Single Publication

There have been 8 new fires reported on the Salmon-Challis National Forest since the last update on Monday, August 12, 2024.  To date, there have been 37 wildfires reported on the Salmon-Challis National Forest.  29 of the fires have been declared out.  The Salmon-Challis National Forest assisted with suppression on three (3) fire on Bureau of Land Management lands this past week.

Tillyhump (August 18): is located approximately nine (9) miles southeast of Baker on the Leadore Ranger District.  The 0.25 acre fire burning in timber is out.

Goldbug (August 18): is located approximately 16 miles south of Salmon on the Salmon-Cobalt Ranger District.  The 0.30 acre fire burning in short grass and timber is 100% contained.

Birch (August 17):  is located on the west side of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River on Norton Ridge on the Middle Fork Ranger District in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.  The 0.50 acre fire is burning in subalpine fir.  The fire is surrounded by the 2022 Norton Fire and fire scars from the fires of 2000.

Hammer (August 16): is located approximately four (4) miles east of North Fork between Wagonhammer and Little Fourth of July Creeks on the North Fork Ranger District.  The fire is estimated at 8 acres in size.  The fire is 100% contained.

Sugarloaf (August 16): is located approximately 34 miles west of Salmon on the North Fork Ranger District in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.  The 0.25 acre fire is burning in subalpine fir.

Pass (August 15): is located approximately 20 miles southeast of Leadore on the Leadore Ranger District.  The 0.10 acre fire is out.

Twelve Mile (August 15):  is located approximately 12 miles south of Salmon on the Salmon-Cobalt Ranger District.  The 0.25 acre fire is out.

Hawley (August 13): is located approximately 10 miles southeast of Leadore on the Leadore Ranger District.  The 0.10 acre fire burning in a single tree is out.

Patterson (August 11): is located approximately 14 miles east of May on the Challis-Yankee Fork Ranger District.  The 0.10 acre fire is out.

Greyhound (August 11): is located approximately 46 miles northwest of Challis on the Middle Fork Ranger District.  The two (2) acre fire is burning in subalpine fir and lodgepole pine.  The fire is backing down until Sulphur Creek at the edge 2021 Boundary Creek Fire.  On last flight, two smokes were showing with no change in fire size since previous flight.  Firefighter and public safety is the number one priority for the Greyhound Fire.  During initial size up for the fire, several safety concerns were identified including: the remote location of the fire, steep and inaccessible terrain, heavy dead and down fuels with a substantial snag component, private property and associated mining infrastructure, and lack of safe ingress and egress for firefighters.  Fire managers will be monitoring the fire with reconnaissance flights and lookouts.  NFS Road #011 is a one way in, one way out roadway.  There is potential for this road to be closed in the future for public safety if there is a change in fire activity.  

Castle (August 11): is located approximately 33 miles southwest of Salmon on the Salmon-Cobalt Ranger District.  The 0.25 acre fire burning in grass, brush, and fir is out.

Black Eagle (August 5): is located approximately 12 miles west of Forney on the North Fork Ranger District in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.  The five (5) acre fire is burning in lodgepole and subalpine fir.  A few small areas of smoke was observed during yesterday’s flight over the fire area.

Pony (August 3): The fire is located approximately nine (9) miles west of Salmon on the Salmon-Cobalt Ranger District burning in lodgepole pine is 100% contained and controlled at approximately 10 acres.

Deer (July 25): The lightning fire is located approximately 33 miles northwest of Challis, southeast of Pinyon Peak on the Middle Fork Ranger District in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.  Loon Creek Guard Station is east of the fire.  The fire, burning in grass and conifers is estimated at approximately 52 acres.  The fire is burning on both side of Rabbit Creek, in the 2006 Trail Creek Fire.  Fire managers are using a point protection strategy (a wildfire response strategy, which protects specific assets or highly valued resources from the wildfire without directly halting the continued spread of the wildfire) to minimize exposure to fire personnel while protecting identified values. The strategy takes into account exposure to firefighters, values at risk, and wilderness values. Specific values potentially threatened with this fire include private land and Forest Service infrastructure. 

Thunder (July 24): The lightning fire is located approximately two (2) miles northwest of Williams Lake and approximately 12 miles southwest of Salmon.  The fire is 100% contained and estimated to be 2,474 acres in size and is burning in timber, sagebrush, and grass.

Ajax (July 24):  The lightning fire is located approximately 13 miles northeast of Salmon, approximately one (1) mile northwest of Ajax Peak on the east side of the Carmen Creek drainage on the North Fork Ranger District.  The Ajax Fire is estimated at four (4) acres and is out.

Weather:  ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...Southwest flow aloft will continue today and expect scattered thunderstorms this afternoon and a Red Flag Warning has been issued from noon to 6 pm. Will be dry on Tuesday with breezier conditions and 20 to 25 mph wind gusts expected.

The forest is asking visitors to be aware of the VERY HIGH fire danger for the Salmon-Challis National Forest.  The U.S. Forest Service, Idaho Department of Lands, and Bureau of Land Management in east-central Idaho are in Stage 1 fire restrictions.  The Central Idaho Fire Restrictions Area encompasses those portions of Custer County that are north and east of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area (excluding the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness) and that portion of Lemhi County that is not federal land designated as wilderness.  One Less Spark Means One Less Wildfire.  Since June 1, Forest employees have found and extinguished at least 13 abandoned campfires.

Nationally, there are 62 uncontained large fires being managed under a full suppression strategy and 14 large fires managed under a strategy other than full suppression.

Visit our website at: www.fs.usda.gov/scnf/, ‘Like Us’ on Facebook @salmonchallisnf, and ‘Follow Us’ on X @salmonchallisnf. 

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