NORTHERN ROCKIES TEAM 9    INCIDENT COMMANDER: SHANE MARTIN

Ridge Fire

Flathead National Forest, Hungry Horse Ranger District

Fire Information 406-998-6074  2023.ridge@firenet.gov

inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/mtfnf-ridge-fire

August 7, 2023

Location: 6 miles southeast of Hungry Horse, MT

Start Date: 7/30/23      Cause: Lightning       Size: 2,773 acres       Containment: 0%.

Total Personnel: 177    Engines: 6    Dozers: 3    Hand Crews: 4    Water Tenders: 4

KEY MESSAGE  

There will be a Public Meeting today, August 7th, at 7:00 PM at the Glacier Bible Camp (400 5th St W) in Hungry Horse, MT. To provide for public and firefighter safety, FS Road #38 (East Side Road #38) is closed to all public traffic east of the junction of FS Road #497 (Desert Mountain Road) and East Side Road #38. Currently, FS Road #895 (West Side South Fork Road #895) is closed to all public traffic starting at mile 15, near the Lid Creek Campground. West Side South Fork Road #895 will be closed starting tomorrow, August 8th, from the Hungry Horse Dam Visitor Center to the existing closure at mile 15, near the Lid Creek Campground. Pre-evacuation notice in effect for private property along SF Abbot Creek on the west side of the fire.

CURRENT SITUATION

Current acreage is at 2,773 acres, an increase of 189 acres. Indirect (away from the fire) suppression efforts are prioritized on the west side of the fire to protect critical infrastructure and private property. This is a full suppression fire and firefighter and public safety is the top priority.

Yesterday, heavy equipment continued constructing the fuel break on the west side of the fire along the Hard Money Road between private property and Forest Service land. Hand crews and a masticator continued work on the fuel break along the East Side Road #38, near the southern edge of the fire. Structure protection assessments and coordination was being conducted for private property in Coram and Martin City.

Today, heavy equipment, including masticators, dozers, and skidders, will continue implementing the fuel break near the Hard Money Road to decrease potential fire intensity should the fire reach private property to the west. Hand crews and a masticator will continue work on the fuel break on East Side Road #38 to prevent potential impacts to East Side Road #38. Structure protection assessments and coordination will continue for private property in Martin City, Coram and Hungry Horse.

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR

Showers and thunderstorms possible this afternoon with increased humidities. Winds are expected to shift from the east to the west, with the potential to increase fire activity on the east side of the fire. Fire behavior was low to moderate yesterday due to cooler weather and higher humidities.

CLOSURES AND SPECIAL MESSAGES

 An area closure is in effect due to the Ridge Fire. This closure area will expand tomorrow, August 8th. A Temporary Flight Restriction is in effect over the fire area. Residents should stay alert for changing conditions and visit ready.gov/wildfires for preparing for wildfires. For up-to-date information on the Ridge Fire, please visit Inciweb and follow the Flathead National Forest Facebook page. 

Location:  17 miles east of Swan Lake, Montana 

Start Date: 7/30/2023       Cause: Lightning       Size: 2,580 acres        Containment: 0%  

Total Personnel: 75    Engines: 2      Type 2 IA Crew: 1    Masticators: 1  

Water Tender: 1 Heavy Equipment Task Force: 1     

Note:   Additional personnel from the Spotted Bear District are “on loan” and assisting with fire related operations.  Priority will be given for initial attack if any other fires on the Spotted Bear District are detected.    

ATTENTION 

To provide for public and firefighter safety, the East Side South Fork Road #38 is closed to public travel and the West Side South Fork Road #895 is closed to public travel near the 15 mile just past the Lid Creek Campground.  

SUMMARY 

The Tin Soldier Complex was originally made up of 4 fires burning in timber litter with heavy dead and down fuels. The Tin Soldier Complex is located on the Spotted Bear Ranger District of the Flathead National Forests, approximately 17 miles east of Swan Lake. The fires associated with the Tin Soldier Complex started by lightning on Saturday, July 30th.  Past fire activity has included torching, spotting, and active consumption of heavy fuels. 

Current Acres burned as of the morning of Monday, August 7th. 

• Bruce Fire – 989 acres at 0% containment 

• Kah Mtn Fire – 407 acres at 0% containment 

• Sullivan Fire – 1,184 acres at 0% containment 

• Con Kelly Fire – 0.25 acres – Out. 

The Tin Soldier Complex is estimated at 2,580 acres in size and remains 0% contained.  Fire activity Sunday was moderated between the 3 fires.  An IR flight was done last night and found an increase of 212 acres with growth on all three fires. Kah Mountain and Sullivan have been the most active out of the three. 

