Crater Creek Fire Update
August 22, 2023

Tonasket, WA: The fire is burning in remote and rugged terrain with poor access, it is not currently threatening critical infrastructure or municipal watershed integrity. A confine/contain suppression strategy is being implemented. Forest Service recreation values are being assessed and mapped for protection, including the 14 Mile Recreation Site. Crews are working on opening shoulders of the Crazy Cow Creek Rd to improve access to the eastern containment lines. Clearing and chipping operations on the FS 39 Road continue, as well as the scouting and establishing of indirect line on the eastern side of the containment area. Acreage is less than previously estimated due to more accurate mapping.

Firefighter and public safety are the highest priorities. Please check up to date road closure information on the websites below. Communication with British Columbia fire officials is ongoing.

Weather: Forecast is based on an elevation range of 6000 to 7500 feet. The high today is 62 degrees with a minimum humidity of 55 percent. Winds have the potential to gust 35 mph this afternoon and evening. Remnants of Hurricane Hilary will interact with an approaching low-pressure system from the Pacific, bring increased chances of showers and thunderstorms throughout the next few days. Temperatures will rebound Friday and into the weekend with highs in the 70s.

Closures: Closure Orders have been issued by the US Forest Service, BLM, and DNR.
USFS: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and the Colville National Forest for the following campgrounds, roads, and trails:
Developed Campgrounds Closed

Long Swamp Campground, 14 Mile Campground

Roads Closed

FSR 3900100, 110, 105, FSR 3900395, FSR 3900415, FSR 3900500 (Iron Gate), 502, 505, 510, 515

Trails Closed

Trail No. 340 Long Draw, Trail No. 341 Deer Park, Trail No. 342 Windy Peak, Trail No. 343 Clutch Peak, Trail No. 360 Basin Creek, Trail No. 362 Windy Peak, Trail No. 375 Albert Camp, Trail No. 387 Middle Fork, Trail No. 505 Coleman Ridge from junction with Trail No. 561 north to junction with Trail No. 510, Trail No. 510 Chewuch from junction with 510A Cathedral Driveway north to junction with Trail No. 565 Lesamiz, Trail No. 533 Boundary Trail (Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail) from the junction of the lower Cathedral Lake Trail No. 545 junction east to the Forest Service boundary with the Loomis State Forest, Trail No. 533.2 Smith Lake, Trail No. 534 Tungsten Creek, Trail No. 561 Fire Creek

https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/colville/alerts-notices or https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/okawen/alerts-notices

WA DNR: The WA Department of Natural Resources has closed the northern block of the Loomis NRCA. This closure includes the Disappointment Trailhead, as well as Cold Springs Campground, Cold Springs Overlook, and Chopaka Lake Campground. The Cold Springs Road is closed 6 miles past the intersection with Toats Coulee Road, and the Fourteen Mile Road is closed 1 mile past the intersection with Toats Coulee Road. https://www.dnr.wa.gov/LoomisLoupLoup

BLM: The Chopaka Lake Campground is closed until further notice

There will be a community meeting tomorrow, August 23, at 7:00 p.m. in Medical Lake.  Representatives from local agencies and Northwest Team 7 will be sharing updates about the fire, its impacts, and next steps.

Today’s Activities: Firefighters are making good progress mopping up the edges of the fire, connecting pieces of containment lines, and confirming previously created dozer lines.  Within the interior of the fire, firefighters are successfully expanding the areas they can safely reach and work in.  They are also looking for areas that didn’t burn to secure fire edges and reduce the chances of fire spreading into unburned areas.  Wildland fire crews and state mobilization crews are mopping up around structures, setting up hose lays, and assessing burned structures for potential hazards. 

Many trees have been weakened by the fire, creating hazards for firefighters as some of these trees give way and fall.  Heavy fuels like large trees are still very dry and will continue to smolder despite the rain. 

