/boise and follow the Boise on Facebook @BoiseNationalForest.
| Current as of | Sat, 09/07/2024 - 23:48 |
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| Incident Time Zone | America/Boise |
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
| Cause | Lightning/Natural |
| Date of Origin | |
| Location | 12 miles SW of Cascade, ID |
| Incident Commander | Josh Erickson, ICT3 |
| Coordinates |
44° 23' 11'' Latitude
-116° 15' 16
'' Longitude
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| Total Personnel: | 191 |
|---|---|
| Size | 1,611 Acres |
| Percent of Perimeter Contained | 0% |
| Estimated Containment Date | 10/01/2024 |
| Fuels Involved | Timber (Litter and Understory) Timber (Grass and Understory) Brush (2 feet) Two primary fuel models are grass and timber litter. Surface fire in timber is able to transition to crown for single and group tree torching. Brush is beginning to turn color and drop leaves. |
| Significant Events | Active Short-range Spotting Uphill Runs Flanking Single and group tree torching are advancing fire spread further into the timber on the north east and south flanks. Slope alignment on the south flank is permitting both uphill and downhill runs to the south. Fire is flanking on the northeast and east sides. |
| Planned Actions |
Aircraft will be used to suppress the short range spotting to the northeast in Third Fork Creek and Mesa Creek, east in Mesa Creek, and southeast into any of Lava Gulch, Kimball Creek, and Muir Creek. Ground resources will continue securing the 653 road/Third Fork Creek. Ground resources will also look for locations to engage the fire directly or indirectly on the south flank. The northeast flank has a solid anchor point, but resources will be attempting to corral spotting activity from 9/6 while continuing line east to the 653 road. |
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| Projected Incident Activity |
12 hours: Fire will continue to try to spread northeast in the Third Fork Chief Eagle Eye Creek and in Mesa Creek. The fire is currently most active in heavy timber, which is the dominant fuel type. However, there are large patches of grass north of the fire that will facilitate fast fire spread if fire in timber can spot over cold black or retardant into the dry grass. The fire has a dense and unbroken timber canopy to the east that will support fire spread down into Third Fork Creek and across up the opposite slope to the ridge between Third Fork Creek and Woody Creek. On the south flank, the fire is anticipated to continue spreading south and east now that it has crossed the Third Fork Creek on the south flank of the fire. The fire may continue backing and flanking into any of Lava Gulch, Kimball Creek, and Muir Creek. Heavy fuels with many standing snags make working in certain stands dangerous due to falling trees and higher fire intensity. Spotting has been and will continue to affect spread direction and rate on multiple flanks of the fire. The most likely vector of movement and spread remains the same as the 12-hour timeframe, to the northeast, east, and southeast. 24 hours: Fire is likely to continue to spread to the south and southeast, transitioning to patchier timber and more grass. This portion of the fire is grass and until now has been successfully stopped by aviation. However, the further south the fire spreads, the more chance it will have to back west toward values. Out flow winds from forecast dry thunderstorms may cause extreme fire behavior and growth in directions where fire has not been actively spreading. The fire may continue backing and flanking into any of Lava Gulch, Kimball Creek, and Muir Creek. If fire continues spread to the northeast, it will be aligned to burn north up the Third Fork drainage through dense timber toward the boundary with the Payette NF about 5 miles north. If fire is able to spread to the ridgetop east of Third Fork Creek, it may slope reverse into Woody Creek or into Rammage Meadows. 48 hours: Fire is likely to continue to spread to the south and southeast, transitioning to patchier timber and more grass. This portion of the fire is grass and until now has been successfully stopped by aviation. However, the further south the fire spreads, the more chance it will have to back west toward values. Out flow winds from forecast dry thunderstorms may cause extreme fire behavior and growth in directions where fire has not been actively spreading. 72 hours: Fire spread is likely in the same patterns described above in the 48-hour period. Anticipated after 72 hours: Forecast thunderstorms and showers beginning Tuesday night may provide some relief to fire activity or may increase fire behavior and spread the fire faster or in directions it has not been actively pushing. |
| Weather Concerns | Continued dry pattern. Dry thunderstorms are predicted for the remainder of today and Sunday. In addition to lightning causing new starts in the vicinity of the fire, out flow winds from nearby storm cells may have undesirable and extreme effects on fire spread. Out flow winds will also jeopardize firefighter safety in areas of high snag density. No wetting rains received in weeks. Persistent warm and dry period is accelerating seasonal decrease in live fuel moisture. The fire is located in an area with active nocturnal thermal belts, facilitating fire spread late into the night or early morning. Inversion seems to help moderate activity in the morning, but absent the inversion, weather conditions are conducive to active fire behavior and spread. Beginning Tuesday night, cooler temperatures with showers and thunderstorms are forecast. |
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