Single Publication

 Red Flag weather conditions materialized in the early afternoon hours today, with hot and dry conditions and "squirrely and erratic" winds. As a result, the fire made a 3 to 4 mile push from the west side of Orogrande. The fire behavior and activity prompted the Incident Commander and Fire Operations personnel to recommend a "Level 3-GO" evacuation notice through the Idaho County Sheriff's Office. As the fire continued to push under the influence of strong, gusty winds, the Incident Commander implemented an immediate evacuation for safety reasons.  
Firefighting resources disengaged and pulled back to staging areas to assess and re-evaluate, given the fire's progression. A large column of smoke was visible in many areas. After approximately 90 minutes, winds subsided and fire behavior died down enough for the firefighting resources to re-engage in the community and address hot spots.
The fire was established in the 5 Mile drainage, with torching and movement in thick fuels (dead spruce trees).  
The fire made a secondary push early this evening, with gusty winds blowing and dead trees (snags) coming down. Firefighting resources again disengaged and pulled back to staging areas for safety reasons. These resources will remain on-site tonight and continue to engage and address hot spots as conditions and safety concerns allow.
The incident meteorologist reported that a more stable air mass will enter the area, with temperatures 20 degrees cooler tomorrow.  The air will remain on the dry side. Smoke may remain trapped in the valleys, but NW winds could gust to 20 mph in some areas. With these conditions, the fire could still be active. Overnight temperatures are expected to dip below freezing. There is potential for rain come Monday or Tuesday.
(Thank you for your support of these amazing firefighters and support personnel!)