Weather: Light rain started falling on the fire overnight and is expected to continue throughout today.  Continued high humidity levels have helped slow fire growth, especially in areas with lighter fuels like grasses. 

Evacuations: Spokane County Emergency Management reduced the evacuation levels in some areas, allowing about 4,000 residents to return to their homes.  Evacuation maps are posted on the Gray Fire Inciweb page and the Spokane County Emergency Management Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GEGEmergencyMgt.

The Red Cross shelter for people and their pets is located at Spokane Falls Community College.  The Spokane County Fairgrounds is available to shelter large animals or livestock from evacuated areas.

Interstate 90: I-90 has opened in both directions.  State Route (SR) 904 is also open.  SR 902 is open partially, but closed between Salnave Rd. and Campbell Rd. 

The Gray Fire Incident Command Post will be moving tomorrow morning to Pine Lodge in Medical Lake.  NW Team 7 appreciates Cheney Middle School for being generous hosts for fire personnel and wishes all incoming students a successful school year.

ADDITIONAL FIRE & EMERGENCY INFORMATION:  

Gray Fire Information:

Phone: 509-903-5563, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Inciweb:  https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/wanes-gray-fire

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

Washington Smoke Blog: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/ 

Spokane County Emergency Management (evacuations and pets & livestock concerns): https://www.facebook.com/GEGEmergencyMgt

Local Red Cross Support: https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation.html

WA DOT Highway Updates: https://wsdot.com/Travel/Real-time/Map/

Avista: https://www.myavista.com/outages

Inland Power: https://www.inlandpower.com/outages-emergencies

A community meeting will be held at 5:30 this evening at the Gail Zink Memorial Park in Happy Camp.

*Please note: a new phone line has been established for media inquiries.

A higher than predicted amount of rain fell overnight on the fires comprising the east side of the Happy Camp Complex. The Collins Baldy Lookout received nearly 2 ½ inches of rain over a three hour period. This impacted the east side of the Head Fire. The west side of the Head Fire and the fires to the south at lower elevations received less than ½ inch of precipitation. The rainfall totals on the west side of the complex were much less with the highest recorded total reaching only 1/10th of an inch.

The rain caused issues with slides and debris flow in the fire area. A slide on Highway 96 in the Oak Knoll area will force firefighters traveling from the base camp in Montague to use the Scott Bar Road to access the fire today. The public is reminded to maintain awareness of the presence of fire equipment and the potential for additional slides as they drive in the area.

The west side of the fire remained active last night and two spot fires were discovered near the Swillup Fire. The largest, at approximately 25 acres is located to the north of the Swillup Fire. The second, east of the Elliot Fire, is still being assessed. A drone flight is planned this afternoon to check for additional spot fires nearby.

On the west side, the Canyon, Three Creeks, Elliot and Swillup fires are being pushed by upslope winds and spreading slowly to the north. A plan has been developed to construct fireline to the north, west and east of these fires. The steep, rugged terrain presents a challenge as fire crews work to box in these fires.

Crews were able to construct containment lines on the north side of the Malone Fire yesterday and will now shift to the south and the west flanks. Boats will be used to transport fire crews across the river to access the Ufish Fire which had previously been unstaffed.

On the east side, the Den and the Townsend Fires have been lined and a number of the resources will be reassigned to higher priority fires in the complex.

Last night crews were able to work directly on the fire’s edge of the Gold and Scott Fires and tied contingency dozer line into Scott Creek. Structure preparation has been completed in the area.

Progress is also being made on the Lake Fire. Initial lines have been constructed on the north and south sides.

Firefighters will continue to take advantage of the weather and build line directly on the edges of the fires when terrain and other conditions allow. The steep terrain and weather increase the potential of heavier fuels such as snags and burning logs to roll down slope or fall unexpectedly. Crews will pay close attention to the conditions as they move forward.