Please note, while the lower temperatures and higher relative humidities have lessened fire activity for the time being, potential for fire activity is still high. Lower temperatures and higher relative humidities only affect the fine fuels in the short term. The cooler weather we have been receiving is allowing firefighters to install additional structure protection around the values at place. There is a potential for increased fire activity in the future as temperatures and winds increase. 

The Bruce, Kah and Sullivan fires are being managed with point source protection to protect values at risk.  Values at risk include Stony Communications Site, hydro-electric plant, Heinrude residential community, commercial guest ranches and the Spotted Bear Ranger Station compound.  Fire personnel have conducted initial assessments and preparations for structure protection in the above identified areas. 

PAST AND PLANNED ACTIONS 

Fuel breaks have been established around the Wilderness Lodge and the hydro-electric facility.  Hose line and sprinklers have been set up around the Wilderness Lodge.  Exposed wood on the hydro-electric facility was wrapped and sprinklers were installed along Addition Bridge.  Fire personnel are continuing structure protection efforts for the Spotted Bear Ranch, Diamond R Ranch and the Spotted Bear Ranger Station compound.  A safety zone has been established on the Spotted Bear Ranger Station compound.  Crews will continue installing hose line and sprinkler systems around the Spotted Bear Ranch, Diamond R Ranch, and the Spotted Bear Ranger Station compound.  Fire personnel continue development of a structure plan for the Heinrude residential community. The plan for today will focus on where opportunities exist in order to establish fuel breaks with mechanical equipment.  

EVACUATIONS, CLOSURES AND RESTRICTIONS  

Evacuation:  An evacuation has been issued by the Flathead County Sheriff for Heinrude community.  

Restrictions/Closures:   

• Stage 2 fire restrictions are in effect as of August 5th. 

• A road restriction is in effect for the East and West Side South Fork Roads. 

• An area closure is in effect for the front country of the Spotted Bear district as well the Gorge Creek drainage within the Bob Marshall Wilderness area, including Feather, Inspiration, Gorge, Canyon Trickle, and Stadium Creeks. 

• A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place for air space over the Tin Soldier Complex to provide a safe environment for firefighting aircraft operating in the area.  This includes the Spotted Bear and Meadow Creek Airstrips!  Remember that temporary flight restrictions also apply to UAS or drones. If you fly, we can’t!                     

WEATHER  

Partly cloudy weather this morning with a slight chance of thunderstorms this afternoon. The fires received very minimal rain the last two days and the wetting rains they predicted are no longer in the forecast. There will be a wind shift later today and into tomorrow from east to west. Winds will be picking up, with wind gusts of up to 30-40 mph possible Wednesday in the upper elevations.  

Fire activity is expected to increase later in the week as temperatures rise and relative humidities decrease. This incoming warm weather with possible gusty winds will increase the chances of larger fuels (between 3 inches and 8 inches in diameter) burning, as the dryness of these fuels is still near record lows. 

Size: 33,266 acres

Start Date: July 15, 2023

Point of origin: 2 miles southeast of Agness, OR

Containment: 39%

Total personnel: 795

Resources: 22 engines l 14 crews l 2 bulldozers l 29 water tenders l 6 masticators l 9 helicopters

Highlights: Smaller fuels are burning, but bigger fuels still have higher moisture content, limiting the ability of the fire to spread and ignite other fuels. Slightly cooler temperatures and higher humidity will be in place the next couple days, further hindering the spread of the fire. Firefighters remain ready for any potential changes in fire activity.

Today’s Activities: Crews are securing and improving existing containment lines to keep the fire within the current footprint. Firefighters are conducting mop-up to secure lines and are performing constant visual assessments in all divisions. Structure protection resources remain in place around Agness, actively surveying and evaluating structures. The alternate control lines on Forest System Roads (FSR) 1376 (to the south) and 1503, 3313, and 3680 (to the west) continue to be improved and remove fuels such as dead and downed woody materials. Night-shift resources hold and assess containment lines. Crews are ready to respond to any new fire starts in the area, if needed.

With increased fire traffic, all motorists are asked to use caution - slow down and use headlights, especially on Bear Camp Road.

Weather: Temperatures will cool by 2 to 4 degrees and be in the low-80s to low-90s and humidity around 30- 40%. Winds continue to be terrain driven on slopes and valleys, with ridgetops seeing northeast winds in the morning and northwest in the afternoon.

