Forest Service News Release 

Contact: Kira Powell

kira.powell@usda.gov 

Hungry Horse Reservoir East Side Road Opens Friday, September 1, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.

Kalispell, MT, August 31, 2023 — The east side road of Hungry Horse Reservoir (National Forest System Road 38) will open tomorrow at 10:00am to public travel along the entire east shore to Spotted Bear Ranger Station. The Hungry Horse Reservoir will be open for boating and the east shore and islands are open to dispersed camping. The west side road (National Forest System Road 895) will be open to the Doris Point Boat Launch, allowing watercraft access to the reservoir from that popular site. NFS Road 895 remains closed south of the Doris Point Boat Launch due to the Tin Soldier and Doris Point Fires. An area closure for the Ridge Fire is also still in effect and includes the Desert Mountain Road (National Forest System Road 497) and Emery Creek Road (National Forest System Road 546). Emery Bay Campground, however, will be open and available for reservations.

While the cooler weather and recent rainfall have significantly reduced fire activity, this week’s rain was not a season-ending event and areas within the fire perimeters are still hazardous. Firefighting efforts continue within the fire areas and the closures are in place to provide for public and firefighter safety.  

Visible flames are only one aspect of hazardous conditions within a fire area. Even as black areas in the interior of the fire perimeter cool off, residual heat can be found in stumps and large fallen trees. Smoking stump holes and even standing, green needle trees can have smoldering roots below the ground for days or weeks after everything around it is extinguished. Wet soil and strong winds can cause these fire-weakened trees to fall without warning, making them very hazardous.  

Please review the area closure maps and remain outside of the closed fire areas. Firefighters continue to work diligently and closure areas will open as soon as safely possible.  
 

“I am excited to allow public access back into the Hungry Horse Reservoir for Labor Day weekend. I always need to prioritize firefighter and public safety above recreation demands and as the weather changes, I am hopeful we will be able to open up the West Side Road in the near future. It is very important to me and we will open areas as soon as conditions are safe.” says Rob Davies, Hungry Horse District Ranger.

Stage II Fire Restrictions ended 12:01am Wednesday, August 30, 2023, for the Flathead National Forest. There are now no fire restrictions in place for the Flathead National Forest. Please do not leave campfires unattended and ensure they are dead out before you leave.

Revised Area Closures Still in Effect: 

Doris Point and Tin Soldier Fires Closure: The closure area encompasses the west side of the Hungry Horse Reservoir from the Doris Point Boat Launch on NFS Road 895 on the north end to the Wilderness boundary on the south end, and from the Swan Mountain ridgeline down to the reservoir, excluding the Jewel Basin Hiking Area. NFS Road 895 (West Side South Fork Road) is open to the Doris Point Boat Launch to allow access to the reservoir. NFS Road 895 is closed south of the Doris Point Boat Launch. All roads and trails within the closure are closed to the public.

Ridge Fire Closure: The closed area encompasses Emery Creek drainage, north of NFS Road 38 and west of Margaret Creek, including a portion of the Coram Experimental Forest. All roads and trails within the closure are closed to the public, including the Desert Mountain Road (NFS Road 497) and Emery Creek Road (NFS Road 546).

-END- 

River Road East Fire

Fact Sheet

Friday, September 1, 2023 at 10:00 am

NORTHERN ROCKIES TEAM 1                                          

INCIDENT COMMANDER: BRENT OLSON

Information Phone: 406-345-5972            

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/mtlnf-river-road-east-fire

Email: 2023.RiverRoadEast@firenet.gov                             

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

Location:  6 miles southeast of Plains, Montana                                               

Start Date: 8/18/2023         Cause: Unknown                 Size: 17,230 acres        Containment: 35%           

Total Personnel: 394         Crews: 8                             Engines: 19                 Helicopters: 5   

KEY MESSAGE: Fire crews continue to work on containment of the fire, conducting mop up and patrols along the edge of the fire. As containment increases, there may still be areas of smoke and fire within the interior of the fire area. If you see smoke or fire, please verify if it is within the fire area before calling it in as a new fire. If there is fire threatening a structure or a fire outside of the fire area, then call.

