BEAR CREEK FIRE

FIRE INFORMATION FACT SHEET

August 16, 2020 8:00 a.m.

Phone: 406-284-5602 (information line: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.)

406-417-0415 (media line)

DATE OF DETECTION: Tuesday, August 11, 2020

CAUSE: Lightning

CURRENT SIZE: 6,110 acres (GIS mapping incorporated burned out areas interior to the fireline)

CONTAINMENT: 5%

LOCATION: Lemhi Pass area (29 miles East of Salmon Idaho)

JURISDICTION: Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest

COOPERATING AGENCIES: Beaverhead County (MT), Lemhi County (ID), BLM, Montana DNRC, Salmon-Challis National Forest

PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES ON THE FIRE: Resources assigned to the fire include eight helicopters, two fixed-wing water scooping airplanes, one Type 2 crew, four Type 2 IA crew, three Type 1 crews, six engines and 327 total personnel.

YESTERDAY’S ACTIVITY: Warmer temperatures, dry conditions, and the presence of wind resulted in active fire behavior and visible columns of smoke, interior to the established fireline. On the northwest side, crews constructed line on the 515 road through the Bear Creek drainage. To the south, crews worked on improving and prepping line on the 70020 road to tie into the Continental Divide, as an alternative if the fire advances past the line on the ridge on the north side of Black Canyon. On the south side, crews held and improved the line on the ridge of the northside of Black Canyon with aerial support via retardant drops. Night shift monitored burn out areas, patrolling and addressing any hot spots.

TODAY’S WEATHER: Temperatures are expected to be in the low to mid 80s with a relative humidity in the low teens. West wind gusts are expected up to 18 mph. Storms are expected to move in tonight in higher elevation areas, potentially resulting in wind gusts of up to 40 mph. Further thunderstorms are expected tomorrow, with a 25 percent chance of storms impacting the immediate fire area. High winds are likely, even if storms do not directly hit the fire.

TODAY’S PLANNED ACTIVITY: Fire behavior will increase today due to poor relative humidity recoveries last night and increased winds today, especially where the winds align with canyons. Spotting up to ¼ mile is expected. Fire spread is possible in canyons; however, cloudy weather could dampen fire behavior in the evening. The fire remains active at the head of the north fork of Everson creek, Upper Black Canyon, and the Bear Creek drainage. Crews will work to contain fire advancement along the southern flank using scoopers and helicopters to prevent the fire from reaching the Black Canyon drainage. To the west, crews will cut line along the 515 road, with support from heavy equipment. Crews will conduct fuel mitigation along the 70020 road to the Continental Divide. Night patrol will continue on the east and north sides tonight. High wind gusts in the evening could affect air operations.

SPECIAL CONCERNS: Those recreating on Clark Canyon Reservoir should be aware of aircraft using the water source for fire activity. Recreators should stay clear of area aircraft. Public and firefighter safety concerns are the top priority. Any public using the roads near the fire area should expect heavy fire traffic; please drive slowly for safety reasons. The fire is burning in timber/heavy fuels. These fuels will continue to dry out with low relative humidity. The area provides poor access and there is a lack of water in the immediate area of the fire. Crews will work to protect cultural resources and other values at risk.

CLOSURES: Area, road, and trail closures are in effect. Refer to the “Closures” and “Photos” tabs of the Inciweb site for narrative descriptions and maps of all agency closures. Lemhi Pass Road is closed from its junction with Montana Highway 324 to Lemhi Pass. The public is strongly encouraged to refrain from entering the area/nearby road system due to heavy fire traffic.

BEAR CREEK FIRE

FIRE INFORMATION FACT SHEET

August 15, 2020 8:00 p.m.

Phone: 406-284-5602 (information line: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.)

