Single Publication

Location:  Approximately 3.5 miles east of the north tip of Hayden Lake, along the Hayden Creek Road (Forest Service Road 437) from the Ridge Creek drainage to South Chilco Mountain.

Start Date: 8/3/2023      Cause: Human-caused              Size: 4,474 acres      Containment: 49%

Total Personnel: 374    Heavy Equipment: 20               Engines: 14          Crews: 10

The "Ready" notification (level 1) evacuation status for the Bunco area was lifted yesterday. There are NO evacuation orders in Kootenai County. Please monitor official county sources for the most up-to-date information. https://www.kcsheriff.com/186/Emergency-Management

FIRE STATUS

The Ridge Creek Fire was reported on 8/3/23 at 2:30 PM in the Ridge Creek drainage, approximately three miles east of the northern tip of Hayden Lake. Investigators have determined that the fire was human-caused.

Yesterday, 1.5-1.8 inches of rain fell in and around the fire area. Estimates of total rainfall dropped within the fire perimeter are around 219.6 million gallons. Firefighters engaged in operations until weather conditions made it was unsafe to do so. They will continue to improve and mop up fire lines today as weather permits. Repairs to roads and other features damaged by fire suppression on all sides of the fire will continue as needed.

Fire personnel continue to strengthen indirect fire lines on the southeast portion of the fire along Roads 437 and 1507. Masticators and graders continue work on the 385 Road, and a chipping operation continues along Bunco Road on the fires northern end.

To the southwest, firefighters and heavy equipment continue to work on the 206 Road, as well as snagging trees and chipping on the 625 Road. Backhaul of equipment such as pumps and hoses and suppression repair are underway.

Structure protection continues in the Nunn Road, Bunco Road and Hayden Lake communities while crews begin to remove unused firefighting equipment. Initial attack firefighters are available to respond to any new starts in the surrounding area.

As fire behavior decreases and completion of tasks increases, firefighting personnel assigned to the Ridge Creek Fire will be released over the next several days and re-assigned to other incidents as needed.

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR

Live and dead vegetation will remain wet from recent rainfall, and the weather pattern is not expected to provide drying conditions in the near term. Fire behavior analyst Kelly Cagle stated, "Little to no fire behavior is expected today, although some smoke may be visible in heavy timbers within the fire perimeter." Overall temperatures have decreased over the last two days, and total rainfall was 1.8 inches. Temperatures are expected to be a high of 65 and a low of  60, and winds are forecast to be 7-11 mph with gusts up to 16 mph. Relative humidity is expected to be 58-63%.

Air quality information is available at www.airnow.gov and www.wildlandfiresmoke.net.

CLOSURES AND SPECIAL MESSAGES — CHANGED

Kootenai County has lifted all evacuation notices.

A daylight hours temporary flight restriction remains in place. Information is available at https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_3_3347.html

Closure Order #01-04-03-23-003 for the Idaho Panhandle National Forest remains in place for Forest Service land north of Forest Service Road (FSR) 206, west of FSR 209 and FSR 385, and south of FSR 332; and for Forest Service land surrounding and north of the Yellowbanks Creek area and west of FSR 1535.

The closure includes all Forest Service Roads within the area:

• FSR 332, 385, 392, 428A, 437, 1507, 1511, 1530, 1552 and 1587.
• FSR 206 north of the junction with FSR 406.
• FSR 406 north of the junction with FSR 206.
• Bunco Road/FSR 332 from the National Forest boundary east to the junction of FSR 385.
• FSR 385 from the junction with Bunco Road/FSR 332 south to the junction of FSR 209 and FSR 794.

It also includes Forest Service Trails 69, 78, 234, 577 and 802.

This order is necessary for public and firefighter safety due to heavy fire traffic and equipment in the area. For more information, please see the Idaho Panhandle National Forest website at Idaho Panhandle National Forests - Alerts & Notices (usda.gov)