Smoke: Smoke may be visible from the surrounding areas. The Smoke Outlook is available at: https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook/b74901f7?

Closures: The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest (RRSNF) has issued a closure order for the fire area including trails, roads and a portion of the Illinois River. Oak Flat Campground, Game Lake and Wild Horse Campgrounds and Snow Camp Lookout Recreation Rentals are all closed. The Chetco River Road (FSR 1376) and Chetco/Pistol River Road (FSR 1407) are closed. The closure allows for public access to the Big Rock swimming hole on the Illinois River.

Evacuations: Level 1 “Get Ready” evacuation status in place for areas in the vicinity of the Flat Fire. Link to more information: https://tinyurl.com/currycountyem

Restrictions: Fire danger is currently extreme; the RRSNF is implementing Level 2 Public Use Restrictions. More information here: https://tinyurl.com/ueuznr6e

Please follow all fire restrictions to prevent wildfires. Know before you go. Check on whether there are any campfire restrictions at your recreation destination.

Fire Information:(541)216-4579       Media inquiries: (541)237-6369      Email: 2023.flat.or@firenet.gov

Facebook: facebook.com/flatfireoregon2023         Twitter: twitter.com/FlatFireOR2023           Inciweb: bit.ly/FlatFireOR

TONASKET, Wash. August 7, 2023 –This will be the last update from Northwest Incident Management Team 7 for the Eagle Bluff Fire. A Type 4 incident management team will assume command of the fire at 6 a.m. on Tuesday August 8, 2023. For further inquiries related to the fire, please contact the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Acreage remains at 16,428 and containment is 80 percent. Crews continue to mop up, secure perimeters, and complete repairs around fire lines. The fire is west of Oroville, Wash. on lands managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources and the Bureau of Land Management—Spokane District.

Yesterday, night shift crew responded to a large burning tree, north of Oroville, determining no significant threat. On the eastern perimeter thermal imaging and repairs were completed. Personnel on the southern perimeter utilized an excavator for repairs, while continuing to mop up.  To the northwest most of the repair work has been completed and firefighters remained diligent in strengthening the perimeter.

Today, on the western portion, north of Ellemeham Mountain Road, firefighters are focused on strengthening established fire lines.  Further to the north, above the Similkameen River, the goal will be to wrap up repair work and patrol the line entirely.  Patrols will be conducted throughout the day to the east, working their way to the south to expand resources for mop up, repairs, and thermal imaging for hot spots. All personnel on the ground will be removing any non-essential equipment.

WEATHER:  A flood watch remains in effect until Monday evening for Okanogan and the surrounding counties.

A weak front is expected to move into the region from the west bringing bands of showers and thunderstorms. Chances of precipitation diminish in the afternoon and give way to partly cloudy skies.  

SMOKE: Air quality forecast for today is moderate. Precipitation arriving in the area should help lesson active smoldering of any remaining pockets for fuel within the fire perimeter, lessening smoke production.

SAFETY:   Roads may be slippery from overnight precipitation, use caution when driving in and around the fire area. Soils in a burn scar can be as water repellant as pavement, increasing the chances for debris flow and rolling materials, even with little precipitation. Be alert for changing conditions.

The British Columbia Wildfire Service is overseeing the fire on the Canadian side. For more information, please visit the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System at https://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/home.

Evacuation levels have decreased in Okanogan County, but some road closures remain in place. For up-to-date information on wildfire closures and evacuations, follow Okanogan County Emergency Management at https://okanogancounty.org/government/emergency_management/

HAYDEN FIRE EVACUATION ZONES UPDATE

HAYDEN FIRE UPDATE 8/7/23 10:00 AM

ZONE 1A- will move back to “READY” status

ZONE 1B- will move back to “READY” status

ZONE 2- will remain in “READY” status

ZONE 3- will move back to “READY” status

ZONE 4- will remain in “READY” status

ZONE 5- will remain in “READY” status
 

ZONE 1A- Cottom Lane to Big 8 mile and everything SW to the Forest Boundary

ZONE 1B- Maiers Lane/Lee Creek Junction South to Cottom Lane and everything SW to the Forest Boundary  

ZONE 2- Hayden Creek Rd East to Maiers Lane on the Hwy 28 and everything South to Zone 1 and 3 Boundary 

ZONE 3- Near junction of Basin Creek to include Basin Creek Drainage to Forest Boundary East to Little Sawmill Creek to include all of Lower Hayden Creek Drainage

ZONE 4- From Bull Spring to Ridgeline North East to Muddy Creek Road South to Basin Creek Rd/ Forest Boundary 

ZONE 5- Baldy Basin Road East to McDevitt Creek East to Muddy Creek Rd South to Bull Spring and Forest Boundary West to near the head of Haynes Creek

Aviso Especial
ALERTA CONDICIONES METEOROLÓGICAS CRÍTICAS DE INCENDIOS: AVISO DE BANDERA ROJA CON VIENTOS HOY.

