Single Publication

CURRENT STATUS
The Hog Trough Fire remained active yesterday, producing smoke visible from the Bitterroot Valley. The southeast portion of the fire was most active, primarily burning dead and down fuels within the current perimeter and a previously burned area. The fire is slowly backing down the Weasel Creek drainage. Helicopters dropped water throughout the day to cool the fire and enable crews on the ground to have better access to directly attack the fire. Fire crews will resume chipping operations on the 75 Road today and directly attack the fire utilizing ground and aerial resources. On the southeast flank, near Signal Rock, fire activity was moderate with some heat, but little growth. To the north, fire personnel monitored the fire as fire activity was minimal.
The Fuse Lake Fire was also active yesterday, burning in steep and rocky ground with an abundance of hazard trees. Type 1 and 2 helicopters provided bucket drops while ground crews constructed direct fire line where safely able to do so. Today crews will lay hose and bring in water tanks to provide the infrastructure for firefighting on the ground. A Type 2 Initial Attack crew will be inserted on the Fuse Fire to replace the outgoing Wildland Fire Module today and aerial resources continue to cool the fire with bucket drops throughout the day. 

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
A strong high pressure ridge resulting in hot temperatures and a dry air mass will continue today. Inversions and thermal belts will result in poor relative humidity recoveries this week. Fire behavior on the Fuse Lake Fire has been active with single and group tree torching resulting in short range spot fires in the afternoons. The Hog Trough Fire is seeing more moderate fire behavior with some single tree torching to the southwest and creeping and smoldering to the southeast.
 
CLOSURES AND SPECIAL MESSAGES
Skalkaho Highway (Highway 38) is open. 

• Skalkaho Road (Forest Service road 75) and  Forest Service road 711 are both closed at the junction of Skalkaho Highway, including the ancillary roads leading from the 711 Road. 
• Skalkaho Road is open past Mile Marker 5 (Skalkaho Creek-Jerry Lake Trailhead #503).
• Forest Service roads 5070 and 5071 are closed.

• Railroad Creek, National Forest System Trail #77 to Trail #313 at the gate. 
• Weasel Creek, National Forest System Trail #156 from milepost 0.00 at its junction with NFSR #461.
• A section of the Bitterroot Rock Creek Divide Trail #313, National Forest System Trail #313 where it intersects Trail #77 Railroad Creek, Weasel Creek Trail #156. 
• Skalkaho Creek – Jerry Lake Trail #503, National Forest System Trail #503.