CURRENT ACRES BURNED:

Canyon (1,108), Three Creeks (320), Elliot (669), Swillup (576), Ufish (583), Malone (129)

Head (6,419), Den (294), Townsend (81), Block (0.1), Gold (730), Scott (225), Lake (174)

EVACUATIONS:  View current Siskiyou County evacuation orders, warnings by visiting: community.zonehaven.com. Siskiyou County residents are encouraged to sign up for rapid emergency notifications using the CodeRED emergency alert system. https://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 CLOSURES: Highway 96 is closed from Seiad Creek Road to two miles east of Horse Creek.  Scott River Road is closed at Kelsey Creek Road. Fire and debris flow will continue to impact the Highway 96 corridor. Please check the Cal Trans website prior to travel in the area, quickmap.dot.ca.gov.  County road closures will be listed on the Siskiyou County Public Works website, https://www.co.siskiyou.ca.us/publicworks/page/closures-and-delays . If you are traveling and encounter mud or debris flow across the roadway do not attempt to cross over the flow. Vehicles can easily be swept off the roadway.

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. Please refer to https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/klamath/alerts-notices to view the orders and maps.

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

PACIFIC CREST TRAIL: The Pacific Crest Trail has been impacted by the Happy Camp Complex and a portion of the trail is within an Emergency Closure Order on the Klamath National Forest. The trail is closed between Etna Summit and the Oregon border.

AIR QUALITY: For information smoke impacts and what you can do to protect yourself visit: https://www.airnow.gov/

• Fire Information:
• Public Phone: (530) 330-5441
• Media Phone: (530) 330-5452*
• Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily
• Email: 2023.happycampcomplex@firenet.gov
• Incident Website: inciweb.wildfire.gov

WILDFIRE UPDATE - Delta Area

Pogo Mine Road Fire (#191) & Mount Hayes Fire (#299)

Tuesday - August 22, 2023

Final community briefing for the Pogo Mine Road & Mount Hayes Fires to be held today.

There will be a final community briefing, open to all, at the Big Delta Brewing Company today at 6:00 PM. Topics of discussion will be the current state of both fires and plans for the downsizing and repair of suppression efforts.

Pogo Mine Road Fire (#191) – 48,745 acres | 128 personnel | 12 miles NW of Delta

North Pacific crew continues bone piling and mopping up north of the Pogo Mine Road while the Tongass Fire Suppression Module works on bone piling and mop up to the south. Franco Reforestation crew is working south from the winter trail toward the Chena Hotshots, who continue to construct fire line around areas of unburned fuel and secure edge at the southern tip of the fire. The road group is using heavy equipment to remove downed and hazard trees along Pogo Mine Road to keep it passable and safe.

Mount Hayes Fire (#299) – 6,720 acres | 2 personnel | 7 miles SE of Deltana

UAS flew the fire yesterday and found pockets of interior heat, none of which is a threat to containment but will continue to put up visible smoke. This fire will be placed in monitor status and checked by air. The three Alaska Department of Fish & Game cabins at Donna, Little Donna, and Lisa Lake, will be reopened for use today.  

Weather: The overall weather pattern will remain similar through Tuesday although showers will be lighter and more sporadic on Tuesday with periods of sunny skies. On Wednesday, ridging starts to build in from the south bringing a slight warming and drying trend through Thursday.

A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place for the fires, pilots please check NOTAMs.

Fire Information: Phone number: (907) 921-7852 / Fire Info website: AkFireInfo.com

Buckskin 2 Fire - August 22, 2023

Idaho Panhandle National Forests, Sandpoint Ranger District Fire Information: 208-557-8813

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/idipf-buckskin-2-fire 

Type 3 Incident Commander, Brian Hicks

Location: Located approximately 8 miles due south of Clark Fork, ID on the upper end of Twin Creek and Buckskin Saddle, south of Highway 200

Start Date: 8/4/2023          Cause: Undetermined         Size: 242 acres        Containment: 70%  

Total Personnel: 93            Engines: 1      Hand Crews: 3          Modules: 2

Heavy Equipment: 1 Skidgens, 1 Water Tender

There has been no growth on the fire in several days and fire behavior is just a smoldering interior. Fireline is completed around the entire perimeter as crews and equipment continue to improve the direct line along the fire's west flank. The fire remains 1.8 miles from the nearest structure. The Forest Closure remains in place for fire firefighters and public safety around active operations. 

