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Chimney Fire

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Incident Contacts

  • Fairfield Ranger District
    Email:
    sm.fs.sawtoothinfo@usda.gov
    Phone:
    208-764-3202
    Hours:
    8 AM - 4:30 PM

Daily Update for the Chimney Fire 09-16-2024

Chimney Fire
Publication Type: News - 09/16/2024 - 07:58

Containment continues to climb on the Chimney Fire

Daily Update – Monday, September 16, 2024       

 

Acres: 6,519                                                                                                     

Start Date: 9/2/2024

Location: 9 miles northwest of Fairfield, ID                                        

Personnel: 299

Containment: 32%                                                                                        

Fuels: Timber, brush, grass, understory

 

Highlights: The size of the fire remains unchanged from yesterday. Due to successful firefighting efforts and favorable weather conditions, containment has now increased to 32 percent. With incoming rain predicted today and tomorrow, the fire is expected to continue to stay within the existing footprint.

Operations: Firefighters flew over the entire fire area yesterday to observe current conditions. Small pockets of heat were detected within the fire interior, generating some moderate smoke. On the north and northwest sides of the fire, minimal burning can be seen in the interior with little smoke. Firefighters are continuing to monitor these few remaining areas where fire is still burning. With rain predicted today through Tuesday, fire activity is likely to be very low with heat remaining only in the large dead and down timber. Due to the forecasted precipitation, fire behavior specialists do not anticipate further spread outside the current fire perimeter. Firefighting resources continue to support the local unit and remain available to respond to any new fire starts in the area.

Weather: A large storm moving across the western US is expected to bring showers and thunderstorms today and into Tuesday evening. Temperatures will cool into the 60s today, with humidity expected to stay higher than 30 percent for most locations. Southeast winds could gust up to 35 mph this afternoon. Rainfall should range between 0.1 and 0.5 inches.

Smoke: Smoke may be visible from the Fairfield area, however air quality will be much improved from today moving forward. An interactive smoke map located at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest conditions.

Closures: The Sawtooth National Forest has issued an emergency temporary closure area for the Chimney Fire. The purpose of the closure order is to protect firefighters and the public during wildfire suppression activities occurring in and around the area. The full closure order (No. 0414-05-065) and map are available on the Sawtooth National Forest website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sawtooth/alerts-notices.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. A temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in place over the area, which includes uncrewed aircraft or drones. Flying drones near wildfires is dangerous for pilots and firefighters and can bring wildfire suppression efforts to a halt. Know before you fly. If you fly, we can’t. More information can be found at: https://uas.nifc.gov/

More Information: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/ideix-chimney-fire /

208-246-8292 / https://www.facebook.com/sawtoothnationalforest2024.chimney@firenet.govhttps://www.facebook.com/IdahoDepartmentofLands/