406-417-0415 (media line)

DATE OF DETECTION: Tuesday, August 11, 2020

CAUSE: Lightning

CURRENT SIZE: 4,756 acres

CONTAINMENT: 5%

LOCATION: Lemhi Pass area (29 miles East of Salmon Idaho)

JURISDICTION: Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest

COOPERATING AGENCIES: Beaverhead County (MT), Lemhi County (ID), BLM, Montana DNRC, Salmon-Challis National Forest

PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES ON THE FIRE: Resources assigned to the fire include eight helicopters, two fixed-wing water scooping airplanes, one Type 2 crew, four Type 2 IA crew, three Type 1 crews, six engines and 327 total personnel.

TODAY’S ACTIVITY: Warmer temperatures, dry conditions, and the presence of wind resulted in active fire behavior and visible columns of smoke, interior to the established fireline. On the northwest side, crews constructed line on the 515 road through the Bear Creek drainage. To the south, crews worked on improving and prepping line on the 70020 road to tie into the Continental Divide, as an alternative if the fire advances past the line on the ridge on the north side of Black Canyon. Crews will finish burning on the northeast corner of the fire tonight if conditions are favorable. On the south side, crews held and improved the line on the ridge of the northside of Black Canyon with aerial support via retardant drops. Night shift will continue to monitor burn out areas tonight.

TOMORROW’S WEATHER: Temperatures tomorrow are expected to be in the high 70s/low 80s. Relative humidity will remain in the low to mid-teens. Winds are extremely variable, depending on the area of the fire. Tomorrow evening, rain and wind are possible. Strong winds and thunderstorms are expected to enter the area on Monday or Tuesday.

TOMORROW’S PLANNED ACTIVITY: Crews on the east flank will burn off the 1882 road, working southwards. To the west, crews will improve the line on the 515 road to the Continental Divide. On the north side, crews will hold line and prepare for burning as the fire works its way toward the Frying Pan area. To the south, crews will continue to make improvements to the line along the 70020 road. Air operations will support burning in the east and protect the exposed southern ridgeline through retardant drops.

SPECIAL CONCERNS: Those recreating on Clark Canyon reservoir should be aware of aircraft using the water source for fire activity. Recreators should stay clear of area aircraft. Public and firefighter safety concerns are the top priority. Any public using the roads near the fire area should expect heavy fire traffic; please drive slowly for safety reasons. The fire is burning in timber/heavy fuels. These fuels will continue to dry out with low relative humidity. The area provides poor access and there is a lack of water in the immediate area of the fire. Crews will work to protect cultural resources and other values at risk.

CLOSURES: BLM and Forest Service closure maps and closure orders can be found under the Closures and/or Photographs tabs on the Bear Creek Fire's Inciweb page. Lemhi Pass Road is closed from its junction with Montana Highway 324 to Lemhi Pass. The public is strongly encouraged to refrain from entering the area/nearby road system due to heavy fire traffic

Air tankers have been ordered to put down additional retardant along the 1883 road, similar to operations from yesterday.  Efforts will help the ground crews hold the fire line along the southern flank where the fire is most active in heavy fuels. 

Fire aircraft are using Clark Canyon Reservoir as a water source.  Recreationists are asked to please maintain distance from areas that are being utilized. 

BEAR CREEK FIRE

FIRE INFORMATION FACT SHEET

August 15, 2020   8:00 a.m.

 Phone:   406-284-5602 (information line: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.)

 406-417-0415 (media line)

DATE OF DETECTION: Tuesday, August 11, 2020

CAUSE:  Lightning

CURRENT SIZE:  4,663 acres (more accurate mapping produced through overnight infrared flight)

CONTAINMENT:  0%

LOCATION:   Lemhi Pass area (29 miles East of Salmon Idaho)

JURISDICTION:  Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest

COOPERATING AGENCIES:  Beaverhead County (MT), Lemhi County (ID), BLM, Montana DNRC, Salmon-Challis National Forest

PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES ON THE FIRE:  Resources assigned to the fire include eight helicopters, two fixed-wing water scooping airplanes, five Type 2 IA crew, three Type 1 crews, seven engines and 318 total personnel.   

