Sand Stone firefighting efforts allow for reopening of Highway 87

Daily Update – Thursday, August 1, 2024

Highlights: Superscooper planes effectively cooled the western and northern portions of the Sand Stone Fire yesterday. Aircraft will continue dropping water wherever needed to support ground operations. Due to decreased fire activity, State Route 87 has been reopened in both directions. Depending on fire activity and weather conditions, highway restrictions may be necessary at a moment’s notice. For real-time highway conditions, check https://az511.gov/. 

Total personnel on all incidents: 530   

Sand Stone Fire:          Acres: 27,390     Containment: 27%     Start Date: 7/25/2024      Fuels: Grass, brush        

Operations: Superscooper planes capable of drawing water from Bartlett Lake dropped over 80,000 gallons of water along the perimeter of the fire wherever heat was detected, focusing on the western side near critical powerline infrastructure. Aerial support operations will continue today. Ground crews and heavy equipment including masticators are securing the fire perimeter in Sycamore Creek, Indian Springs, and Quartz Canyon. Chipping operations will begin today near the Old Highway 87 as crews cut vegetation to create a more defensible area for firefighters. Preparations around the Sunflower community continue today as firefighters patrol structures and identify possible secondary lines along Forest Road 201. The interior of the fire is producing very little smoke, and control lines are holding across the fire area. Firefighters are beginning to identify suppression repair needs, including fence line reconstruction. 

Deer Fire:                 Acres: 308     Containment: 18%      Start Date: 7/17/2024      Fuels: Grass, brush, timber    

Operations: The Deer Fire experienced slow growth on the north side of the fire perimeter yesterday. Helicopter reconnaissance flights continue to monitor for any changes. Containment on the Deer Fire remains at 18%. 

Davenport Fire:           Acres: 447         Containment: 93%      Start Date: 7/19/2024      Fuels: Grass, brush        

Operations: Fire activity remains minimal. No change has been reported in acreage or containment for the Davenport Fire, located within the Mazatzal Wilderness. 

Weather: Scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible today with additional wind gusts and lightning in the stronger storm cells. On the Sand Stone Fire, temperatures could reach 100 degrees, while the Deer and Davenport Fires will reach the upper 80s. 

Smoke: Smoke may be visible from Fountain Hills, Sunflower, Rio Verde, Goldfield, and unincorporated communities in the Rio Verde Foothills. An interactive smoke map is available at https://fire.airnow.gov/. 

A daily smoke forecast for the Sand Stone Fire is available at www.azdeq.gov/wildfire/forecast/sandstonefire. 

Evacuations: The community of Sunflower remains in “set” status. “Set” means residents should identify the closest shelter or safe space, prepare an emergency kit, listen to public health officials, and be ready to leave the area. The Ready, Set, Go! program is a nationwide program to educate residents about steps to take during an emergency. Residents can sign up for emergency alerts at ready.maricopa.gov.

Closures: The Tonto National Forest has issued a closure order for the Sand Stone Fire. More information can be found on the Tonto National Forest website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices/. Trail users should avoid using the Arizona National Scenic Trail near the fire area.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. A temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in place over the area, which includes uncrewed aircraft or drones. Flying drones near wildfires is dangerous for pilots and firefighters and can bring wildfire suppression efforts to a halt. Know before you fly. If you fly, we can’t. More information can be found at: https://uas.nifc.gov/. 

More Information: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/aztnf-sand-stone /

480-409-9683 / https://www.facebook.com/TontoNationalForest / 2024.sandstone@firenet.gov 

PYRAMID FIRE:

East of Middle Santiam Wilderness, 1,193 Acres, 13 Percent Contained, Total Personnel 414, Lightning Caused

Yesterday, hand crews and dozers were able to make good progress improving control lines, aided by water-dropping helicopters. Along the eastern flank, hand crews will continue to increase direct control line today, aiming to complete the entire eastern flank in the coming days. On the southern and western flanks of the fire, crews used heavy equipment in steep terrain and installed water handling equipment, such as pumps and hoses. Today, the focus will be on maintaining and widening control lines, installing pumps and hoses, and extinguishing hot spots. 

SLATE FIRE:

5 miles SW of Detroit, OR, 91 Acres, 77 Percent Contained, Total Personnel, 50, Under Investigation

The hard work by fire crews on the Slate Fire yesterday resulted in an increase in control line mop-up depth up to 125 feet into the fire’s perimeter and a substantial increase in containment. Today, crews will continue to work aggressively on increasing mop-up depth, particularly along the southern flank of the fire perimeter. Extinguishing smoldering material to secure control lines and increasing containment continues to be a priority today through this weekend.

