Incident Publication

Shoe Fly Fire holds within fireline, mop up continues

MITCHELL, Ore. – Firefighters took a moment this morning during briefing to reflect on lives lost as a result of the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

Firelines on the Shoe Fly Fire were tested Tuesday by steady winds. Lines held and the fire remained in the existing footprint. Increased acreage today is not due to perimeter growth, but is the result of better mapping, data collection and burning inside the fireline. Hard work put in by firefighters and landowners has increased containment to 41%. 

Mop up continues across all areas of the fire. In the northwest portion of the incident, crews have reached 300 feet into the interior of the fire and are mitigating hazard trees and patrolling the area. In the southeast, mop up has progressed to 200 feet. In the northeast and southwest parts of the fire, where fire had been active most recently, mop up ranges from 50 feet to 100 feet. 

Operational Video for the Chimney Fire

Facebook Link: 

OLA, Idaho, September 11, 2024 – The Lava Fire continued to exhibit highly active behavior yesterday. On Monday, September 9th, the Lava Fire merged with the Boulder Fire for a combined acreage of 78,457 acres. Yesterday morning, the Southern Area Red Team, a Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT), was in-briefed by Wyoming Team 6, the type 3 team currently managing the Lava Fire. The Southern Area Red CIMT will take command of the fire on Thursday morning.

Last night and into the early morning, crews continued fire suppression and structure protection efforts. The fire continued growing to the north, northwest, west and south and multiple slop-overs occurred at the western and southern perimeters of the fire. A “slop-over” is a fire edge that crosses a control line or natural barrier intended to confine the fire. Crews are suppressing slop-overs primarily using direct dozer line and aerial resources. Fireline construction efforts will continue tomorrow, and a secondary control line will be constructed along the southern perimeter as fire and wind conditions allow. Firefighters use all available strategies and tools to suppress wildfires, and public and firefighter safety are the top priorities for fire managers.

Showers and storms are predicted for most of Wednesday, particularly in the afternoon. Scattered lightning and wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour are possible near storms. Small hail is possible and brief, heavy rains on fresh burns pose a flash flood and debris flow risk. Thunderstorms are expected to weaken Wednesday night and chances of wetting rain increase through Thursday.

Gem County Sheriff’s Office issued LEVEL 3 “GO!” Evacuation notices to residents on Third Fork Road (North of Nesbitt Lane), Second Fork Road (North of Nesbitt Lane), and the Sage Hen Reservoir area. Gem County Sheriff’s Office notified the residences in person on September 8th, 2024. A LEVEL 2 “SET” Evacuation has been issued for Nesbitt Lane residents.

Gem County Road and Bridge issued the following road closures: Third Fork Road at Nesbitt Lane, Second Fork Road at Nesbitt Lane, and Nesbitt Lane. The Sweet-Ola Highway is closed at the High Valley intersection in Ola. Please be advised that the Gem County Sheriff’s Office is staffing the road closure check points.

Adams County Sheriff’s Office issued LEVEL 3 “GO!” Evacuation notices to residents south of South Grays Creek and along Little Weiser Road in Indian Valley. A LEVEL 2 “SET” Evacuation has been issued for residents North of South Grays Creek Road to Highway 95, and a LEVEL 1 “READY” Evacuation has been issued for the Mesa area.

The Boise and Payette National Forests implemented a joint Lava and Boulder Fire Area, Road, and Trail Closure for public and firefighter safety. The closure includes Forest Service lands north of the 601 Road (approximately 7 miles southwest of Smiths Ferry) and north all the way to the northernmost extent of Lake Cascade. This expanded closure order supersedes previous closure orders for the Lava and Boulder fires. Visit the Lava Fire InciWeb page at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idbof-lava-fire for more information.

For other news, events and information, visit the Boise National Forest website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/boise and follow the Boise on Facebook @BoiseNationalForest.

Williams Mine Fire Update for Wednesday, September 11, 2024 

Tuesday was another quiet day on the Williams Mine Fire, despite sunshine and periods with low relative humidity. The main area of concern, in the Morrison Creek drainage west of the South Climb Trailhead, showed minimal growth. Fire personnel continued to patrol and mop up on the fire’s edges, and worked on repairing damage caused by the suppression efforts.

