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Wapiti Fire Update, Monday 09-23-2024
Wapiti Fire
Publication Type: News - 09/23/2024 - 10:54
Wapiti Fire Statistics
- Size: 125,478 acres
- Completion: 72%
- Total Personnel: 311
- Location: near Grandjean, ID
- Reported: July 24, 2024
- Cause: Lightning
For More Information
- 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 Updates: As a result of fire suppression efforts and vegetation removal, numerous trees have been cut into lengths suitable for firewood. Entering the fire closure to collect firewood is prohibited. The public may collect any firewood available outside of the closure with a valid firewood permit. Please direct questions on firewood collection to the Stanley Ranger Station at 208.774.3000.
Weather: Yesterday’s fall weather was reminiscent of what will continue for the early part of the week. Wednesday, a chance of storms will enter the area. The chances for measurable precipitation are marginal. Fire managers will be particularly attentive to increases in wind speed which could lead to not only increased fire behavior but also cause burned and fire-weakened trees to fall.
Current Situation: Continued warm and dry weather is drying out grass and brush within the Wapiti Fire and allowing smolder embers to grow into more active fire. This has not led to any concerns of additional fire spread, as most of the activity is occurring within the existing fire perimeter. However, firefighters are continuously patrolling the fire area, including via aerial reconnaissance, and will quickly respond to any areas that may require direct suppression actions. Most of yesterday’s visible smoke and flames were near Warm Springs and Cape Horn Ridge.
The Incident Management Team has updated mapping to show all areas where the fire is contained or suppression actions have been completed. Fire perimeter is only called contained or completed when there is strong assurance that the fire will not continue to grow beyond its current location. Among the areas now reflected as contained on the map are the portions north of Highway 21 within the Stanley Basin.
Removal of hazard trees continues near Stanley Lake, with larger logs being set aside for later firewood collection and smaller trees and limbs being processed with a chipper and distributed through the area. Large equipment is almost done repairing the dozer line constructed near Homestead Creek. Once that work is completed, the equipment will be transferred to work in other areas of the fire, including the Grandjean road repair.
Travelers along Highway 21 should drive cautiously, with lights on, and be prepared for periodic closures or pilot car usage. Along with firefighters, Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) continues to work along the roadway. The speed limit has been lowered to 45 mph between mile marker 92 and Banner Summit.
Evacuations: Evacuation status for Stanley Zone 1 is currently at READY. Stanley Zones 2 – 5 and Kasino are no longer in an evacuation status. Sign up for Custer County CodeRED emergency notifications: text CUSTER to 99411 or enroll at https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/BF28E45537FF.
All Boise County evacuation levels have been lifted; residents should remain alert for any change in conditions which could reinitiate an evacuation status. Sign up for Boise County Alert Sense emergency notifications at https://public.alertsense.com/SignUp/publicUser.aspx?regionid=1163.
For evacuation information on the Wapiti Fire, please see the Custer County Sheriff’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/p/Custer-County-Sheriff-Idaho-61558947312289/, and the Boise County Sheriff’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/boisecountysheriff/.
Closures: The Wapiti Fire area closure covers portions of the Sawtooth, Boise, and Salmon National Forests. Please reference the map and description at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-closures/idbof-wapiti-fire. Recreationalists and hunters should reference this map and obey all posted signage regarding the closure area and any related road, trail, and campground closures.
An interactive map for all closures on the Boise National Forest is found at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/642380b0eb124c8cab6bd9ad3d7146ad/page/Overview/#data_s=id%3AdataSource_5-1888bd00a2c-layer-13-1888bd00b53-layer-16%3A82.