CURRENT STATUS: Yesterday, crews patrolled and mopped up the north control lines above Henry’s Creek and around Henry’s Peak. Patrol and mop up also continued along the fire’s northeast corner and east side along the forest and CSKT boundary.  On the southeast corner, crews worked on direct control line construction while extinguishing hot spots.  On the northwest corner, fire personnel patrolled and mopped up on the line where the burning operation was conducted a few days ago. Along the west side, crews continued clean-up work on the previously constructed shaded fuel break. On the southwest corner crews continued to work directly along the fire edge searching out and extinguishing hot spots. An Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) or drone was used for a short time to help provide information on areas of heat to the crews working on the southeast corner of the fire. Operations consolidated geographic division boundaries and began demobilizing excess firefighting resources to make them available for other high priority fires in the country.

PLANNED ACTIONS: Crews plan to continue the patrol and mop up work that has been ongoing along the north (Henry’s Creek), northeast corner, and eastern (forest and CSKT boundary) sides of the fire area. Crews will return to the southeast corner of the fire to continue work on the direct control line where some heat remains. Fire personnel will work on removing some hazard trees that have been identified along River Road East. Hazard trees are trees that could potentially fall without warning because of fire weakened or impacted root systems. Clean up work along the western flank of the fire, north of Pat’s Knob will also continue. Mop up work also remains on some of the control lines on the northwest corner of the fire. Crews will be working on those control lines again today. The number of personnel and equipment will continue to be right-sized for a smaller organization as containment increases and control lines are completed and secured.

WEATHER: The weather will be partly cloudy as temperatures warm slightly above seasonal norms. Temperatures will be 73-83 degrees. Minimum relative humidity levels will be 23-33%. Winds will be from the east at 10-15 mph on the ridge tops and from the northeast at 10-15 mph at lower elevation.

CLOSURES: Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has a closure in place on segments of the Flathead River and Clark Fork River within and near the River Road East Fire area. Details can be found at Restrictions and Closures: https://fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions.

The Lolo National Forest has an emergency closure of roads and trails (Closure #23-010-Lolo-D5) effective August 21, 2023. This Order is for public and firefighter safety during fire suppression efforts of the River Road East Fire. For a complete listing of the closed roads & trails visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/lolo/alerts-notices.

A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in effect over the fire (FDC 3/9687) for the safety of aviation resources.

Gibbs Forest Fire Final Daily Update

September 1, 2023

10:00 am

Size: 348 acres

Containment: 100%

Start Date: August 29, 2023

Cause: Lightning

Texas A&M Forest Service received a request for assistance from Walker County for a fire at State Highway 30 and Pool Road 12.5 miles west of Huntsville, Texas on August 29, at 3:30 pm. 

Crews continued to engage in mop-up operation efforts yesterday. Little heat was found throughout the day and the cause of the Gibbs Forest fire was identified. The increase in acreage was due to improved mapping.

State resources have been released and, pending any significant change in fire activity, this incident will no longer be updated.

Weather:

Hot and dry conditions will persist. A Red Flag Warning is in effect through this evening and relative humidity values will be below 30%. Winds are expected to be around 5-10 mph with gusts up to 15 mph. Current conditions coupled with extremely dry fuel and hot temperatures make it important to be extremely cautious with - or avoid entirely - the use of fire or equipment that can cause sparks on dry vegetation. 

Evacuations:

There are no evacuations at this time.

Closures:

There are no road closures at this time.

Damages and Injuries:

Currently, there have been no reports of injuries from the public or first responders. No structure or critical infrastructure have been lost.

Area, trail, and camp closures remain in effect along State Route 20 within North Cascades National Park Service Complex to manage visitor safety, firefighter access, and emergency response in conjunction with firefighting efforts on the Sourdough Fire. The Sourdough Fire is at 6,234 acres and 25% containment. 

Cooler temperatures and light rain will continue through Thursday; less than an inch of rain is expected on the fire area. Warm and dry weather will return on Friday and continue over the weekend. Smoke may return with warmer temperatures and increased fire behavior. Take caution when recreating outdoors when smoke is present. Learn more at Real-Time Air Quality Map | PurpleAir, airnow.gov or visit https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/. 

State Route 20 reopened to through-traffic today, Wednesday, following closures due to the Sourdough and Blue Lake fires. This stretch of highway is within an active fire area and the road is subject to closing again with little notice based on fire behavior, fire mitigation strategies, or weather. Travelers along State Route 20 are advised they may encounter firefighting personnel and apparatus along the highway. Up-to-date road information is posted in the WSDOT real-time travel center.  