Last night brought a change in the weather. Cooler temperatures are forecast for several days. Clouds rolled in and a few areas near the fire received showers overnight. Light rain is expected to continue off and on today, with a 50% chance of getting a “wetting rain”. While this will make the fire activity decrease, it will not extinguish the fire.

A “wetting rain” is one capable of making fuels wet enough to not be easy to ignite. Locally, it is defined as 0.25” of rain, but the actual effectiveness of the rain will vary with the amount of canopy and types of fuels. In areas under green trees, more of the precipitation will be intercepted by the foliage and not reach the ground fuels. In the burn scars with few green trees, less of the rain will be captured by foliage, but more of the fuels are snags, large logs, and stumps. These larger fuels will take weeks to soak up enough moisture to become too wet to burn.

Much of the rapid growth on Williams Mine Fire was during periods when the wind carried embers far ahead of the main fire, where they ignited dry fuels and caused spot fires. This has been a concern for the area along South Climb Trail. A wetting rain will make fuels east of this area resistant to ignition, reducing chances of further spread.

There is a chance of thunderstorms this afternoon, which could bring lightning, gusty and erratic winds, and periods of heavy rain. Fire managers will be monitoring for any signs of thunderstorms in the vicinity and will move firefighters to safe locations if necessary.

SAFETY AND CLOSURES: 

With the return of rain, expect roads to be slick from the accumulation of oil and dirt during dry weather. Slow down and allow more following distance between vehicles.

The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Tract D Recreation Area is currently closed, please see Yakama Tract D Road Closure for more information. FS Rd 23 south of FS Rd 90 is still CLOSED to the public due to fire suppression activity. Takhlakh Lake is still closed. The revised closure for the Mt. Adams Wilderness and FS Rd 23 closure can be found at Williams Mine Fire: Area and Road Closure. The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is closed from the PCT's intersection with FS Rd 23 to Potato Hill. The current area closure spans the entire Mt. Adams Wilderness.

Northern Rockies Team 5, Incident Commander Joe Sampson  

Location:3 miles south of Springer Memorial Community, in the East Fork 

Start Date: 7/25/2024      

Cause: Lightning       

Size: 6,662 Acres    

Completion: 25%

Total Personnel: 238  

Engines: 14               

Hand Crews: 3           

Heavy Equipment: 1   

Helicopters: 2    

Current Status 

The majority of the fire's heat is on the southern edge, near Swift Creek. These areas of isolated heat and are not causing widespread fire movement. There are a few islands of unburned vegetation burning on the northern edge of the fire, but they aren't likely to have a large impact on the fire's perimeter growth. 

Crews are placing hose lays and other water handling equipment along the fire's northern edge. This will assist in preventing the fire's spread north. Crews are extinguishing areas of heat along the fire's western perimeter. Firefighters will continue to add hose lays near the community of Springer Memorial and the homes around Bonanza Drive. However, due to current and expected wind direction, the fire is pushing back into itself rather than making forward progress in the area. Firefighters will work to hold the fire to the 5771 road and construct fireline from Swift Creek to the 73615 Road.   

Weather and Fire Behavior 

A low-pressure system (trough) from the west should help disperse smoke within the Bitterroot Valley today. This trough will likely bring cooler temperatures and raise relative humidities within the fire area by tonight. During the day it will likely remain hot, dry, and windy with southwest wind gusts up to 25 mph. By tomorrow, wetting rain should hit the fire area, slowing fire growth. 

EVACUATIONS, RESTRICTIONS, CLOSURES  

The Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office has issued an Evacuation Warning for Frog Pond Basin and Little East Fork Road. Sign up for evacuation alerts at http://hyper-reach.com/mtravallisignup.html 

Area closures are in effect for both sides of the East Fork Road, the East Fork Guard Station, Martin Creek Campground, and a multitude of trailheads. More information on Bitterroot National Forest area closures can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/bitterroot/alerts-notices 

The Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness within the Bitterroot National Forest is currently in Stage I Fire restrictions. 