YESTERDAY’S ACTIVITY:  On the east side, the fire continued to move along a section of the 1883 road, burning out a pocket of heavy fuels in the South Fork of Everson Creek. Crews burned from the South Fork to the North Fork of Everson Creek. The burn out went well and crews were able to hold the line. To the south, crews improved the fire line from the 1883 road to the Continental Divide, and water-scooping fixed wing aircraft (“scoopers”) and fire retardant aircraft reinforced the line. On the north end of the fire, crews held and improved existing line. Crews have not had favorable conditions to burn north of the fire and were catching fire runs throughout the day. Air tankers with retardant were ordered in the early evening to help hold the line along the 1883 road on the south flank of the fire. Air operations assisted crews on the ground by checking the fire’s movement as they progressed burning. The helibase was moved to a location south of the fire to shorten water delivery times. Night shift crews monitored burn activity and mopped up hotspots, with engines monitoring the fire and burn areas overnight.

TODAY’S WEATHER:  Temperatures today are expected to be in the high 70s/low 80s. Relative humidity will remain in the low to mid-teens. Winds are expected to be low with wind gusts up to 15mph. A slight chance of thunderstorms exists for tomorrow and thunderstorms and lightning are likely early in the week.

TODAY’S PLANNED ACTIVITY:  On the west side, crews will continue to scout locations to tie in line from the Frying Pan drainage to the Continental Divide. The north side of the fire is holding heat on the edge of the fireline and crews will continue to improve the line. The east and south sides of the fire are holding heat with 2-3 foot flames and active fire behavior is expected in those areas. To the south, crews will continue to burn from the 6869 road today if conditions are favorable. Night shift will continue to monitor burn out areas tonight. Spotting may occur up to 0.4 miles from the burn area. Air support will be available throughout the day, including two "scoopers."

SPECIAL CONCERNS: Those recreating on Clark Canyon reservoir should be aware of aircraft using the water source for fire activity. Recreators should stay clear of area aircraft. Public and firefighter safety concerns are the top priority. The fire is burning in timber/heavy fuels. These fuels will continue to dry out with low relative humidity. The area provides poor access and there is a lack of water in the immediate area of the fire. Crews will work to protect cultural resources on the east side of the fire.

CLOSURES:  BLM closure maps can be found here and their closure order can be found here. B-D Forest Service lands closures can be found   here. Salmon-Challis National Forest  map of closures  and closure order can be found here. Continental Divide Trail (CDT) closure information can be found here. The public is strongly encouraged to refrain from entering the area/nearby road system due to heavy fire traffic.

For more information, visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6951

 or follow the Forest on Facebook at www.facebook.com/usfsbdnf or Twitter https://twitter.com/BvrhdDrldgeNF/

BEAR CREEK FIRE

FIRE INFORMATION FACT SHEET

August 14, 2020 8:00 p.m.

Phone: 406-284-5602 (information line: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.)

406-417-0415 (media line)

DATE OF DETECTION: Tuesday, August 11, 2020

CAUSE: Lightning

CURRENT SIZE: 5,192 acres

CONTAINMENT: 0%

LOCATION: Lemhi Pass area (29 miles East of Salmon Idaho)

JURISDICTION: Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest

COOPERATING AGENCIES: Beaverhead County (MT), Lemhi County (ID), BLM, Montana DNRC, Salmon-Challis National Forest

PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES ON THE FIRE: The Type 2 IMT (Northern Rockies Team 5) assumed command of the fire at 0600 yesterday. Resources assigned to the fire include eight helicopters, two fixed-wing water scooping airplanes, five Type 2 IA crew, three Type 1 crews, seven engines and 318 total personnel.

TODAY’S ACTIVITY: Crews continued to scout for additional opportunities to utilize the existing road system to maintain pace with the flanking fire. On the east side, the fire continued to move along a section of the 1883 road, burning out a pocket of heavy fuels in the South Fork of Everson Creek. Crews burned from the South Fork to the North Fork this afternoon. To the south, crews improved the fire line from the 1883 road to the Continental Divide, and water-scooping fixed wing aircraft (“scoopers”) and fire retardant aircraft reinforced the line. On the north end of the fire, crews held and improved existing line. Air tankers with retardant were ordered in the early evening to help hold the line along the 1883 road on the south flank of the fire. Air operations are assisting crews on the ground by checking the fire’s movement as they progress with burning. The helibase was moved to a location south of the fire to shorten water delivery times. A night shift is in place, with engines monitoring the fire and burned areas overnight.