Fuego
El fuego Lowline se encuentra en 1,821 acres y está contenido 55%.

Humo
Los vientos del oeste aumentaron ayer y empujaron la mayor parte del humo hacia el este. Los efectos del humo de esta mañana han mejorado en comparación con los días anteriores. La zona vio muy poca actividad de humo en el incendio anoche. Veremos breves períodos de calidad del aire MODERADA en el área de Gunnison a primera hora de la mañana. El humo se disipará con el aumento de los vientos del oeste. En el área de Castleton Ranch, a lo largo de la carretera del condado #730, habrá períodos de humo MODERADO a medida que aumenten los vientos del oeste y empujen el humo de superficie al este del incendio. Aspen y Crested Butte tendrán una BUENA calidad de aire durante todo el día.

On the west side crews continue fire line construction and chipping along Forest Road 711 to serve as an indirect (away from the fire’s edge) control line for containment. On the east side, crews continue constructing fire lines. Crews on both sides will continue scouting for more areas to treat and establish more containment opportunities, especially in the south and west portion of the area.

Firefighters Reassigned to New Fires as Containment Increases 

Spoon Fire Quick Facts 

Acres: 4,560 acres 

Cause: Lightning 

Containment: 80% 

Start Date: July 24, 2023 

Location: 2.5 miles east of Highway 60 between Globe and Show Low, AZ. 11 miles southwest of Cedar Creek 

Fuels: Piñyon- Juniper, Manzanita, Grass, Cedar 

Total personnel for all incidents: 232 

Sunday, the weather remained hot and dry with winds gusts up to 20 mph. Crews continued to repair the containment lines by turning over dirt to make sure there were no hot spots near the fire’s edge. The Spoon Fire is 80% contained, and the Cottonwood Ridge fire remains at 95% contained. 

There were no new fires reported on Sunday. Crews continued mopping up the fire on Chediski Mountain. A hand crew and a dozer worked around the perimeter looking for hot spots and heat sources. 

Cottonwood Ridge and Spoon fires: The excavators and hand crews continued repairing dozer lines and returning the land back to its natural state. On the Cottonwood Ridge fire crews are about 50% done with the repair process. Crews on the Spoon fire worked back up the hill from Carrizo Creek repairing the dozer line and have completed about 75 % of the work that needs to be completed. 

Weather: The forecast for Monday calls for a 50% chance of thunderstorms and a possibility of new lighting strikes. Firefighters will remain prepared to respond to any new fire starts. 

This will be the last update for Southwest Area Incident Management Team 5. The team will be turning management of these fires back to the Fort Apache Agency. The team would like to give a big thank you for allowing us to come into your community and we appreciate the warm welcome we received. 

More Information: For further updates regarding fires on the Fort Apache Reservation, please visit: 

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

Equipo de Gestión de Incidentes del Complejo del área de las Montañas Rocosas 1
Dan Dallas, Comandante del Incidente

Teléfono de Información: 970-648-4470 (publico), 970-765-7123 (medios de comunicación)
Correo electrónico: 2023.lowline@firenet.gov
Horario: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Situación Actual: La advertencia de bandera roja del domingo sirvió como una prueba de las líneas de fuego. Se produjo un crecimiento del perímetro insignificante, aunque se detectó y extinguió un pequeño foco secundario de incendio en la División A/Z. A pesar de las condiciones de viento racheado, la dirección del viento del oeste era favorable y el fuego se adentró sobre sí mismo. Esto también promovió la quema en las islas verdes del interior, lo que explica el aumento mínimo de tamaño. Debido a las condiciones de viento y la posibilidad de que las brasas salieran de las líneas de fuego, las cuadrillas rodearon la circunferencia del fuego, excluyendo la División X, para observar el comportamiento del fuego, patrullar el borde del fuego y buscar brasas que intentaran establecer focos de fuego fuera de las líneas de fuego. La vigilancia meteorológica de incendios de hoy se elevó a Advertencia de bandera roja; las acciones reflejarán el ayer.

División A/Z: Se produjo un pequeño foco secundario en la esquina noreste, donde el fuego sobresale hacia el interior entre los largueros de madera. Esta área fue alineada y el incendio fue rematado. Hoy, las cuadrillas se ubicarán a lo largo de la línea de fuego observando el incendio principal y buscando focos de fuego.

