Single Publication

Closure area reduced around the Chimney Fire

Daily Update – Wednesday, September 18, 2024       

Acres: 6,519                                                                                               

Start Date: 9/2/2024

Location: 9 miles northwest of Fairfield, ID                                       

Personnel: 225

Containment: 48%                                                                                    

Fuels: Timber, brush, grass, understory

Highlights: Containment continues to steadily increase around the southern and eastern sides of the fire. The previous closure area around the fire has been reduced to a smaller area following successful firefighting efforts and significant precipitation over the past few days.

Operations: Yesterday, the entire fire area received an average of a half inch of precipitation. Firefighters observed smoke on the southeast side of the fire, well within the interior of the containment lines. Crews continued to backhaul unneeded equipment from around the fire area to ensure no excess items are left behind in the forest. Medical personnel conducted additional Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training with firefighters yesterday to help maintain and enhance these critical skills. Fire behavior models used by fire managers to predict future activity levels show that the current fuels on the ground are very unlikely to burn. Given these results, along with recent weather and successful containment operations by firefighters, additional fire spread is not anticipated for the foreseeable future. The Initial Attack group remains ready for any new starts or suppression needs. Suppression repair efforts and supply collection will continue today with the help of heavy equipment. 

Weather: Chances for precipitation are minimal today, although cloud cover will linger in the area. Afternoon high temperatures will only warm 1 to 3 degrees and humidity will only lower another 2 to 4 percentage points. Wind will become northwest with gusts near 20 mph this afternoon.

Smoke: Some smoke may be visible from the Fairfield area, however air quality continues to improve. An interactive smoke map located at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest conditions.

Closures: The Sawtooth National Forest has issued an updated, smaller emergency temporary closure area for the Chimney Fire. The purpose of the closure order is to protect firefighters and the public during wildfire suppression activities occurring in and around the area. The full closure order (No. 0414-05-065) and map are available on the Sawtooth National Forest website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sawtooth/alerts-notices.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. A temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in place over the area, which includes uncrewed aircraft or drones. Flying drones near wildfires is dangerous for pilots and firefighters and can bring wildfire suppression efforts to a halt. Know before you fly. If you fly, we can’t. More information can be found at: https://uas.nifc.gov/. 

More Information: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/ideix-chimney-fire / 

208-246-8292 / https://www.facebook.com/sawtoothnationalforest / 2024.chimney@firenet.gov / https://www.facebook.com/IdahoDepartmentofLands/