WEATHER: Building high pressure brought a noticeably hotter and drier fire environment yesterday. Today, conditions are sunny, hot, dry and unstable with a high temperature of 90 to 95 °F and a minimum relative humidity of 25 to 28 percent. Predicted weather today and over the next several days will lead to a shift in fire behavior, including increased potential for spotting and fire growth and an increased probability of fire ignition.

SMOKE IMPACTS: Smoke and air quality conditions are available on: AirNow.gov

EVACUATIONS: On July 17th, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with the Forest, issued a Level 3: Go Now Evacuation Alert for the closure area affected. Please refer to the Linn County Fire Map https://tinyurl.com/LinnCoFireMap for full details of the issued evacuation area (which will appear in red). 

AREA CLOSURES: Due to active fires, road, recreation site, and trail (including the PCT) closures are in effect in the Willamette National Forest. Specific information is posted at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/willamette/alerts-notices/?cid=fseprd552029.

FIRE RESTRICTIONS: Fire restrictions are in effect for Willamette National Forest, including the Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, Waldo Lake, and Diamond Peak Wilderness areas. Read the complete restrictions at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/willamette/alerts-notices/?aid=81487. 

Beginning at 8:00 am this morning, evacuation levels for the Lower Granite Fire located Northeast of Pomeroy, WA will be downgraded.

Current Level 2 evacuations in and around the fire zone will be downgrade to Level 1 (Get Ready),

Current Level 1 evacuation levels will be removed.

Fire crews will work throughout the day and into the evening hours hand trailing along the fire line 100 feet checking structures for continued heat 300 feet round the perimeters. Helicopter crews will continue to assist ground operations.

The Lower Granite Fire currently has consumed 14,482 acres since its start on July 29 and is now 50% contained. Northeast Washington Incident Management Team Type 3 Team 1 is in command with 144 personnel assigned.

KEY MESSAGE
Lingering heat continues to remain in heavy and unburned fuels such as downed trees and stumps. The containment of the fire remains at 65% while crews worked to ensure residual heat stays within containment lines.

CURRENT STATUS
The crews out on the line continue work mopping up and securing the rugged eastern flank. Heat may remain in heavy fuels until weather conditions are suitable for ignition. Fire managers are calling the fire 65% contained. Achieving containment on the eastern flank will take time due to the spotty nature of the burn and the remaining unburned fuels in that area.

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
Temperatures continue a warming and drying trend as a ridge of high pressure strengthens through the end of the week. Winds will generally be terrain and diurnally driven until the afternoon when a slight increase in westerly winds is expected. Monsoon moisture will begin to enter the region on Saturday with increasing cloud cover and a slight chance for thunderstorms late Saturday.

CLOSURES
Lower Miller Creek Road is closed from debris due to storm damage. A temporary flight restriction is in effect over the fire area. An area and road closure around the fire is in effect due to hazardous conditions resulting from fire activity. Stage II fire restrictions are in effect in the area. Specific closure information and maps are posted on InciWeb at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/mtlnf-miller-peak-fire and https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/lolo/alerts-notices as they are implemented.

Fire

Yesterday, interior fuels consumed on the Trout fire and the Borel Fire was active, mostly on the eastern edge, in the south fork of Erskine creek. The Borel fire has not moved significantly up the eastern side of Erskine creek. Expected fire behavior on the Borel includes possible crown fire runs and spotting.

Smoke

Yesterday, smoke transport was influenced by southerly winds and tracked to the north/northwest. The lower Owens Valley experienced less impact and evening pooling in Lone Pine was reduced. Today, southerly flow will continue under a ridging pattern, and we’ll see temperatures continue to increase. Western foothill communities will see generally MODERATE to USG conditions as smoke tracks north. The southern Owens Valley can expect a bit of a break with MODERATE conditions from Lone Pine south. The north valley should see generally GOOD to MODERATE conditions. Lake Isabella and Kernville can expect generally MODERATE conditions with periods of USG in the AM through early afternoon as smoke mixes down.

