The White River National Forest and Bureau of Land Management have lifted the closures of the Dice Hill and upper Spring Creek Road areas. The area burned by the fire remains closed. People driving in these areas are urged to be alert for firefighters still working the area.  

DILLON, Colo. – The 75 firefighters working the Deep Creek Fire today brought the fire to 70 percent containment. The fire did not grow and remains 88 acres.

The Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management area closures in the upper Spring Creek Road and Dice Hill areas remain in place while firefighters continue working on full containment. Maps of the closure and other fire information is available on inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7234/.

The Grand County and Summit County sheriff offices have lifted all evacuation and pre-evacuation notices related to the Deep Creek Fire.

Aircraft yesterday played a key role in helping firefighters on the ground stop the spread of the fire. Today the work was all boots on the ground with firefighters strengthening containment lines and mopping up using six engines and two water tenders. Aircraft were available had they been needed.

Firefighters tomorrow will continue to secure fire line in the heavier fuels on the uncontained northwest flank as well as continue mopping up.

The fire has burned a mix of grass, sage, aspen and beetle-killed lodgepole pine primarily on the White River National Forest and on a small amount of private lands northwest of Green Mountain Reservoir, about 15 miles south of Kremmling.

The fire ignited about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. It was human-caused and is under investigation.

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The Bureau of Land Management and the White  River National Forest have issued a closure in the area of the Deep Creek Fire. See map. 

Deep Creek Fire burning northwest of Green Mountain Reservoir

DILLON, Colo. – Today about 75 firefighters from the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire and Aviation Management Unit and local agencies are working the 80-acre Deep Creek Fire northwest of Green Mountain Reservoir, about 15 miles south of Kremmling.

Currently two helicopters, a large air tanker, two single-engine air tankers and an air attack coordinating plane are assisting firefighters, with more resources expected today. Firefighters anticipate an active day of fire behavior with extremely dry conditions. The fire is burning in a mix of grass, sage, and beetle-killed lodgepole pine on White River National Forest and private lands.

The fire ignited about 4:30 p.m. yesterday. It was human-caused and is under investigation.

Firefighters are coordinating closely with the Grand County and Summit County sheriff offices about evacuations. Homes in Shadow Creek Ranch, west of the Blue River, are under evacuation. The homes in Spring Creek Ranch, between Colorado 9 and the Blue River, are under pre-evacuation notice. 

Additional information, including maps and area closures, will be posted on https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7234/ when they become available.

The White River National Forest, BLM lands in the area, and Summit County are all in Stage 1 fire restrictions, which means no campfires or charcoal outside of the metal grates and rings provided in developed campgrounds. Grand County is in Stage 2, which means no campfires or charcoal anywhere. More information on fire restrictions is available at www.fs.usda.gov/whiteriver.

Note this fire was also referred to as the Spring Creek Fire.

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The Central Idaho Dispatch Zone is at MODERATE Fire Danger. 

On InciWeb @ https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7233/

The Meridian Fire emergency area closure (#04-13-20-014) has been terminated.    

The following are now open: 

AREA DESCRIBED: 

The area depicted on the attached map. 

ROADS AND TRAILS DESCRIBED: 

FS Road 477 Hunter Creek Road

FS Trail 050 Hunter Creek Trail 

The above-described area, roads, and trails are within the proclaimed and administrative boundaries of the Lost River Ranger District, Salmon-Challis National Forest, Custer County, Idaho. 

For more information, visit the Forest’s News & Events page @ https://www.fs.usda.gov/news/scnf/news-events; Facebook @salmonchallisnf, and Twitter @salmonchallisnf.  

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The Central Idaho Dispatch Zone is at HIGH Fire Danger. 

On InciWeb @ https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7233/

This will be the last daily updated unless significant activity occurs. 

The Meridian Fire; reported October 5, is located approximately 22 miles south of Clayton in the Hunter Creek drainage on the Lost River Ranger District.  The fire is established in the timber and remains approximately 485 acres in size and is burning in Douglas fir and grass.  Fire cause is under investigation.  

Firefighters observed moderate fire behavior yesterday.  The fire is backing down slopes and flanking with single tree torching.  Today, firefighters anticipate the fire to burn east down into Hunter Creek and to the northwest to East Pass Creek.  

Firefighters are using a confine and contain strategy.  Firefighters are continuing line construction on southern portion of the fire and monitoring the fire on the east and west sides of the fire where natural barriers will confine the fire.  Firefighters have completed 7% containment along the southern portion of the fire.  Firefighters anticipate favorable weather starting this afternoon which at that time will slow fire growth to the north.  The fire is staffed with one (1) Type I crew and two (2) helicopters.  

CLOSURES:  The Salmon-Challis National Forest has implemented an emergency area closure (#04-13-20-014) to protect Forest visitors from the current fire safety hazards associated with the Meridian Fire.  The following is closed: Area Described:  The closure area is depicted on the map which can be found at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/map/7233/0/109523.  Roads and Trails Described:  FS Road 477 Hunter Creek Road and FS Trail 050 Hunter Creek Trail.  If you are recreating near an ongoing wildfire suppression operation, please keep your distance - do not congregate in the area and allow the firefighters to do their job safely and efficiently.  

WEATHER:  A large season-slowing event is headed in the region by late this afternoon, but not before it increases the wind substantially from what was experienced last week.  The storm is packing enough cold air to bring snow down to the 6200ft elevation; expect 2-4 inches at Galena Summit tonight.  The wind will develop around noon, the humidity should increase during the mid-afternoon, and the clouds and rain arrive during the late afternoon.  Much colder and high humidity for Sunday with strong wind returning. 

Smoke from the Meridian Fire could be seen from the Ketchum area.  Nationally, there are 38 uncontained large fires being managed under a full suppression strategy and 37 large fires managed under a strategy other than full suppression.  These fires are contributing to the smoke, which has been drifting into the Salmon-Challis National Forest and the valleys around the Forest.  The public can find further information on smoke at http://airquality.deq.idaho.gov/ and http://idsmoke.blogspot.com.  

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