Until a season-ending event occurs, smoke may be visible from pockets of unburned fuels within the perimeter of the fire. The smoke that has settled into the area is from existing and new large fires in Washington and British Columbia. See https://fire.airnow.gov/ for more detailed smoke information.

The published email and phone number will still be monitored. If you are having any issues connecting to these sites, or simply have questions about the status of the fire, please call the fire information line at 208-557-8813. The line is staffed from 7 AM to 7 PM, and all calls will be returned. 

EVACUATION STATUS

The Bonner County Sheriff’s Office has rescinded the READY notification for the Twin Creek Rd and Rearden Rd residents in Clark Fork as of August 19, 2023, at 4 PM. Citizens should continue to stay alert and prepared, as fire conditions are always subject to quick and unexpected changes. Sign up for Bonner County Sheriff’s Office emergency messaging through NIXLE at www.nixle.com to receive local status updates. 

CLOSURES AND SPECIAL MESSAGES

Forest Closure Order is in effect for roads associated with the Buckskin Fire; the intersection of Forest Service Roads 203 and 332, the intersection of FSR 1021 and 332, and 1533 and 306 in Clark Fork. UTV trail77 is closed as well. An extension of the FSR 203 closure, extending to the edge of private land, took effect on 8/15 at 0700. The public is prohibited from the general area for firefighter safety and asked to practice caution while driving near firefighters and apparatuses.

Stage II Fire Restrictions are in effect. To view the Idaho Fire Restrictions Plan and a statewide map with current information regarding fire restrictions, please visit https://www.idl.idaho.gov/fire-management/fire-restrictions-finder.

The Temporary Flight Restriction that was in place for the safety of our aerial resources and firefighters on the ground has been officially rescinded as of August 20, 2023. Drone operators are reminded to never fly around active fire operations, as it could create critical interference with firefighting efforts. If you fly, we can't!

WEATHER

A 30 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 77. Southeast wind around 10 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

PENDLETON, Ore. (August 22, 2023) — With increased containment and reduced firefighting activity on the Ben Harrison Fire, Umatilla National Forest officials have reopened the Olive Lake Campground.

The Ben Harrison Fire is currently estimated at 95 acres and 100% contained, but the fire may still have some heat sources within the interior. Forest visitors should be cautious when entering any recently burned area and be aware of increased hazards, particularly snags (which are recently burned or dead trees). Dead or dying trees that remain standing after a fire are unstable, especially in high winds. Loose rocks and logs can be present in a burned area and are unpredictable, creating a falling a hazard. Additionally, burned vegetation can also contribute to landslides, mudslides and erosion when rain occurs. The ground in a burned area can also be unstable, due to burned-out roots beneath the soil. Even areas that have no visible fire and that appear cool can still have hot ash pits below the surface.  After soils and vegetation have been charred, rainfall that would normally be absorbed could run off extremely quickly.

Forest visitors may also encounter firefighter traffic, downed trees in roadways, dusty roads and areas of smoke. Please be alert when traveling on the Forest.

Fire danger rating on the Umatilla National Forest remains at HIGH and Public Use Restrictions involving chainsaw use are in effect. For more information regarding Restrictions, please contact the Information Hotline at (877) 958-9663.

The latest fire information will be posted on the Blue Mountains Fire Information Blog. To receive updates on fires in the Blue Mountains, follow our blog at http://bluemountainfireinfo.blogspot.com/.  

Additional information about the Umatilla National Forest is available at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/umatilla.

