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Wapiti Firefighters engaged in night operations on Division PP 09092024. USDA Forest Service photo credit, Kyle Miller.
Firefighter on the Wapiti Fire in Idaho on Sept. 9, 2024. USDA Forest Service photo by Kyle Miller.
The Wapiti Fire was started by lightning late in the evening of July 24, 2024, approximately 2 miles southwest of Grandjean, ID on the Boise National Forest. Steep terrain, difficult access and unfavorable weather conditions have challenged firefighters. The Fire is burning on the Boise National Forest, Sawtooth National Forest, and Salmon-Challis National Forest in Boise and Custer Counties. The Boise National Forest managed the Wapiti Fire until the Great Basin Complex Incident Management Team 7 assumed command. Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 5 began managing the Fire on August 10. Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1 assumed command of the Fire on Saturday, August 23. Command of the fire transferred back to Great Basin Incident Management Team 7 Saturday, Sep. 7, 2024.
There are evacuations, forest closures, road closures, fire restrictions and temporary flight restrictions in place.
Evacuations: Evacuation orders are issued by the Sheriff and are updated on the Boise County Sheriff’s Facebook page and the Custer County Sheriff’s Facebook Page. Both pages are good sources for additional information.
*** An interactive map has been created so you can see the evacuation zone for your address and the Wapiti Fire perimeter from the last infrared flight. Interactive Wapiti Fire Map
Additional emergency information and a Notification Zone map for Custer County can be found on their Emergency Services website and the Custer County Emergency Management Facebook Page.
When evacuation levels change and residents begin to return home, please visit the Idaho Firewise website for information and assistance.
Emergency Notifications: To receive emergency notifications from Custer County, Please click on this hyperlink to register Custer County Alerts.You An alternate method to register is to use your mobile phone and text CUSTER to 99411 to enroll in CodeRED.
To receive emergency notifications from Boise County, please click on this link to register Boise County Alerts.
Evacuees in the area that need assistance should contact the Red Cross at (800)-RED-CROSS.
Official Fire Information: Information provided by the Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team can be found on the official Wapiti Fire Facebook page* and Daily Operations Update Videos can be found on the official Wapiti Fire YouTube channel.
*Note: The Wapiti Fire Facebook page is currently suspended, we're working to resolve this issue. Please follow the Boise National Forest page for updates.
Additional information can be found on the Boise National Forest Facebook page and the Sawtooth National Forest Facebook page.
National Forest Closures: There is an Area, Road and Trail Closure Order due to the Wapiti Fire that applies to portions of the Boise, Sawtooth and Salmon-Challis National Forests. Click on the following hyperlink for specific information on the Wapiti Fire Closure. Click on the hyperlink to view a map of the closure area.
For information on additional closures, orders, alerts and notices in the nearby National Forests, click on the following hyperlinks.
Boise National Forest Orders, Alerts and Notices
Sawtooth National Forest Orders, Alerts and Notices
Salmon-Challis National Forest Orders, Alerts and Notices
Road Closures: Please visit the Idaho Transportation Department for the latest road closure information. The Wapiti Fire has caused a closure of Highway 21 from Milepost 84 to 130 due to Wildfire activity and falling rocks. Please check with the Boise and Custer County Sheriffs' Offices for local road closures and evacuation orders.
Fire Restrictions: Please visit the Idaho Fire Restrictions Finder for current information on fire restrictions in Idaho.
Air Quality: Click on the following hyperlink to see current Smoke Outlooks. Zoom into the Idaho area on the map and then click on the blue exclamation mark at the top left corner of the blue outlined box.
A simple, but very effective air cleaner to reduce wildfire smoke indoors can easily be made using a box fan and air filters. Directions for making an air cleaner.
Temporary Flight Restrictions: Temporary Flights Restrictions (TFRs) have been issued in Idaho and other states due to wildfires. Click the hyperlink to see the list of TFRs in Idaho. These restrictions also apply to drones.