Northern Rockies Team 5, Incident Commander Joe Sampson

Location: Three miles west of Stevensville, Montana

Start Date: 8/23/2024

Cause: Lightning

Size: 3,204

Completion: 36%

Total Personnel: 346

Current Status 

Crews continue to secure and make improvements to the northern-most section of fireline to the head of Larson Creek. Along the southern-most section of fire line towards the St. Mary’s Trailhead, crews continue to ‘mop-up’ hot spots and make improvements. 

Weather and Fire Behavior 

Hot and dry conditions will continue for the morning with temperatures reaching the low 70s by noon. Thunderstorms are expected in the early afternoon with potential gusty winds up to 45 mph and possible small hail. The weather system is expected to weaken as it travels north through the Bitterroot Valley towards the Sharrott Creek Fire, but a strong to severe thunderstorm is still possible. Storm activity will likely end before midnight and periods of rain will continue in the valley with a chance of mixed precipitation above 9,000 feet.

Fire activity will remain moderate to potentially active in some areas with torching and short-range spotting possible prior to the incoming wet weather and increased winds. As weather patterns change and moisture increases, fire behavior will be limited over the next 24 hours to 48 hours.

EVACUATIONS, RESTRICTIONS, CLOSURES  

-The Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office has issued an Evacuation Warning for neighborhoods in the vicinity of the Sharrott Creek Fire. Sign up for evacuation alerts at http://hyper-reach.com/mtravallisignup.html

- Area closures are in effect from North Fork Sweeney Creek to Sweathouse Creek. More information on Bitterroot National Forest area closures can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/bitterroot/alerts-notices 

- The Bitterroot National Forest is currently in Stage I Fire restrictions within the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness.

- A Temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in place west of Highway 93 from Bass Creek to Big Creek.  

Use caution driving as smoke settles into communities around West and Preacher fires

Leer en español.

Highlights/Operations: Residents noticed increased smoke from both the West and Preacher Fires yesterday due to the increase in ignitions. On the Preacher Fire, crews were able to ignite within the entire planned perimeter. They were assisted by a helicopter with ignition capabilities that added additional fire to the interior. Everything held within the planned perimeter and crews continued patrolling and mopping up the edge of the perimeter as needed throughout the night. On the West Fire, firefighters continued igniting the northeast corner of the planned area ahead of the anticipated winds. They were able to bring fire across the Rim to the top of Bray Creek and hold everything. Helicopters with water buckets assisted in keeping the fire in place on the fire’s western edge. This is part of the strategy to ignite the West Fire area in sections to reduce smoke impacts to communities and improve fire benefits to the ecosystem.

Today, crews and engines will focus on holding the perimeter across the Preacher Fire. In any areas where it is needed, firefighters will secure and mop up. On the West Fire, firefighters will secure, mop up and hold the perimeter on the northeast corner. Crews are also adding protection to water lines and spring boxes above Camp Geronimo. Across the rest of the West Fire, they are improving the perimeter lines and testing structure protection watering systems. With the anticipated increased winds, there likely will not be additional ignitions today. However, fire managers will reassess throughout the day.

Weather: Winds will increase for Wednesday and Thursday out of the southwest. Expect frequent afternoon gusts to 25 mph on Wednesday and gusts up to 30-35 mph on Thursday. Wednesday will feature a sunny sky with near-normal high temperatures in the upper 70s to mid 80s. Minimum relative humidity values will range between 15 and 22 percent. Sunny again on Thursday but not quite as warm. High temperatures are forecasted to be in the mid 70s to low 80s.

Safety: Two Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) are now in place over the area, which includes uncrewed aircraft systems or drones. The public is reminded, if you fly we can’t; unauthorized drone flights pose serious risks to firefighter and public safety and the effectiveness of wildfire suppression operations.

Closure:  The Tonto National Forest has issued a closure for land surrounding the West Fire, this includes Pine Trailhead. 

Evacuations: Some residents east of Payson near the Preacher Fire have been moved to SET status and Geronimo Estates residents near the West Fire have also been placed in SET status. An interactive map is available to stay up to date with evacuation levels related to both the West and Preacher Fires. 

Receive emergency notifications from Gila County.