###

August 22, 2023 – California Incident Management Team 2 is in command of the Six Rivers National Forest (SRF) 2023 Lightning Complex which includes the following 12 fires. Total estimated acreage for the SRF Lightning Complex is 5,441.2 acres.

Redwood National and State Parks Area 

Lost - Full suppression tactics continue on the Lost Fire, estimated at 529 acres on Redwood National and State Parks lands. The fire is located in the Lost Man Creek watershed west of Holter Ridge Road and south of the Lost Man Creek Trail/Geneva Road. Crews are working to prevent the fire from entering old growth forest. Other fires in the area have been contained. CAL FIRE and Green Diamond Resource Company are collaborating with suppression efforts on the Lost Fire. 

Devil 12 acres contained and in patrol status.  Glenn .1 acre contained and in patrol status.  

Hoopa Area 

Lone Pine - Located south of Hoopa in the Horse Linto Creek watershed east of the Trinity River and across the river from Tish Tang Campground and Sugar Bowl Ranch, fire size is estimated at 1,678 acres. Crews are pushing the fire toward the mainstem Trinity River into a planned backing alignment while holding and monitoring current lines. Crews are beginning mop up activities.

Orleans Area

Pearch - East of Orleans is estimated at 981 acres, has resumed a backing alignment after making a northeast run towards Somes Mountain. The fire pushed toward north fork Boise Creek, staying south of Pearch Creek and north of South Fork Pearch Creek. The Orleans pumphouse has been prepped with structure wrap. Structure protection personnel are assessing and preparing homes in the Pearch Creek neighborhood. 

Pearch Fire Evacuation Warning:

Orleans

Zone HUM-E009 (Southeast of the Klamath River in Orleans)

Zone HUM-E008-B (Community of Orleans, west of Klamath River. East of Crawford Creek, including Orleans proper). Hwy 96 and Red Cap Road along the east bank of Klamath River, south from Salmon River, east to Orleans Mountain. Approximately 243 residents live in these 2 zones. 

Somes Bar

Zone SIS-1701: NORTH of Monte Creek Road, SOUTH OF Camp Three Road, EAST OF Camp

Three Road, WEST OF Wooley Creek Trailhead. Anyone in these areas should be prepared for potential evacuations, including personal supplies and overnight accommodations. Be ready to go at a moment's notice. 

Iron - Located above Ti-Bar Wildland Fire Station, this fire has been contained at 17 acres. 

Hancock - Located in the Wooley Creek area, staffed by a crew of ten smoke jumpers. 

Mosquito - Near the Bluff Creek area north of Mosquito Lake is estimated at 1,061 acres. The fire remains north of Forest Road 11N19 and west of Forest Road 12N12. Two engines, one water tender, one dozer, and one division are on site. Smoke jumpers are also on site. Crews are constructing containment lines.    

The following fires are currently unstaffed due to limited resources. Additional resources are on order.

Bluff #1 - 828 acres Blue Creek - .1 acre Blue Creek 2 - 318 acres Let er-Buck -  34 acres

Weather Marine stratus in the morning will start to burn off approximately at 2:00pm. Skies will clear in the afternoon, bringing slightly warmer temperatures and drier conditions. Northeastern drainage winds in the morning will become north westly through the day. Gusts up to 17mph on ridgelines and exposed terrain. Expect highs in the mid to high 70s.

Six Rivers National Forest Closures 

Closures are in effect on Six Rivers National Forest. They may be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/srnf/notices/?cid=FSEPRD1096395. Outdoor activities are not recommended due to wildfire danger and unhealthy air quality. 

Redwood National Park and State Parks Closures  

Due to fire activity in the area, Lost Man Trail from the trailhead on Bald Hills Road to the gate at the Lost Man Picnic Area is closed. Lost Man Road will remain open from Hwy 101 to the Lost Man Picnic Area.

