Single Publication

Wapiti Fire Update

Saturday, August 31, 2024 – 9:00 a.m.

Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1

Dan Dallas, Incident Commander

Information Phone: 208-593-7132 (public) 208-901-8973 (media) Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Email: 2024.wapiti@firenet.gov

InciWeb:https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idbof-wapiti-fire

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/wapitifireinfo2024/

Information Linktree:https://linktr.ee/WapitiFireInfo2024

Interactive Map:https://tinyurl.com/WapitiFireInfoMap

Special Notes: State Highway 21 is closed from east of Lowman to Stanley (MP84 to MP130) due to wildfire activity. The closure is necessary for public safety and to provide safe conditions for firefighters working along the highway. Highway 75 remains open.

Current Situation: Fire activity was minimal across the fire on Friday due to lingering smoke providing shade cover. The reduced fire activity allowed firefighters to make progress establishing additional firelines and securing the fire’s edge. Today, smoke should again limit fire spread over most of the fire, particularly during morning hours. Most fire movement will likely be to the north and east due to prevailing winds. The firefighters’ focus continues to be on the protection of structures and communities while remaining vigilant for the fire’s potential to become active if conditions change. All activities are being coordinated on the ground with natural and cultural resource specialists to protect known values.

Division DD: Fire managers are scouting and assessing the placement of a contingency line from Stanley Ranger Station to Redfish Lake. The objective is to tie into the suppression work done for the Bench Lake Fire from earlier this year. They are also assessing the fire’s movement in Division VV and planning indirect lines to protect values at risk.

Division HH: Crews will continue constructing indirect fireline around Goat Falls, Stanley and nearby communities while looking for opportunities to bring the fireline from Goat Falls to the Stanley Ranger Station.

Division KK and Structure Group East: Crews will continue to secure the fire’s edge in Crooked Creek which has shown no appreciable fire movement. Strategic firing operations will continue to be implemented to remove unburned fuels between the fire and control lines in the Iron Creek area. This will add additional distance between the fire lines and available fuels to further secure the area. Crews will remain in and around communities and other values at risk, mopping up, reducing hazards, and maintaining defensible space. Mop-up continues on the large spot east of Highway 21 ensuring it is secure and poses no threat to the community.

Division PP: The fire has moved around National Forest Road 195 and entered Thatcher Creek drainage. Crews are assessing opportunities to hold it in this drainage. They are also continuing prep work to protect Bradley Boy Scout Camp and other surrounding structures in the event the fire crosses Highway 21. Work continues along Highway 21 near and east of the division break to keep the fire to the south side of the highway. Crews will continue to secure the fire’s edge within the finger of fire across Highway 21.

Division MM: Crews have constructed line from Bull Trout Lake, around the campground to Martin Lake. They will extend this line to the perimeter of the 1992 County Line fire. The actions are designed to protect the campground and prevent the fire from moving further north. Crews will continue working in the area strengthening established lines and watching for spots. Additional crews have been working along Highway 21 to keep the fire south and east of the highway.

Division WW and Structure Group West: Crews continue patrolling within Hanging Valley and Bear Creek, along the 524 road, and the Grandjean area looking for hot spots and removing hazards. Crews began cutting handline around the Sourdough Lodge area and assessing opportunities to harden the lines around the subdivisions of Two Ravens, Ten Ax, and Seven Peaks. Crews are assessing locations to establish secondary lines along Highway 21 to check the fire up should it move in that direction. Crews continue securing the fire’s edge and preventing it from impacting Bonneville Campground and Warm Springs airstrip.

Division VV:  Firefighters are assessing the fire’s progress in Division VV, identifying locations for firelines that have a high probability for success as well as assessing the resources needed to implement suppression activities. An aerial recon of the division will occur when priorities allow.

Weather, Fuels, and Fire Behavior:

Very dry conditions will persist today with afternoon humidity again dropping into the teens. Smoke will again linger over the fire in the morning but is expected to clear in the afternoon. Winds will be out of the west with some localized terrain influence; gusts 10-15 mph. A morning inversion will lift between noon and 1:00 pm. Fire behavior will increase should sunlight reach the ground and winds pick up. Potential for group torching, moderate range runs, and long-distance spotting remains.

Evacuations:

For evacuation information on the Wapiti Fire, please see the Custer County Sheriff’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/p/Custer-County-Sheriff-Idaho-61558947312289/ and the Boise County Sheriff’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/boisecountysheriff/.

Red Cross has established a shelter at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at 24695 US-93, Challis, ID.

To sign up for Custer County CodeRED emergency notifications, text CUSTER to 99411 or enroll online at https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/BF28E45537FF .

To sign up for Boise County Alert Sense emergency notification enroll online at https://public.alertsense.com/SignUp/publicUser.aspx?regionid=1163

Closures and Fire Restrictions:

State Highway 21 is closed from MP84 to MP130 for public and firefighter safety.

A Wapiti Fire Area Closure / Forest Order: 0414-04-151 for portions of the Boise, Sawtooth, and Salmon-Challis National Forests can be found at this site: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sawtooth/alerts-notices.

Boise National Forest Stage 1 Fire Restrictions / Forest Order: 0402-00-63 can be found at this site: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/boise/alerts-notices.

Sawtooth National Forest Stage 1 Fire Restrictions / Forest Order 0414-00-044 can be found at this site: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sawtooth/alerts-notices.

Fire restrictions on state and private lands may be found at this site: https://www.idl.idaho.gov/fire-management/fire-restrictions-finder/.

A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the Wapiti Fire. Wildfires are a no-fly zone for unauthorized aircraft, including drones. If you fly, we can’t. For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

Wapiti Fire Statistics:

Size: over 94,685 acres

Containment: 0%

Total Personnel: 1362

Location: Grandjean, ID

Reported: July 24, 2024

Cause: lightning

For More Information:

Information Phone: 208-593-7132

Email: 2024.wapiti@firenet.gov

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idbof-wapiti-fire

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wapitifireinfo2024/

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/WapitiFireInfo2024

Interactive Map: https://tinyurl.com/WapitiFireInfoMap