Limepoint and Cliff Mountain Fires

Fire Information 208-992-3032

2024.limepoint@firenet.gov

Limepoint: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idpaf-limepoint-fire

Cliff Mountain: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idpaf-cliff-mountain

https://www.facebook.com/payettenationalforest/

Thursday, August 1, 2024

The Limepoint and Cliff Mountain Fires are burning in the Hells Canyon area, located on the Payette National Forest in west-central Idaho, east of the Snake River bordering Oregon.Due to hotter and drier weather today, southwest winds, active fire along the eastern flank of the fire, tendency of fire to push northeast, and unfortified fireline west of Bear, residents of Bear who have not yet evacuated are encouraged to do so.

Limepoint Fire

The Limepoint Fire is north of Oxbow Dam in Adams County, Idaho and was started by lightning on July 24th, burning in tall grass, brush and timber. The southern part of the fire was once a smaller, separate fire named the Oxbow Fire, but both fires burned together and are now collectively known as the Limepoint fire. It is now 18,734 acreswith no containment. The area of the fire in the Indian Creek drainage threatens the communities of Cuprum and Bear, both of which remain evacuated per Adams County Sheriff’s Office. Idaho power transmission lines are threatened on the south side of the fire near Oxbow dam and throughout the fire area. 

With warmer and drier weather yesterday, the fire showed moderate fire activity, flanking and backing down slopes with occasional short uphill runs on the southwestern edge of the fire. Helicopter drops helped reduce fire activity on the most active areas, the northern flank of the fire along Allison Creek near Horse Mountain and on the eastern flank in the Boulder Creek area between the east side of Indian Creek and Forest Road 071 (Flat Creek/Barbour Road). Firefighters mopped up all spot fires east of that road. A bulldozer fireline was completed north of Cuprum and yesterday evening hotshot crews did a tactical burn to reduce the threat to the community. Hand and dozer line was completed north to Horse Mountain. Structure protection specialists completed structure protection in Cuprum and continued to prepare structures in Bear. Crews connected bulldozer and hand firelines on the southern flank of the fire north of Barbour Flat. Firefighters continued to look for potential areas to build firelines on the eastern and northern flanks of the fire. Tuesday’s new fire start, the Mad Dog Ridge Fire was declared out yesterday.

Seven hand crews, 13 engines, six bulldozers, three large helicopters, two masticators and 324 people are working on the Limepoint Fire. With hotter and drier weather favoring fire growth, firefighters will work to establish, hold and improve firelines, focusing on areas that pose a threat to the community of Bear. They will mop up along the tactical burn north of Cuprum and continue to protect, prepare and test sprinklers and other equipment around threatened structures in Cuprum and Bear. On the west flank of the fire, they will mop up 100 feet into the fire from Hells Canyon/454 Road and check for materials mid-slope that may pose a hazard by rolling into the road. Retardant drops from aircraft are planned for the east flank of the fire. Any retardant application will be at least 300 feet from the Snake River and its tributaries to protect water quality. Firefighters will continue work to contain the fire in the Boulder Creek area and along Road 071 on the eastern flank and on the northern flank along Allison Creek from Horse Mountain to the Snake River. They will continue to scout areas to identify where the fire can be held directly at its edge or from a defensible anchor point on the north and east flanks. A masticator will improve the handline completed yesterday on the southern flank of the fire and a bulldozer will complete a secondary fireline along a powerline south of the handline. When crews complete fortifying firelines, they may conduct a strategic firing operation on the southern flank of the fire. Burning will be done only under the right weather conditions and sufficient personnel and equipment to remove burnable vegetation posing a risk of uncontrolled fire spread. A night shift will work throughout the night to ensure point protection of structures at risk. 

Cliff Mountain Fire

The Cliff Mountain Fire started on July 25th in Hells Canyon National Recreation Area in wilderness just below Hells Canyon Dam 25 miles east of Joseph, Oregon in Adams and Idaho Counties, Idaho. It also was once two fires, the Muddy Fire and the Cliff Mountain Fire, which burned into each other. It is 1,102 acres with no containment, burning mostly in wilderness, with growth slowed in some areas due to steep rocks. Hells Canyon Dam and associated powerlines are threatened by the fire. Firefighters are monitoring the fire from the ground and air. Minimal fire activity was observed on the fire yesterday. No ground personnel or equipment are assigned to it, but two field observers have been ordered to monitor the fire and collect information to guide suppression tactics. Steep terrain in wilderness poses challenges for firefighter access, so fire personnel are looking to provide access for firefighters via boat on the Snake River.

Weather/Fire Behavior: The weather will continue to trend warmer and drier through the week with high temperatures today in the mid 90s, minimum relative humidity near 15 percent and southwest winds 5-10 mph, shifting to northeast winds.