Fire The fire is 31,342 acres. The potential for increased fire activity exists again today. Large fuels continue to smolder to provide the possibility for active fire behavior. Rapid fire progression is possible with the hot, dry and windy weather. The latest fire information is located on Inciweb located at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/lalas-tiger-island-fire

Smoke Smoke in localized areas near the fire and on roads adjacent to it, especially in the Merryville area. If we have active fire behavior with fire progression, or new starts, there could be high levels of smoke for short durations in the vicinity of the fire. In the evening, after winds shift from NE to SE, there would be increased smoke toward Hwy. 190 and the community of Junction. Smoke from other fires will impact DeRidder and Lake Charles during the day and start to decrease in the evening as winds shift from NE to SE. Leesville and Lafayette will see increasing smoke from other fires after the wind shift. Smoke levels in these communities should alternate back and forth between GOOD and MODERATE depending on wind directions in relation to other fires.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Conditions can change at any time. If you see smoke and smell smoke, you are breathing smoke. For near time air quality information see EPA's Fire and Smoke Map: https://fire.airnow.gov/

CLOSURE REDUCTION: Officials reduced the closure area for the BEDROCK FIRE on Aug. 31, 2023 due to successful firefighting efforts. Many popular sites and trails that were closed by the old Bedrock closure are now open, including the full length of the Alpine Trail (#3315). Follow Bedrock Fire 2023 for latest information. The revised closure map and order is attached to this page.

OPEN Trails, Trailheads, and Recreation Sites

Indian Ridge Trail #3315

Alpine Trail #3450

Station Butte Trail #3471

Hehe Mountain #3475

Joe’s Peak Trail #3482

Sardine Butte Trail #3564

North Fork Segment #2 Trail #3666.2

Indian Ridge Lookout

Apline Trailhead (Road 1825 and 1912)

Hehe Trialhead

Indian Ridge Trailhead (Lower and Upper)

Joe's Peak Trailhead

North Fork (Road 1912) Trailhead

North Fork (Road 1919) Trailhead

Station Butte Trail #3471

CLOSED Campgrounds

∎ Bedrock Campground

∎ Blue Pool Campground

∎ Broken Bowl

∎ Dolly Varden

∎ Puma

CLOSED Trails

∎ Johnny Creek Nature Trail #3454

∎ Clark Creek Nature Trail #3456

∎ Clark Butte Trail #3456.1

∎ Clark/Fall Tie Trail #3456.2

∎ Gold Point Tie Trail #3468.1

∎ Saddleblanket Trail #3487

∎ Tall Trees Trail #4269

∎ Fall Creek National Recreation Trail #3455

∎ Big Meadows Loop Trail #3456

∎ Cowhorn Mountain Trail #3458

∎ Gold Point Trail #3468

∎ Jones Trail #3472

CLOSED Trailheads

∎ Alpine (Road 1825)

∎ Saddleblanket Trailhead

∎ Station Butte Trailhead

∎ Alpine Trailhead (Road 1912)

∎ Clark Butte Trailhead (Lower and Upper)

∎ Clark Creek Nature Trail Trailhead (Low Clk Butte)

∎ Fall Creek Trailhead (Dolly Varden)

∎ Fall Creek Trailhead (Road 1828)

∎ Fall Creek Trailhead (Road 1833)

∎ Gold Point Trailhead (Lower and Upper)

∎ Hehe Trailhead

∎ Jones Trailhead (Lower and Upper)

∎ Little Cowhorn Trailhead

CLOSED Recreation Sites

∎ Saddleblanket Shelter

∎ Timber Butte

∎ Bedrock Day Use

∎ Clark Creek Organizational Camp

∎ Little Cowhorn Lookout

Read full closure: https://www.fs.usda.gov/.../FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1125705.pdf

The Willamette National Forest is currently in Level 3 Fire Restrictions, IFPL III, and “very high” danger rating. More information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/willamette/fire.

All future updates will be posted directly to the Forest Facebook pages and the Inciweb site.  Frequency of updates will be dictated by fire activity and/or changes to operations and closures. For more information please call the Pintler Ranger District Office (406) 859-3211.

Acreage: 6,678

Containment: 8%

Weather Improves Conditions on Tyee Ridge Complex

UMPQUA, Ore. – Today, rainfall was widespread throughout the Tyee Ridge Complex, with up to a quarter of an inch recorded at many locations. As a result, fire behavior was less active than in prior days. Smoldering and creeping occurred, with no spot fires or uphill runs. Firefighters took advantage of these conditions and built direct line at the fire’s edge in many locations. This tactic is intended to limit the overall footprint of a fire.