Alert Notifications

ZoneHaven/Genasys for map and zone identification:

https://protect.genasys.com

Humboldt County Residents Register for Humboldt Alert Notification:

 www.humboldt.gov/alerts

Siskiyou County Resident Register at Code Red Alert Notification:

https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/6F327CCDFFFD

For more information:

Redwood National and State Parks Information Hotline

Phone: 707-464-6101

2023 SRF Lightning Complex Fire Information

Phone: 530-330-4048

Email: 2023.lonepine@firenet.gov

Hoopa Information Hotline

Phone: 530-618-2995

Email: serene.oes@gmail.com

List of website for additional information: linktr.ee/srffirepio

Little Mesa Fire Update

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Location: Approx. 15 miles west, southwest of Delta, CO, Dominguez Escalante National Conservation Area      

Discovered: July 31, 2023, 11:00 AM

Cause: Lightning

Estimated Size: 3,896 acres

Vegetation Type: Pinyon, Juniper, sagebrush, grass

Containment: 30%

Total Personnel:  35

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC: Air operations may be conducted on the Little Mesa Fire. For your safety, please stay out of the Potholes Recreation Area. The helicopters are using this water source for fire suppression.

Current Situation: Conditions on the Little Mesa Fire were hot, dry and windy yesterday. Firefighters were forced to ignite along a two-track road on the southwestern end of the fire to protect the fire line against the winds produced by a storm cell that moved in from the southeast. All lines were held successfully. In order to prevent future use of the control line as a road, the excavator completed work on repairing the dozer lines that were created to suppress the fire. In addition, firefighters finished repairing fences damaged during fire suppression.

Today, firefighters will continue to cold-trail and mop up the fire edge. They also plan to tie in the black they created during yesterday’s firing operation into the Black Point Road to the south, if the weather is favorable.

Weather: Partly cloudy conditions are expected this morning with a chance of isolated showers this afternoon. Temperatures remain in the upper 80’s during the day with lows tonight around 60 degrees. Southwest winds 10-15 mph are expected this afternoon, with gusts up to 25 mph.

Today begins a trend of increasing moisture as a high pressure system to the east meets a low pressure system to the west over the area. The likelihood of thunderstorms and showers increases each day, with the greatest chance of widespread storms occurring on Thursday. Lightning, gusty outflow winds, and heavy rain are the greatest threats from any storm.

Evacuations and Closures: No evacuations have been issued. Temporary road closures are in place in Delta County on Dry Mesa Road at the intersection with Escalante Rim Road and on USFS Dry Mesa Road at Sawmill Mesa Road junction. The GMUG National Forests issued a forest closure order for the area around the Little Mesa Fire. Public access to the closure area is limited. Visit https://bit.ly/3YwXNz0 for more information.

Smoke:  Smoke is visible from surrounding areas and highways 50, 550, 92, 65, 141 and C37 Road. Go to fire.airnow.gov or colorado.gov/airquality/ to get updates on smoke conditions.

Aviation Safety:  Incident aircraft may be flying over the Little Mesa Fire air space. Fire aviation resources are flying at different altitudes and speeds. Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones must never fly near wildfires. Remember if you fly, we can’t!

River Road East Fire

Fact Sheet

NORTHERN ROCKIES TEAM 1

INCIDENT COMMANDER: BRENT OLSON

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

Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at 10:00 am

Location:  6 miles east of Plains, Montana                                               

Start Date: 8/18/2023         

Cause: Unknown         

Size: 16,790 acres       

Containment: 0%          

Total Personnel: 383

Crews: 9

Engines: 23   

KEY MESSAGE: Steady rain fell over the fire area yesterday which subdued fire activity. This rain will not put the fire out but will provide firefighters with better opportunities to work on direct control lines. Fire suppression work will continue including line construction and burning operations. The amount of containment line required is high due to the overall size of the fire.