Dead fuels will continue to dry, making all types of burnable vegetation available for burning. In grass, a new start could burn over 150 acres in an hour if undetected. Areas of concern are unburned areas lower on slopes into which burning material from upslope may roll down and cause fire spread. This includes areas along the Snake River on the western flank and north aspects of ridges on the northern flank. On the eastern and southern flanks, fire low on slopes may rapidly run uphill and unburned pockets west of firelines may heat up and spot over the lines to the east.

Air quality information is available at www.airnow.gov and www.wildlandfiresmoke.net. 

Evacuations: The communities of Cuprum and Bear have been evacuated per Adams County Sheriff’s Department and remain under a “GO” evacuation. 

Closures and Restrictions: The Payette National Forest issued a Forest Closure to protect public safety during the Limepoint and Cliff Mountain wildfires. The closure includes, but is not limited to the following recreation areas: Black Lake, Sheep Rock, Kinney Point and Horse Mountain Lookout. Big Bar is open. Huckleberry Campground is also closed. For more information, see the full closure orderand map at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/payette/fire.

Kleinschmidt Grade (Forest Road 050), Calf Pen Road and Lundore Roads are closed. The Council-Cuprum Road is closed at the Forest boundary at the snowmobile parking lot. Forest Road 454, which runs along the river, is open, but please drive with caution. You may see active fire, rolling debris, firefighting equipment and firefighters on and along the road. For your safety and the safety of firefighters, do not stop on the road.

The temporary flight restriction was expanded to the north to include the Cliff Mountain Fire and narrowed on the west to exclude some area in Oregon west of the Snake River.

Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are in effect for the Payette National Forest and all state, private and BLM lands in the fire area. Prohibited: Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire or stove fire except within a designated recreation site, or on your own land, and only within a permanent landowner-provided structure; and smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle, building, or designated recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.

Firefighters gain containment on the 498/Kitty Creek and Crazy Creek fires; Active fire behavior anticipated as a fire weather watch goes into effect 

Daily Update August 1, 2024

Fire Information Phone:541-208-1768 (8am-8pm)

Media Information Phone:541-208-1770 (8am-8pm)

Email: 2024.crazycreek@firenet.gov

Acres:  Crazy Creek - 31,440; 498/Kitty Creek - 73 

Acreage changes may occur due to overnight operations and infrared mapping.

Location: Crazy Creek:16 miles north of Paulina, OR                     Start Date: July 22, 2024 

                498/Kitty Creek: 7 miles south of Mitchell, OR          Personnel: 491 total for both fires

Containment: Crazy Creek 5%; 498/Kitty Creek 94%                    Fuels: Timber and short grass

Resources: 12 crews  | 25 engines  |  8 bulldozers |  11 water tenders  |  3 masticator  |  11 skid steer 

Highlights: Southwest Area Incident Management Team 5 is planning to host a community meeting in the town of Prineville today, August 1 at 6 p.m. at the Crook County High School. A fire weather watch is in effect today, Thursday, August 1 due to extremely dry and hot conditions.

Fire Activity: Thanks to the hard work of air and ground resources on the western flank of the Crazy Creek fires, an increase in containment occurred Wednesday night. Containment on the 498/Kitty Creek fire increased to 94%.

Today, crews will construct containment lines on the north and northeast portions of the Crazy Creek fire with heavy equipment. Firefighters will also lay hose near Toggle Meadows to further protect values at risk in the area. On the eastern portion of the fire, crews will prep Salters Cabin and Wolf Creek Campground historic structures as masticating efforts continue at the 42 and 12 roads.

In the southeast area of the fire, air and ground resources will continue supporting firefighting efforts in the area of Roba Ranch. Crews will patrol and hold existing containment line and conduct mop-up where feasible. Smoke is expected as interior pockets of fuel burn.

Evacuations: Mandatory evacuation orders remain in effect for areas in Crook and Wheeler Counties for areas in or near the fire. Level 3 evacuations have extended from the Forest Boundary to highway 380. Level 2 evacuations have extended south of highway 380.

Weather: A fire weather watch is in effect today, Friday August 1, for the 498/Kitty Creek and Crazy Creek fires. Extremely warm and dry conditions will persist today with low humidity, temperatures in the high to mid-90s and 10-15mph winds.

