Single Publication

Wapiti Fire Statistics:

• Size: 125,459 acres
• Completion: 71%
• Total Personnel: 689
• 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

Special Notes: Highway 21 remains closed from MM 84 (northeast of Lowman) to MM 126 (Stanley Lake turn off). There is high public interest in reopening the highway. A multi-agency coordination group meets frequently to assess road conditions and will open the road as soon as it is deemed safe for travel. Recent rains pose a threat of debris flows across not only Highway 21 but any roads adjacent to steep burned areas.

Current Situation: As the Incident Management Team continues to downsize the scale of suppression operations, there remains a dedicated force on the Wapiti Fire. One of these downsizing strategies includes the combining of operational divisions. All divisions on the west side will merge under Branch IV and the east side merge under Branch VI.  

Operationally, the focus has switched to suppression repair. These repairs are coordinated with the respective Forest Service and Idaho Department of Lands unit and resource advisors to limit lasting impacts from suppression activities. Precipitation on Tuesday fell over all areas of the fire, which will continue to moderate fire behavior and allow crews to focus on repairs. 

Branch IV West Side:  Along Highway 21 in the communities of Ten Ax, Two Ravens, Lowman Ponds, Sourdough and Lowman proper, the Incident Management Team with input from local officials made the decision to remove structure protection equipment yesterday. Repair work will continue in these communities.

A significant debris flow occurred in the Grandjean area yesterday as a result of intense precipitation. The cleanup and repair associated with this debris flow will be conducted by the Boise National Forest. The road is currently impassable. 

On the north side of the branch, containment was added to the perimeter of the fire around the Warm Springs area up to 8-Mile Ridge and along a northwest section of Chapman Creek. Moving to the north, the handline from Highway 21 up to Bulltrout Lake was checked for any hot spots. Managers are confident that this section is contained based on field observations and unmanned aircraft system flights.  

Branch VI East Side: On the east side of Cape Horn, Forest Service Road 203 will be fully graded within the next two days. This work is being done to restore the road to its original condition after it was heavily used by firefighters during suppression activities.

To the southeast, crews are continuing to clear hazard trees in the Stanley Lake area using falling modules and heavy equipment. Removing hazard trees is a crucial part of suppression repair, as fire-weakened trees can pose a danger to people moving through a burned area.

Along the Highway 75 corridor, suppression repairs are complete on the handline behind the Stanley Ranger Station. 

Weather, Fuels, and Fire Behavior: This morning clouds will remain low in both the Lowman and Stanley areas and lift in the afternoon. Today will be mostly dry with only a slight chance of precipitation over the fire area. Temperatures will return to normal season ranges with highs in the low to mid 60’s. Relative humidities will range from 80-100% with the anticipated continuous cloud cover. Wind speeds will remain stable at 10-15 miles per hour on the ridge tops throughout the day. 

The recent rain has increased fuel moisture levels, but heavy fuels are still retaining heat. Despite this, the risk of fire spreading remains low.

Evacuations: 

Evacuation status for Stanley Zone 1 has changed from SET to READY. Stanley Zones 2-5 and Kasino are no longer in an evacuation status. 

Evacuation status for Boise County on the Loman side of the Wapiti Fire has been downgraded to READY (Level 1) in all zones.

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/. 

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: 

The Middle Fork Complex Fire Closure Order is amended to provide consistency with the Wapiti Fire closure. This amended order, Forest Order #0402-06-64, closes the 582 and 563 roads, as well as the 579 road from its junction with 563 eastward to the junction with Highway 21. More information can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/boise/alerts-notices

State Highway 21 remains closed from MP84 (northeast of Lowman) to MP126 (Stanley Lake turn off) 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 federal, state, and private lands may be found at this site: https://www.idl.idaho.gov/fire-management/fire-restrictions-finder/

A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) 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.