Single Publication

FIRE ACTIVITY: 

Fire Size: 57,815 acres 

Containment: 18% 

Both the Red Rock and Black Eagle Fires experienced extreme fire behavior on October 4, 2024, and grew exponentially to the northeast, merging together just north of Yellowjacket. The combined fire is now known as the Red Rock Fire. 

Active fire behavior continues in the fire area, including wind-driven runs on exposed slopes with receptive fuel beds. Crews have been reinserted and are engaged in direct perimeter control, primarily centered around private property and structure protection. The fire is in a full suppression and point protection strategy, utilizing a mix of tactics including direct and indirect attack. Firefighters are engaging the fire directly when the probability of success is high and commensurate with the values at risk. 

Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office is enforcing several evacuation notices for the areas of Panther Creek, Forney, Moyer, Cobalt, Blackbird, and Leesburg. Damage to any structures in these areas is still being assessed. If any structures are identified that have been damaged or destroyed, Lemhi county officials from either the Sheriff’s Office or the Emergency Management Services Office will notify property owners. 

Please stay out of the fire area. There is still active fire behavior in the fire area, including group torching and crowning. There are multiple roads and bridges that have been destroyed or are impassable. Entry into evacuation zones that are in “Go” status is prohibited. The updated forest closure notice that encompasses both the Red Rock Fire and Garden Fire areas includes multiple road and area closures. Barricade closures will be posted at road intersections and forest boundaries.  

WEATHER: 

High pressure over the area brought seasonable temperatures in the lower 60s, light west-southwest winds, and humidity in the 20% to 24% range on Sunday. Due to the large amount of smoke both from this fire and surrounding fires, the drainages were thick with smoke, shading the area and preventing the smoke from mixing out from the lowest lying areas. The inversion returned last night, capping in the smoke for another evening. High pressure remains over the area on Monday, with sunny skies and temperatures in the 60s along with humidity near 20%. The drainages will again be slower to warm than the surrounding highlands, so smoke will remain in valley bottoms until noon or later. Slightly more unstable air may allow more mixing out of the smoke Monday afternoon. Winds will be out of the southwest 7 mph with gusts to 17 mph. 

FIRE BEHAVIOR: 

Fire behavior continues to moderate with decent overnight humidity recoveries and lighter winds. Fuels are still available with heavy dead and down components and remain most problematic for firefighters. Areas where humidities fall below 25% with gusty afternoon winds can experience increased activity, including short-range spotting. Opportunities to attack the fire directly will likely be confined to morning hours and when effective water support is available.  Fire will continue to grow with wind and up slopes/drainages. 

SMOKE REPORT: No smoke report is being produced for the Red Rock Fire area at the time. For smoke information, please go to: https://fire.airnow.gov/ or https://airquality.deq.idaho.gov/home/map.  

FOREST CLOSURES: The forest closure order was updated and expanded October 5, 2024. For forest closure information please go to: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/scnf/alerts-notices 

EVACUATIONS:   

Go evacuation orders are currently in place for Zones 1 through 5. Ready evacuation notice in place for US-93 corridor from Williams Creek to Elk Bend (Zone 6). 

If the fire becomes established on the east side of the Ridge Road, Williams Lake and the west side of the Salmon River will advance to evacuation level Set. 

For evacuation information in Lemhi County regarding these fires please go to: Emergency Management Department | Lemhi County, ID (lemhicountyidaho.org).