Smoke: During ignitions, smoke may settle in low-lying areas overnight. Residents are encouraged to close windows at night to avoid smoke impacts. Talk with your doctor and plan for how to manage your health conditions when it is smoky. Additional resources for how to prepare for wildfire smoke. 

For the latest news and information about the Tonto National Forest, follow along on Facebook @TontoNationalForest, ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) @TontoForest or Instagram @tontonationalforest and on the Tonto National Forest website.

CURRENT STATUS The Daly Fire advanced moderately northeastward along Stony Creek in Ravalli and Granite counties. Firefighters continued assessing the eastern flank in the Gem Mountain and Rock Creek areas. Resources including heavy equipment and water tenders have been positioned to protect the values at risk north and east of the fire.
The Railroad Fire experienced moderate growth to the east however, with low vegetation and continuous rock scree overall fire behavior remains limited.
WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
Warm and dry conditions will continue through the morning with temperatures reaching the low 70’s. Fire activity will be less than previous days, but torching and short-range spotting could continue. Thunderstorms are likely to arrive in early afternoon bringing erratic wind gusts of up to 35 mph and the possibility of pea-sized hail. Precipitation may bring enough moisture to limit fire behavior with creeping expected to continue in heavy fuels. Flash flooding and debris flow is a potential concern as storms move in.
EVACUATIONS, RESTRICTIONS, CLOSURES
The Skalkaho Highway (Highway 38) is closed from Black Bear Campground to the Crystal Creek Campground on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF side. This location has the potential to change, given the amount of recent fire activity. The temporary flight restriction (TFR) on the Railroad-Daly fire has expanded both north and south. Gird Point Lookout is also closed.

Wapiti Fire Statistics:

Size: 125,429 acres

Containment: 12%

Total Personnel: 1,325

Location: Grandjean, ID

Reported: July 24, 2024

Cause: Lightning

For More Information:

Information Phone: 208-593-7132

Email: 2024.wapiti@firenet.gov

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idbof-wapiti-fire

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wapitifireinfo2024

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/WapitiFireInfo2024

Interactive Map: https://tinyurl.com/WapitiFireInfoMap

Special Notes: State Highway 21 remains closed east of Lowman to Stanley from MP84 (Sourdough Lodge) to MP126 (Stanley Lake turnoff) due to wildfire activity. Highway 75 remains open. The Frog Fire on the Sawtooth National Forest is putting up significant smoke visible from Stanley. Currently this fire is being managed by the Sawtooth National Forest with resources on loan from the Wapiti Fire. For the most up to date information on the Frog Fire, visit: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idstf-frog.

Current Situation: The next few days will bring a strong weather system through the area. Ahead of the precipitation there will be critical fire weather and an uptick in fire activity. Aerial resources are identifying heat zones across the fire ahead of these strong winds.  A significant amount of precipitation is expected to fall over the Wapiti Fire. Although this rainfall will not extinguish the fire, it is expected to moderate fire behavior and increase the moisture levels of burnable fuels. Despite this change in weather, crews will continue to staff the fire day and night to meet incident objectives.  Firefighter and public safety remain the highest priority in all management decisions.

Division DD:  An indirect dozer line and fuel break has been completed from Iron Creek all the way down to the 2014 Gold Fire burn scar. This will serve as the holding feature if the fire moves out of the Sawtooth Wilderness. Currently, the fire is holding in the creek drainages and at the rock scree above the tree line. This area of the fire is being flown daily to monitor for any hotspots or movement out of the drainages.

Division HH:  Crews remain in place patrolling the community of Stanley. All the line around Iron Creek is holding. Aviation resources have been flying this division daily to look for hotspots.

Division KK and Structure Group East: Structure protection is in place and crews continue to monitor the communities and ensure there is no fire progression. Crews are mopping up any hotspots and monitoring the area. Fire behavior increased yesterday, and vegetation was more receptive to fire and burned in the interior of the perimeter.

Divisions PP & MM:  Today, crews have completed firing operations in this area and are working to secure the fire perimeter. They continue to monitor the area and mop up hotspots. Unmanned Ariel Systems (UAS) were used to detect any heat in the area and assist with mop up.

