Single Publication

Fire Name: Garden Fire 

Fire Size: 6,000 (estimated) 

Cause: lightning 

Location: approximately two (2) miles southwest of the confluence of Panther Creek and the Main Salmon River on the North Fork Ranger District in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.  

Fuels: grass, brush, dead and down fuels, and timber

Resources: 1 Type 1 Crew, 1 Type 2 Crew, 8 Engines, 4 overhead, and 2 Type 2 crews are enroute.   

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idscf-garden-fire  

Fire situation:  Firefighter and public safety is the number one priority for the Garden Fire.  Fire behavior on the Garden Fire was active yesterday, the fire was creeping and running with single and group tree torching and uphill runs.  Wind driven runs were associated with front moving into area.  The fire was active on all sides with movement into Garden and Clear Creeks.  Fire managers estimate the fire doubled in size yesterday.  

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, including private property and Forest Service infrastructure.  Today, fire growth has been minimal due to the inversion layer over the fire area.  Fire is anticipated to grow in the Garden Creek drainage to the ridge to the north and towards the Salmon River.  Fire is currently holding in Clear Creek but is expected to grow towards Panther Creek.  The presence of firefighters, primarily in the Panther Creek and Salmon River areas, is ongoing.  Fire managers are continuing to look for opportunities to engage the fire direct as fuels and weather conditions change and it is safe to do so.

Evacuations:  Lemhi County Law Enforcement, Emergency Management, and the Salmon-Challis National Forest have established 2 evacuation zones for the Garden Fire.  

Zone 1: From Cove Creek to Ebeneezer Bar, downriver along the Salmon River Road #030.

Zone 2: On Panther Creek Rd #055, a half mile south of Beaver Creek Rd #057 to the Salmon River Rd #030 confluence.

ZONE 1 is in “READY” status

ZONE 2 is in “GO” status

Weather: High pressure is building in today behind an exiting cold front bringing overall light winds and much cooler temperatures.  However, the cold air behind the front is very dry. So, even though afternoon highs will cool 10 to 15 degrees F from yesterday, some locations will see afternoon humidity once again below 15 percent. Humidity will increase again starting Sunday, even as temperatures warm.

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

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