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NEWS RELEASE |
Salmon
Interagency Dispatch
 Upper
Columbia - Salmon Clearwater District BLM
Salmon
- Challis National Forest
Rural
Route 2, Box 600
Salmon,
Idaho 83467
|
Fire and Closure Update – 27 August 2000, 8:00 AM
Area /Road Closures and Restrictions
SPECIAL ORDER
ALL FOREST SYSTEM LANDS, ROADS AND TRAILS WITHIN BIG GAME HUNTING UNIT 21, UNIT 21-A AND UNIT 28 ARE CLOSED EFFECTIVE AT 12:01 A.M. ON MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2000, AND SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
These areas have several ongoing wildfires within their boundaries or adjacent to the unit boundaries that are exhibiting extreme fire behavior. The area is closed for public safety and protection from hazards associated with wildfire or suppression activities and to reduce the possibilities of additional human caused fires.
Frank Church-River of No Return
Wilderness: The entire wilderness, including the Main Salmon
River and the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, is closed. All trails
and all Forest Service landing strips are closed; private landing strips
are not affected by this closure. River permit holders should contact
the North Fork Ranger District to obtain a permit for the same date next
year.
This closure is in effect until
the fire situation changes with a season-ending weather event. This could
occur as early as September or as late as October. It is prompted
by safety concerns such as extreme fire behavior (300-400 foot flame lengths),
very limited access, debris on trails, and thick smoke that would complicate
search-and-rescue operations.
§ A Stage III Fire Restriction
Order is in effect. It prohibits “setting, building, maintaining,
attending, or using a fire of any kind, either open flame, smoldering,
or any other heat source,” on the Salmon-Challis National Forest.
It differs from the Stage II Fire Restriction implemented earlier this
month only in that it prohibits all fires, not just those outside developed
areas. The only exception is for stoves fueled by liquid petroleum
or LPG fuels.
In addition to banning all fires, it prohibits smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building; operating motorized vehicles off designated roads and trails; operating a chainsaw, generator, or any other type of machine activated by a nonliving power source (except battery-powered devices) between 1:00 PM and 1:00 AM; and conducting blasting, welding, or other activities which generate flame or flammable material between 1:00 PM and 1:00 AM.
This restriction also applies to the Boise, Caribou, Payette, Sawtooth, and Targhee National Forests.
§ BLM: Open fires are prohibited on BLM-administered lands in the Salmon-Challis area.
§ Department of Environmental
Quality: Open burning of any kind – all forest, range, agricultural,
and
outdoor residential burning
is prohibited in any portion of the following counties: Ada, Adams, Blaine,
Boise, Camas, Canyon, Clearwater, Custer, Elmore, Fremont, Gem, Idaho,
Latah, Lemhi, Lewis, Nez Perce, Payette, Teton, Valley, and Washington.
A burn ban is also in effect in the City of Salmon.
§ Highway 93: The highway is open. The highway may be closed any time fire activity makes travel unsafe. Motorist are advised to call toll-free 800-226-ROAD (7623) for current status.
§ Yankee Fork Road (FS #013): The road running north from Sunbeam at Highway 75 closed. The closure includes most of the Custer Motorway to Mill Creek Campground, about 14 miles from Challis (Forest Roads #013 and #070). The Mill Creek campground will remain open.
§ Forest Road #172: The road is closed between the Yankee Fork Dredge and Loon Creek Guard Station. (It begins at the Yankee Fork Dredge, travels up the Jordan Creek drainage to Loon Creek summit, and into the Loon Creek drainage.) Call the Challis Ranger District at 208-879-4321 for current road closure information.
§ Morse Creek Road (FS #094) in the Pahsimeroi is closed.
§ Morgan Creek Road (FS #055) is closed at Morgan Creek Summit.
§ Silver Creek Road (FS#108) is closed.
§ Custer Historical Park is closed due to proximity to the Rankin Creek Fire.
§ The Gibbonsville Road (Forest Road 79) is closed at the Montana border. East of the closure the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail in Montana is closed.
§ The Beaverhead National Forest is closing all forest travel. Roads on the Leadore Ranger District that will be closed at the Montana line are:
- Lemhi Pass Road in Montana;
- Eunice Cr. Road off of Warm Spring wood road;
- All wood roads off of Warm Springs Road into Montana;
- The microwave road into Montana off of the Grizzly Hill road; and
- The Morrison Lake road in the head of Big Bear Cr. of Hawley Cr. drainage
These roads are open
on the Idaho side.
Bannock Pass (Hwy 29) from Leadore to Montana remains open.
Fire activity in Hughes Creek
relates to Hughes Creek, Montana, not Hughes Creek, Idaho.
Media representatives are required
to contact Salmon-Challis Fire Information at 1-208-756-5283 to arrange
for escorts into fire areas. Media representatives must bring their
own boots for fireline visits. Boots must be leather, lace-up type,
8 inches in height.
Acreage: 180,753 acres
Injuries: 1
Clear Creek Fire: 166,282
acres
Aparejo Fire: 14,471 acres
Percentage Contained: 29%
Estimated Date of Full Containment: Unknown
Resources: 1705 people, 15
helicopters, 62 engines, 12 dozers.