CURRENT STATUS: Fire activity was subdued yesterday due to rain across the fire area. An infrared flight was not done because of the cloud cover. The size of the fire will remain reported as 16,790 acres until weather conditions allow for a new infrared flight. On the northeast and east side of the fire in the Henry’s Creek and Camas Prairie areas, personnel started adjusting plans looking at opportunities to work on direct control lines. Crews continued to secure lines and monitor activity in the Highway 200 corridor and on the south and southwest sides of the fire. Fire personnel looked for indirect control line locations on the west side below Pat’s Knob. On the northwest corner a crew scouted for an opportunity to work directly along the fire’s edge. Overall, fire personnel used the rainy-day opportunity to patrol and explore control line opportunities that have the greatest chance of success for fire suppression. Structure protection continued to work on assessments and building a structure protection plan. The night shift remained on duty to patrol and monitor throughout the night.

PLANNED ACTIONS: If conditions allow, personnel and equipment will start moving towards the north side (Henry’s Creek) and east side (Camas Prairie) of the fire to start building direct line. Over on the southeast side, crews will work on accessing the remote area and evaluating control line options. Fire crews will patrol and monitor fire lines both north and south of the river and in the Highway 200 corridor. On the southwest side of the fire firefighters will start working on indirect control lines below and to the west of the Pat’s Knob Lookout and communication infrastructure site, On the northwest corner a hotshot crew will start working on some direct fire control line construction to keep the fire from moving farther north. A long-term fire suppression plan is being developed which includes identifying actions needed, risk to responders, and probability of success to accomplish fire containment. Aircraft will be utilized for fire suppression if weather and smoke conditions safely allow.

WEATHER: Rain showers are likely again today with partly cloudy weather conditions. Temperatures will range from 73-83 degrees in the valley and 63-73 degrees on the ridges. Relative humidity levels will be as low as 40-50%. Winds will be from the southwest at 10-15 mph.

 EVACUATIONS: For Evacuation updates please visit the Sanders County Sheriff's Office Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064593409765. The Montana Red Cross has opened a shelter at the Church on the Move, 300 Clayton St., in Plains, MT

Hill Top Fire

News - 08/22/2023

Size: 200 acres

Containment: 90%

Start Date: August 18, 2023

Cause: Lightning

Incident Commander: Keith Mousel

Management Team: Florida Gold Team

Current Situation:

Crews will continue improving containment lines around the fire, using engines and hand crews to patrol and mop-up any areas containing burning material that they discover within 200 feet of containment lines. Fire managers have entered a stage they refer to as “Hover and Hold,” meaning that all resources will remain in place while a new weather pattern settles in that may test the security of the containment lines.

Weather:

Forecast weather includes continued hot and dry conditions with elevated wind speeds due to a new weather pattern. If fire activity increases, continued aviation support of the fire may be required. This afternoon, residents and visitors to the area are likely to see high levels of dust and ash blowing from the burn area as winds increase out of the east. Drivers are encouraged to use caution on highway 83/84 and watch for firefighting equipment entering the highway.

Evacuations and Closures:

There are no evacuations at this time, but citizens are encouraged to refer to the Taylor County Sheriff's Office's Facebook page for more information.

The Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in still place for the area over the fire, today [NOTAM: FDC 3/8262,https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_3_8262.html. Please avoid the area to provide a safe environment for firefighting aircraft.

Emergency Alerts:

Taylor County Commissioners Court implemented a county-wide burn ban for Taylor County effective immediately July 18, 2023 for 90 days or until substantial rainfall has saturated all areas within the County.

Alert Center • Taylor County, TX • CivicEngage (texas.gov)

Damages and Injuries: 

Significant damage to powerlines and to a repeater building were noted by fire managers on 8/19. The repeater building was largely abandoned except for a room being utilized by the Potosi Volunteer Fire Department. No other structure damage or loss has been reported. On 8/20, two injuries were reported on this fire, but both were minor, and the firefighters were treated and allowed to return to duty.