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*** All Tin Soldier Fire Updates From 8/25/2023 Moving Forward ***
*** Will Be Reflected On The Ridge Fire Inciweb Page***
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/mtfnf-ridge-fire
A dry lightning event on July 30 caused several starts on the Flathead National Forest, including the Tin Soldier Fire. The Tin Soldier Fire was previously known as the Tin Soldier Complex, which was originally made up of 4 fires burning in timber litter with heavy dead and down fuels. The Tin Soldier Fire is located on the Spotted Bear Ranger District of the Flathead National Forests, approximately 17 miles east of Swan Lake.
On 08/16/2023 a UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) drone flight above the fires found that the Kah Mountain and the Sullivan Fires grew in size and merged together. These two fires will now be known as the Sullivan Fire. As of 08/18/2023, The Sullivan Fire and Bruce Fire will be referred to as the Tin Soldier Fire (previously Bruce, Sullivan, Kah Mountain, and Con Kelly Fires were known as the Tin Soldier Complex.)
TIN SOLDIER FIRE EVACUATIONS, CLOSURES AND RESTRICTIONS
FIRE CLOSURES:
The Hungry Horse Reservoir is closed to all public access, including both the east and west side roads. As firefighting efforts continue on the Ridge Fire, the Tin Soldier, and other fires in the area, the closure is in place to provide for public and firefighter safety. https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/flathead/alerts-notices/?aid=82283
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Residents should stay alert for changing conditions and visit ready.gov/wildfires for preparing for wildfires. Please refer to https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/mtfnf-tin-soldier-fire for the Tin Soldier Complex Incident information.
| Current as of | Fri, 09/01/2023 - 13:54 |
|---|---|
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
| Cause | Lightning |
| Date of Origin | |
| Location | 17 miles east of Swan Lake, Montana |
| Incident Commander | A Type 1 Interagency Incident Management Team (Southwest Team 1), under the leadership of Incident Commander Carl Schwope, assumed command of the fire at 6:00 am on August 23. |
| Incident Description | The Tin Soldier Complex was originally made up of 4 fires burning in timber litter with heavy dead and down fuels. The Tin Soldier Complex is located on the Spotted Bear Ranger District of the Flathead National Forests, approximately 17 miles east of Swan Lake. The fires associated with the Tin Soldier Fire started by lightning on Saturday, July 30th. Carl Schwope Type 1 Interagency Incident Management Team (Southwest Team 1) assumed command of the fire at 6:00 am on Wednesday, August 23rd. Additional fire personnel and equipment have been arriving and are being integrated into the fire operations. Additional personnel from the Spotted Bear District are “on loan” and assisting with fire related operations. Priority will be given for initial attack if any other fires on the Spotted Bear District are detected. |
| Coordinates |
47° 56' 66'' Latitude
-113° 44' 02
'' Longitude
|
| Total Personnel: | 84 |
|---|---|
| Size | 8,165 Acres |
| Percent of Perimeter Contained | 94% |
| Estimated Containment Date | 10/11/2023 |
| Fuels Involved | Timber (Litter and Understory) Closed Timber Litter Brush (2 feet) |
| Projected Incident Activity |
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|---|---|
| Remarks |
Southwest Incident Management Team 1 is managing the Bruce and Sullivan Fires. The Con Kelly fire was determined to be completed by the Flathead National Forest. The Kah and Sullivan fires merged 8/15 and are now known as the Sullivan Fire.
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