For easier use of this website while using a mobile phone, please click on the following hyperlinks for additional information on these topics.
| Current as of | Thu, 09/12/2024 - 19:56 |
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| Incident Time Zone | America/Boise |
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
| Cause | Lightning/Natural |
| Date of Origin | |
| Location | 2 miles southwest of Grandjean, ID |
| Incident Commander | Mike Johnston, IC Chris Delaney, Deputy IC Jeff Knudson, Deputy IC |
| Coordinates |
44° 09' 1'' Latitude
-115° 12' 18
'' Longitude
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| Total Personnel: | 1138 |
|---|---|
| Size | 125,429 Acres |
| Percent of Perimeter Contained | 12% |
| Estimated Containment Date | 11/1/2024 |
| Fuels Involved | Predominant fuels burning the timber understory are: (TU5), moderate load, dry climate shrub (SH2), and timber litter (TL8) with inter-mixed conifer stands. Heavy dead fuels are completely consuming continuous beetle-kill timber stands throughout the entire Stanley Valley. This will act more like SB1; logging slash timber blow-down fuel model. 1000-hr fuel moisture around 10%. Meadows are available to burn. ERC and KBDI values dropping. |
| Significant Events | Active Fire environment is suppressed with recent moisture. Live and dead finer fuels are moist and are not supporting significant fire spread. Heavy fuels remain burning until a season ending event arrives. Minimal fire growth lessening threat to critical incident values. |
| Planned Actions |
Branch VI (east side of the Fire) DIV MM: Patrol, mop-up, and monitor area around Bull Trout Lake & campground and Martin Lake north to Hwy 21. Continue to prepare and implement strategic firing operations as necessary south of Copper Mountain to Hwy 21. Night MM: Patrol around Bull Trout Lake and campground up to the Boy Scout Camp. Monitor fire activity west of Copper Mountain. Consider the need for firing operations as fire behavior dictates. DIV PP: Secure and hold control line from Valley Creek Spike to PP/MM division break. Support Division MM if necessary. Night DIV PP: Assist with point protection along Hwy 21 corridor. Continue to secure the perimeter of the slop over north of Valley Creek Spike, using firing actions as needed and conditions allow. DIV KK: Continue to mop-up to prevent loss or damage to private property and structures around Hwy 21 Structure East: Continue to mop up where appropriate and monitor structures. Branch IV (west and south sides of the Fire) DIV WW: Delay fire progression in Casner Creek and on Eight Mile Ridge. Hold fire edge on lower Chapman Creek. Continue to monitor fire progression towards Sourdough, and be prepared to initiate firing plan once trigger points are reached. Scout options that would limit fire growth above lower Lowman by identifying a holding feature from Hwy 21 back into the Pioneer Fire scar. Night WW: Assist with point protection in DIV MM, DIV WW and along Hwy 21 corridor from Warm Springs DIV VV: Currently unstaffed. |
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| Projected Incident Activity |
12 hours: The fire will continue to receive moisture. Fire activity will be limited to larger fuels with very little spread expected. 24 hours: The area will begin a warming and drying trend. Fine fuels will become available but rate of spread will be low. Fire in the timber will be limited to large fuels with creeping and smoldering. Single tree torching possible with enough heat under the canopy. |
| Remarks |
A Cooperators Meeting is being held daily at ICP. On the west side of the fire, cooperators may participate remotely at the Lowman Ranger Station. |
| Weather Concerns | Overnight rainfall added a quarter inch of liquid across Branch IV, bringing the event total so far to around three to four tenths of an inch for most. There was an observed total by a RAWS unit just southwest of the fire of close to three quarters of an inch near Lowman. Rain ended by early to mid-morning, leaving just an off and on light drizzle and some low clouds. High temperatures this afternoon reached the mid 40s in camp, with mid to upper 30s observed across the fire. Overnight lows tonight are expected to drop into the 20s in the valleys, perhaps even into the upper teens if we can clear out the low clouds early enough.
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