Current Situation: With yesterday’s high winds from the southwest, the Clear Creek fire was very active and threatened controlled fire lines in the areas of Beaver Creek and Camp Creek on the northeast flank of the fire and Panther Creek on the southeast flank. The fire did spot over the line on the on the east side of Panther Creek at Silver Creek Road. Late last night personnel did contain the 225 acre spot with a dozer and four handcrews.
For today, A Red Flag Warning
has been issued for high winds and low humidity. These conditions could
push the Clear Creek Fire further east in Beaver Creek and challenge the
containment line established on the northeast corner.
Rankin Creek Fire
Acreage: 6,710 acres Injuries: 2
Percentage Contained: 100% Estimated Date of Full Control: Unknown
Resources: 332 people, 10 engines, 1 dozer, 2 helicopters. The Challis and Stanley Volunteer Fire Departments are cooperating agencies.
Location: 25 air miles southwest
of Challis
Current Situation: The fire
was called 100% contained on August 25th. There are just a few remaining
hot spots, close to the line in the Jerry’s Creek drainage. Additional
hot spots remain well within the fire’s perimeter. The crews, engines,
and management team that have been working on this fire have been released
for reassignment to other fires or R & R to their home units.
A Type 3 team arrived today to assume management of the fire.
Morse Creek Fire
Acreage: 4275 acres Injuries: None
Percentage Contained: 10% Estimated Date of Full Containment: Unknown
Resources: 77 people, 1 dozer, 3 engines, 2 water tenders
Location: Pahsimeroi Valley. Five miles east of May, Idaho.
Current Situation: Yesterday
scattered cloud cover kept relative humidity above 20% most of the day.
Gusty afternoon winds did not cause fire runs as terrain shielded hot spots
from the weather. Fire has not crossed the Lemhi Mountain range to
the north as was anticipated yesterday. There is still active burning
in Tater Creek by creeping fire with short uphill runs and tree torching.
In parts of Cold Creek, hot spots are continuing to burnout and cool down.
Efforts yesterday were directed towards implementing structure protection
for seasonal residences and outbuildings in Little Morgan Creek area.
Salmon-Challis Wilderness Complex
Acreage: 116,900 acres
Location: Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness
Percentage Contained: 0%
Estimated Date of Full Containment: Unknown
Resources: 33 people, 1 engine Injuries: None
Current Situation: Eleven fires are currently actively burning within the Salmon-Challis Wilderness Complex. Yesterday afternoon around 3:30 p.m.the Little Pistol Fire crossed the Middle Fork of the Salmon River and is burning downstream (east) toward the Middle Fork Lodge. For more detailed information, see the Wilderness Fire Update Page.
Marlin Springs
Complex
Acreage: Marlin Springs Fire:
1774 acres Injuries: None
Sisters Fire: 850 acres
Percentage Contained: 0 Estimated Date of Full Containment: Unknown
Resources: 158 people, 9 engines
Location: Marlin Springs Fire is northwest of Indianola at the head of Squaw Creek (about 13 miles northwest of North Fork). Sisters Fire is about 12 miles northeast Marlin Springs Fire on the Montana border.
Current situation: The fires continue to increase in size. Heavy smoke prevented a detailed aerial assessment.
Yesterday three crews started worked on the Sisters Fire, but were pulled off because of safety concerns associated with the dry windy weather and the extremely difficult terrain and fuels. On the Marlin Springs Fire the management team is continuing to assess the fire situation and developing a tactical plan for managing the fire.
Today engines will be at the fire camp 2.4 miles north of North Fork on Highway 93 available to assist with structure protection preparation in the area.
Other Important Information
For detailed information about the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, call 208-879-4101.
For detailed information on the Main Salmon River, call 208-865-2700 during weekday office hours.
For additional information on hunting permits or closures of hunting units in the fire area, contact Idaho Fish and Game at 208-756-2271.
Fire maps are available at the Salmon-Challis
National Forest office on Highway 93 south of Salmon. For
more fire information please call
208-756-5283 or log on to the Salmon-Challis National Forest website
at www.fs.fed.us/r4/sc/fire2000.
Get well cards of encouragement
can be sent to the firefighters who were struck by lightning August 24th
in Utah at the following address: Flame n’ Go Firefighters
c/o John Stone
P.O. Box 250
Draper, UT 84020
We received word that some residents
have been contacted by a group who represent themselves as a fundraising
group for the wildland firefighters. To our knowledge, NO fundraising
efforts are underway, and have not been endorsed by either the Federal,
Local or County governments or by any group affiliated with the community,
Forest Service, or BLM. Please be cautious about responding if
you are contacted. We recommend you try to get as much information
about the caller and check them through the Better Business Bureau of SE
Idaho at 208-523-9754 or www.idahofalls.bbb.org.
Common Sense Measures
to Protect Your Health in a Smoky Environment
- Stay inside.
- Avoid strenuous outdoor exercise.
- Drink lots of fluids.
- Cover the air conditioner with a filter.
- When using a fan, keep the windows closed so that the fan does not circulate smoky air.
Fire Prevention
Although weather and topography cannot be changed, the fuels, or vegetation can be modified. How to change the vegetation on your property:
- increase moisture
- decrease amount of flammable vegetation
- shorten plant height
- alter arrangements of plants
Defensible space will improve
the odds your house can survive a wildfire.
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Fire Facts
The total suppression cost of the
Clear Creek, Rankin, Morse and Butts Fires is estimated at almost
$50,025,000 as of yesterday.