TOMORROW’S WEATHER: Tomorrow’s forecast includes relative humidity readings in the mid to low teens with minimal wind predicted. Temperatures are expected to be in the 80s. Tropical moisture and thunderstorms are expected in Lemhi County on Sunday. Moisture is expected in the area of the fire early next week. Smoke is visible over a large area including Dillon, communities of the Big Hole Valley, Tendoy, Lemhi Valley, and the area surrounding Salmon, Idaho.

TOMORROW’S PLANNED ACTIVITY: On the east side of the fire, crews will construct and improve line and burn as needed. If conditions are favorable, crews on the southern flank will burn out from the 1883 road, further reinforcing the line. On the west side, crews will continue to scout locations to tie in line from the Frying Pan drainage to the Continental Divide. The northeast and northwest flanks of the fire will likely be the most active areas.

SPECIAL CONCERNS: Public and firefighter safety concerns are the top priority. The fire is burning in timber/heavy fuels. These fuels will continue to dry out with low relative humidity. The area provides poor access and there is a lack of water in the immediate area of the fire. Crews will work to protect cultural resources on the east side of the fire. CLOSURES: BLM closure maps can be found here and their closure order can be found here. B-D Forest Service lands closures can be found here. Salmon-Challis National Forest map of closures and closure order can be found here. Continental Divide Trail (CDT) closure information can be found here. The public is strongly encouraged to refrain from entering the area/nearby road system due to heavy fire traffic.

For more information, visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6951 or follow the Forest on Facebook at www.facebook.com/usfsbdnf or Twitter https://twitter.com/BvrhdDrldgeNF/

Burnout operations are going well along the 1883 road on the southern flank of the fire. Air tankers have been ordered and are inbound to help hold the line along the road. The retardant will assist the crews on the ground at checking the fire's movement as they progress with the burn.

Three large air tankers dropped retardant along the southern portion of the fire line this morning, to pre-treat the fire line. This effort increases the longevity of effectiveness of the constructed fire line and helps the crews on the ground hold the line in the lighter fuels. 

Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest issues Bear Creek Fire Closure Order

Dillon, MT August 13, 2020 -. Officials for the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest issued an Area and Trail Closure to protect public safety due to the Bear Creek Fire that started Tuesday, August 11. The cause of the fire was lightning. The forest order and map of the closure area are posted on the website, https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/bdnf/alerts-notices. The complete signed Order number 2020-D1-017 and map is located on our website, https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd780316.pdf.  The order is in effect until December 31, 2020, or until rescinded.

The closed area is depicted on the map attached as Exhibit A and herby incorporated into this order. This area is generally described as beginning at the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest Boundary south of Lemhi Pass T10S R15W Sec 21 south to T10S R15W Sec 28 east to T10S R15W Sec 34, south to T10S R15W Sec 34, East to T10S R14W Sec 31, south to T11S R14W Sec 19, east to T11S R14W Sec 21 south to T12S R14W sec 16, southwest to T12S R14W Sec 13, north west following the Continental Divide Trail to T10S R15W Sec 19 and proceeding east to Lemhi Pass at T10S R15W Sec 2.

Additionally, the Continental Divide Trail on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge and Salmon-Challis National Forests is closed from Goldstone Pass T21N R24E Sec 14 south to Bannock Pass T17N R26E sec8., excluding any areas under jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management.

The closure applies to all National Forest System (NFS) lands including roads and trails (including the Continental Divide Trail), depicted on the attached map Attachment A.

Questions about the order may be directed to the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest Supervisor’s Office and Dillon Ranger District, 406-683-3900.

-USDA-

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