Division WW and Structure Group West: Structure protection in upper and middle Lowman, including the Sourdough, Ten Ax and Two Ravens subdivisions are completed.  Yesterday, the Warm springs area had active fire behavior on the Eight Mile Ridge where fire is backing down towards the Warm Springs Guard Station. Aircraft are being utilized for bucket drops to cool hot spots in the area. Plans are in place in case conditions change or fire behavior increases. Unmanned Ariel Systems (UAS) were utilized to detect heat in the area.

Division VV: Fire in this division is burning partially within the Sawtooth Wilderness and is unstaffed due to the lack of road access and low potential for fire spread. It is being flow daily to monitor any fire progression.

Weather, Fuels, and Fire Behavior: There is a Red Flag Warning in place for today from noon till 2pm. Ahead of the storm, winds may gust up to 60mph which could cause an increase in fire behavior.  The next storm system will arrive around 4pm, causing an acute drop in temperatures, with increasing thunderstorms, and possible hail and rain up to ¾ of an inch. A steady rain will persist throughout the day on Thursday. With this significant amount of rainfall, there is a risk of debris flows off the burned area that could inhibit the passage of fire crews through the Highway 21 corridor.

Evacuations: 

For evacuation information on the Wapiti Fire, please see the Custer County Sheriff’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/p/Custer-County-Sheriff-Idaho-61558947312289/ and the Boise County Sheriff’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/boisecountysheriff/. 

To sign up for Custer County CodeRED emergency notifications, text CUSTER to 99411 or enroll online at https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/BF28E45537FF . 

To sign up for Boise County Alert Sense emergency notification enroll online at https://public.alertsense.com/SignUp/publicUser.aspx?regionid=1163 

Closures and Fire Restrictions:

State Highway 21 remains closed from MP84 to MP126 for public and firefighter safety.

A Wapiti Fire Area Closure / Forest Order: 0414-04-151 for portions of the Boise, Sawtooth, and Salmon-Challis National Forests can be found at this site:  https:/www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sawtooth/alerts-notices

Boise National Forest Stage 1 Fire Restrictions / Forest Order: 0402-00-63 can be found at this site: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/boise/alerts-notices. 

Sawtooth National Forest Stage 1 Fire Restrictions / Forest Order 0414-00-044 can be found at this site: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sawtooth/alerts-notices

Fire restrictions on federal, state, and private lands may be found at this site: https://www.idl.idaho.gov/fire-management/fire-restrictions-finder/.

Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the Wapiti Fire. Wildfires are a no-fly zone for unauthorized aircraft, including drones. If you fly, we can’t. For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

A fire weather watch has been issued for today due to forecasted lightning

Daily Update – Wednesday, September 11, 2024       

Acres: 6,475                                                                                                

Start Date: 9/2/2024

Location: 9 miles northwest of Fairfield, ID                              

Personnel: 428

Containment: 10%                                                                   

Fuels: Timber, brush, grass, understory

Highlights: Firefighters are preparing for changing weather as red flag conditions transition into possible thunderstorms and much cooler temperatures this evening.

Operations: Minimal fire behavior was reported at lower elevations of the fire on Tuesday due to the suppression efforts and additional work that occurred along the Lime Creek drainage near the southern boundary of the fire. In the upper elevations along the northeastern perimeter, low to moderate fire behavior was observed due to the fire reaching natural barriers. Forecasted weather is expected to moderate fire behavior today. Crews continue to scout for access and potential containment lines in the northwestern portion of the fire. Initial attack crews are fully staffed for any new fire starts.

Weather: A Red Flag Warning has been issued for scattered dry thunderstorms and dry lightning starting at 1200 Wednesday. Afternoon high temperatures may struggle to reach the 70s with fluctuating humidity in the 30 to 40 percent range. Winds will shift from the southeast to the west during the day with gusts up to 24 mph. Rain and wind are expected to intensify Wednesday night. 

Smoke: Smoke may be visible from the Fairfield area, with continuing predicted today. 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 emergency temporary closure of trails and trail segments for the Chimney Fire. The purpose of the closure order is for the protection of firefighters and public during wildfire suppression activities occurring in and around the trails. 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/