Importance of Fire Prevention: All public lands in Central Oregon, to include the Ochoco National Forest are in Public Use (Fire) Restrictions. All open flames, including woodstoves and charcoal briquette fires are prohibited. In times of high fire danger, it is crucial for everyone to follow fire prevention measures to avoid additional strain on overburdened resources. The public's cooperation in adhering to fire bans and restrictions is vital to prevent new fires from starting and to help our firefighters focus on containing the existing fires. Learn more at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/ochoco/alerts-notices/?aid=89068. 

Smoke: Smoke from multiple fires in Central Oregon are impacting the region. Additional details are available via https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook/079f0f73.

Fire Restrictions and Closures: The Ochoco National Forest has implemented a forest closure for the Paulina Ranger District. More information can be found at fs.usda.gov/alerts/ochoco/alerts-notices/?aid=89203.

More Information:

InciWeb:  https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orocf-crazy-creek

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SWIMT5 

Central Oregon Wildfire Information: https://centraloregonfire.org/ 

Crook County Emergency Information Map: https://arcg.is/1ij0vb 

Summary: The Wapiti and Bulltrout fires resulted from a lightning storm on Wednesday, July 24, 2024.On July 31st an incident management team was delegated the West Mountain Complex which includes the Boulder, Wapiti and Bulltrout Fires on the Boise National Forest and the Wolf Creek Fire on the Payette National Forest. All fires are using a full suppression strategy to manage these lightning-caused fires. Due to the tireless work of crews and the arrival of some moisture the Bulltrout fire has reached 15% containment. Firefighter and public safety remain the top priority for fire managers. 

Weather | Anticipated Fire Behavior:  Beginning yesterday, weather is trending warmer and drier across all fire locations. Relative humidity will be in the 20% range and temperatures will be in the 80-90° range on the fires. Record high temperatures are expected across Eastern and Central Idaho on Friday. Both fires experienced minimal growth yesterday with the arrivals of moisture to the area. There is still isolated torching in the heavy timber, especially the subalpine fir.  

Actions: Firefighting crews are in the area and providing support to both fires. Aerial resources are assisting through water drops, and logistical missions aiding suppression and burnout operations. 

Wapiti Fire: Tomorrow crews will begin structure assessment around the Sawtooth Lodge and create a plan for structure protection. This includes setting up hose lays and pumps to route water to the location. The fire has been receiving consistent suppression support from aerial resources which has been an important component since the terrain is quite steep and access is challenging. 

Bulltrout Fire: On the northwest corner of the fire, crews are removing snag trees and expect to have a handline completed by end of the day. Hose lays in areas of the fire have allowed crews to go direct with their efforts and get water on the fire. Air operations are not utilizing retardant due to proximity to waterways due to the presence of threatened and endangered fish species. 

Important Information: For the Bulltrout Fire, the Boise and Salmon‐Challis National Forests have issued a closure order effective immediately for roads, trails and lands encompassing the Bulltrout Fire. The closure was enacted to protect public safety and support fire suppression activities. This closure includes National Forest System (NFS) Roads #579, #582 and several others. There are no disruptions in access to the Boundary Creek Boat Launch.  NFS Road #579 is open in its entirety from Highway 21 to NFS Road #568 to the Boundary Creek Boat Launch. Risk to responders and public safety remain the highest priority for the incident management team. Additional information about these closures can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/2u8v3pf7 

For the Wapiti Fire, the Boise and Sawtooth National Forests have issued a closure order effective immediately for roads, trails and lands encompassing the Wapiti Fire. The closure was enacted to protect public safety and support fire suppression activities. The closure affects interior travel on several National Forest System roads such as NFS Grandjean Road #524 and the Warm Springs Air Strip. Additional information about these closures can be found at https://tinyurl.com/2u8v3pf7  

The evacuation of the Grandjean area and the Sawtooth Lodge remains in place and incident management team is in close coordination with the Boise County Sheriff’s Office. 

Both fires are adjacent to Highway 21 which is a popular travel route in Central Idaho. With the influx of vehicles in the area from fire and support personnel, please use extreme caution when traveling along Highway 21 and give the firefighters space to work. 

Fire Location 

Wolf Creek: 5 miles W of Donnelly, ID 

Boulder: 9 miles SW of Cascade, ID 

Size 

Wolf Creek: 953 acres 

Boulder: 554 acres 

Containment 

Wolf Creek: 0% 

Boulder: 7% 

Personnel 

Wolf Creek: 195 

Boulder: 148 

Start Date 

Both Fires: 7/24/2024 

Cause 

Both Fires: lightning 

Incident Commander 

Mike Johnston, Great Basin Complex Incident Management Team #7 

Summary: The Boulder and Wolf Creek Fires started on the evening of Wednesday, July 24, 2024. On July 31st an incident management team was delegated the West Mountain Complex which includes: Boulder, Wapiti and Bulltrout Fires on the Boise National Forest and the Wolf Creek Fire on the Payette National Forest. All fires are using a full suppression strategy to manage these lightning-caused fires. For firefighter safety, please avoid high traffic fire areas and give the firefighters room to do their job. Please be aware of aerial resources while recreating on Cascade Lake as they are using the reservoir as their water source for suppression.  

