Single Publication

Middle Fork Complex: 61,4490 acres, 90% completion, 286 Personnel   

Snag Fire: 33,436 acres, 90% completion, 59 Personnel   

Goat Fire: 27,533 acres, 46% completion, 89 personnel 

Unseasonably warm and dry weather caused fire activity to increase yesterday.  Fire managers focused on the Goat Fire activity while crews on the Middle Fork and Snag fires are nearing completion of their suppression repair and rehab efforts.  Critical Fire Weather conditions are forecasted for Friday as a dry cold front moves into the area, bringing strong winds, higher temperatures, and lower relative humidities. 

The Goat Fire grew 504 acres on Wednesday. The most active section is on the southernmost perimeter, where the fire moved east past the Silver Creek Lookout. Helicopters and fixed-wing scoopers worked late into the evening to slow the fire’s progress while smokejumpers moved in and spent the night scouting for fire containment opportunities.  Two additional crews (40 firefighters) are being reassigned into that area today to assist with containment efforts. Both helicopters and the scoopers have been assigned to support the efforts of firefighters on the ground to keep the fire out of the Boiling Springs and Spring Creek areas. On the northeast perimeter along the 474 roads, the fire is burning in the Monument Fire Scar from 2007. The dead and down timber from that fire is being consumed as part of the natural fire cycle. Fire rates of spread on the northeast perimeter are low but will produce visible smoke due to the heavy fuel loading. 

The Middle Fork Fire has been limited mainly to smoldering and creeping fire activity, but as the temperatures rise and the winds increase, crews are on the watch for more active surface fire and isolated torching of trees. Currently, they are not expecting this will pose any threat to existing containment lines. Suppression repair and restoration efforts are nearing completion. 

The Snag Fire has also been limited to mainly smoldering and creeping. Crews are on the watch for any increase in activity in the area and fire managers are shifting resources to other more active parts of the Middle Fork Complex. 

Weather Outlook: High pressure and very dry conditions are forecast, with warmer temperatures into the 70s climbing toward the 80s across most of the area. Incident meteorologists are forecasting that these warm temperatures will combine with low humidities and strong gusting west winds as a dry cold front moves into the area on Friday creating critical fire weather conditions.