The weather also allowed crews to further increase mop up on the Big Tom, Hardscrabble, Blue Hole, and Yellow Creek Fires. Hotshot crews prepared line on the Lighthouse Fires for further tactical firing operations if needed. Ground operations made progress in several areas on the Cougar Creek Fire. They continued to attack and line existing spot fires and slopovers. Near residences on Hubbard Creek Road, Oregon State Fire Marshal task forces provided continued protection and enhanced defensible space, while wildland crews reinforced and held line. Hazard trees remain a challenge on many roads. Oregon Department of Forestry resources focused on identifying and removing those for firefighter and public safety.

Another significant hazard with the changes in weather is visibility. Smoke and fog were present today and will persist overnight. Motorists should use  caution as sight distances will be limited.

Evacuation notices from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office remained unchanged today. An estimated 197 persons have evacuated. No structures have been damaged or destroyed. The Red Cross shelter for evacuees now located at The Way Church of Sutherlin located at 1352 E. Central Ave. in Sutherlin, OR. To shelter livestock, contact Douglas County Animal Control at 541-440-4471. Companion pets can be sheltered at Saving Grace Pet Adoption Center in Roseburg.

Oregon Department of Forestry Team 1

Joe Hessel, Incident Commander

OSFM Red Team, Ian Yocum, Incident Commander

WEATHER: Cooler temperatures and a chance of precipitation are forecasted this evening into Friday on the Happy Camp Complex.  A flash flood watch issued by the National Weather Service is now in effect through Friday evening for the McKinney (2022) and Head fire burn areas.

WEST SIDE OVERVIEW (ACRES/CONTAINMENT): Elliot (11,459 acres, 25%), Ufish (4,651 acres, 3%) Hancock (1,653 acres, 0%)

As of this morning, the Ufish and Malone fires have merged and will now be referred to as the Ufish Fire. Today, firefighters worked to secure the perimeters of the Ufish and Elliot fires to ensure that the fire lines hold, preventing the fires from moving to the north. Tonight, crews will continue to hold and improve the fire lines.

This evening, the Hancock Fire, located southwest of the Elliot Fire, was added to the Happy Camp Complex. Fire managers are assessing the fire and planning suppression efforts.

EAST SIDE OVERVIEW (ACRES/CONTAINMENT): Head (6,940 acres, 75%), Block (0.1 acres, 100%), Townsend (81 acres, 100%), Den (294 acres, 100%), Scott (1,886 acres, 70%), Lake (199, acres, 55%)

Today, firefighters on the Head, Scott, and Lake fires continued to secure containment lines. Crews are working to complete the last two sections of uncontained fire line on the north and west sides of the Head Fire. Crews will patrol the areas tonight.

EVACUATIONS: View current Siskiyou County evacuation orders and warnings by visiting: community.zonehaven.com. Siskiyou County residents are encouraged to sign up for rapid emergency notifications using the CodeRED emergency alert system at: www.co.siskiyou.ca.us/emergencyservices/page/codered-emergency-alert

An evacuation center has been established at the Kahtishraam Wellness Center, 1403 Kahtishraam, Yreka, CA 95097. Call (530) 340-3539 if you have questions regarding the shelter.

ROAD CONDITIONS: State Route 96 is open. One-way traffic control remains in place in several areas while crews work to repair damaged infrastructure, remove debris, and stabilize slopes. Delays at the locations with one-way traffic control could be up to an hour or more. Scott River Road is now open with the exception of the area between Mill Creek to Highway 96. County road closures will be listed on the Siskiyou County Public Works website: www.co.siskiyou.ca.us/publicworks/page/closures-and-delays

FOREST CLOSURE: Two closure orders have been implemented: Happy Camp Complex Emergency Fire Closure, No.05-05-23-06; Happy Camp Complex Emergency Fire Closure, No. 05-05-23-07. View closure orders and maps at: www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/klamath/alerts-notices

TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTION (TFR): A TFR has been established over the fire area. Flight restrictions include the use of drones. The operation of drones under the TFR is prohibited.

PACIFIC CREST TRAIL: The Pacific Crest Trail is closed between the Shelly Fork Junction and Seiad as part of an area closure under Forest Order 05-05-23-07. It is suggested that northbound through-hikers exit the trail at Etna Summit and resume northward travel from Seiad.

AIR QUALITY: For information regarding smoke impacts and what you can do to protect yourself, visit the Siskiyou County Air Pollution Control District Fire and Smoke Information Website at: www.co.siskiyou.ca.us/airpollution/page/fire-and-smoke-information or AirNow.gov