Weather | Anticipated Fire Behavior:  A warming and drying trend began yesterday as temperatures reached the 70s and fuels continue to dry out. Temperatures will reach into the 80s, and terrain driven winds are expected under an incoming high-pressure ridge. Record highs are forecast for the fire area in the coming days which will impact the fires   

Fire Behavior: Yesterday the fires saw minimal growth due to the wetting rains on Tuesday. Torching and spotting in heavy dead and down fuels is expected today, and increased activity overnight is anticipated. 

Actions: From the time of initial attack, fire managers have been proactive in ordering additional resources to aid in suppression efforts. As well as prioritizing operational needs, crews are shipped from fire to fire to complete strategic objectives.  

Boulder Fire:  Burnout operations yesterday were hampered by uncooperative winds. Despite that, 7% containment has been accomplished. Further, firefighters have completed hand and dozer line on the southern end of the fire. This will provide a good anchor point for crews to work from. Burnout operations will continue through the end of the week. Increased smoke may be visible throughout the valley during this operation. As more resources become available there will be opportunities to attack the fire directly. Air resources will continue to support crews on the ground and will be used where appropriate as conditions permit. 

Wolf Creek Fire: There was minimal to no movement of the fire to the northeast yesterday. Crews will continue to construct line where possible and take advantage of opportunities to work directly along the fire’s edge when conditions permit. To the west, completed hand lines tie in with the existing road system. On the north flank of the fire along the Little Weiser River, crews work to cold-trail, a method of controlling a partly dead fire edge by carefully inspecting and feeling with the hand for heat to detect any fire that could rekindle. 

Important Information: The Boise National Forest has issued a closure order #0402-04-98 for Nation Forest System (NFS) roads, trails and lands encompassing the Boulder Fire, located 10 miles southwest of Cascade. The closure was enacted to protect public safety and support fire suppression activities. The closure includes Blue Lake and Snowbank Mountain Road (#446) along with all #404 and #421 system roads. Near the Wolf Creek Fire, Forest Road #435 (Anderson Lake Road) was closed on August 1st.  For more information on closures on the Boise National Forest please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/boise/alerts-notices  

On the Payette National Forest, another closure including popular Nation Forest System roads such as: sections of NFS #1763 (West Mountain Jeep Trail), #835, #206 and #326 was issued on July 27, 2024. For a map and a more detailed description of the closure please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/payette/alerts-notices  

The Valley County Sheriff’s Office has issued a “ready” evacuation order for residents in Zone 7 and Zone 8. Valley County Sheriff Kevin Copperi said, “Our goal is to ensure that our impacted residents have the time they need to make arrangements to move large animals and agricultural assets as well as secure their homes in the case the fire moves quickly.” Maps and additional information on the evacuation status can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/5n7kbuy6  

Stage 1 Fire Restrictions have been issued for the Payette Fire Restrictions Area. To check your specific area or for more detailed guidelines: https://tinyurl.com/56rmf7p6. 

Special Statement 
NWS Heat Advisory: Heat advisory remains in effect from noon Friday to 9 PM MDT Saturday 

Fire 
There are multiple fires affecting the forecast area, including smoke transport from SW Oregon and N California. For more information on Limepoint-Cliff Mountain wildfire incidents, please visit Inciweb
(https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idpaf-limepoint-fire)

Smoke 
The high pressure system continues to dominate resulting in hotter and drier weather conditions with light surface and upper level winds out of the SW. Today's conditions should be similar to yesterday's with MODERATE across the Smoke Outlook region for most of the day. Transport smoke from Oregon and California fires should remain aloft, resulting in hazy conditions. Smoke from the Limepoint-Cliff Mountain fires will be terrain-driven early flowing SW downslope through the Snake River corridor then shifting toward the NE, pushed by the SW winds. An expected late afternoon evening shift of winds from the NE may move smoke from the Limepoint-Cliff Mountain fires towards the US 95 corridor possibly impacting Council, Weiser, and Ontario.