División Y: Los equipos observaron un área activa de fuego muy por debajo de la línea de fuego indirecta de la cima de la cresta. No resultó ninguna razón por preocupación. El trabajo reflejará acciones en la División A/Z, con bomberos repartidos por toda la línea y en lugares con alta visibilidad.

División X: Ayer no hubo un crecimiento significativo. Para reducir los riesgos a los bomberos, los manejadores de incendios implementarán una estrategia de confinamiento en esta división. Esto significa gestionar el perímetro del incendio mediante una combinación de acciones directas e indirectas y el uso de barreras naturales, características topográficas y fenómenos meteorológicos para confinar el incendio a una huella aceptable.

División W: Los bomberos monitorearán y patrullarán nuevamente hoy.

Protección de Estructuras: El equipo de protección de estructuras se dispersaron por todas las comunidades que rodeaban el incendio para garantizar la seguridad de los residentes y los hogares. Estos esfuerzos continuarán nuevamente mañana.

Condiciones Climáticas y de Combustibles:

La humedad en la noche estuvo alrededor del 50 %, lo que contribuyó a la continua baja humedad actual a mediados de los setenta. Bajo la Advertencia de Bandera Roja, los vientos persistirán con ráfagas de hasta 40 mph. Las temperaturas estarán en los altos 70. Hoy se espera nuevamente un comportamiento activo del fuego y un aumento del humo visible, ya que el fuego quema el combustible disponible en el interior.

Evacuaciones, Cierres, y Restricciones de Incendios:

Hay una orden de evacuación previa vigente para CR 727, Mill Creek. No hay otras evacuaciones o evacuaciones previas cerca del incendio. Para obtener información sobre la evacuación, consulte Manejo de emergencias del condado de Gunnison en www.gunnisoncounty.org. Puede registrarse para recibir alertas de emergencia en sus teléfonos u otros dispositivos en: https://bit.ly/3QhZVZg.

Cierres del Sistema Forestal Nacional: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1126172.pdf.

Cierres temporarios del BLM: https://tinyurl.com/5n8s7xee.

Restricciones de Incendios en el condado de Gunnison: ninguno.

Reportes sobre la perspectiva de humo: https://outlooks.airfire.org/outlook/ed63b240.

Los incendios forestales son una zona de exclusión aérea para aeronaves no autorizadas, incluidos los drones. Si tu vuelas, nosotros no podemos. Para obtener más información, visite http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

Estadísticas del Incendio Lowline:
Tamaño: 1830 acres
Contenido: 55%
Personal: 271
Locación: 14 mi. NNW de Gunnison, CO

Para más Información:
Línea Telefónica: 970-648-4470 (publicó), 970-765-7123 (media)
Correo electrónico: 2023.lowline@firenet.gov
InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/cogmf-lowline-fire
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GMUGFireInfo

Firefighters Reassigned to New Fires as Containment Increases 

Cottonwood Ridge Fire Quick Facts 

Acres: 345 

Cause: Lightning 

Containment: 95% 

Start Date: July 23, 2023 

Location: 4 miles south of Show Low, AZ 

Fuels: Timber, grass, brush 

Total personnel for all incidents: 232 

Sunday, the weather remained hot and dry with winds gusts up to 20 mph. Crews continued to repair the containment lines by turning over dirt to make sure there were no hot spots near the fire’s edge. The Spoon Fire is 80% contained, and the Cottonwood Ridge fire remains at 95% contained. 

There were no new fires reported on Sunday. Crews continued mopping up the fire on Chediski Mountain. A hand crew and a dozer worked around the perimeter looking for hot spots and heat sources. 

Cottonwood Ridge and Spoon fires: The excavators and hand crews continued repairing dozer lines and returning the land back to its natural state. On the Cottonwood Ridge fire crews are about 50% done with the repair process. Crews on the Spoon fire worked back up the hill from Carrizo Creek repairing the dozer line and have completed about 75 % of the work that needs to be completed. 

Weather: The forecast for Monday calls for a 50% chance of thunderstorms and a possibility of new lighting strikes. Firefighters will remain prepared to respond to any new fire starts. 

This will be the last update for Southwest Area Incident Management Team 5. The team will be turning management of these fires back to the Fort Apache Agency. The team would like to give a big thank you for allowing us to come into your community and we appreciate the warm welcome we received. 

More Information: For further updates regarding fires on the Fort Apache Reservation, please visit: 

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