NW Montana Joint Information Center Fire Update August 26, 2003, 10:00 AM

Center Hours 6 a.m. – 9 p.m. Phone # (406) 755-3910 www.fs.fed.us/nwacfire

Middle Fork River from Cascadilla to West Glacier is closed. North Fork road from Glacier Rim to Polebridge is open but NO stopping along the road and all roads off the North Fork remain closed. The Red Meadows Road remains closed to the public. The Going-to-the-Sun Highway is open. Road #895 along the west side of Hungry Horse Reservoir is CLOSED to the junction of Road #2826 (Meadow Creek Road). Stage II Restrictions are still in effect. The last class for Standards for Survival will be offered this Friday, August 29 from 8 am to 5pm. It will take place at Grant Creek Inn, off I-90 & Reserve Street (Exit 101) in Missoula. Cost will be $75.00. For more information call 406-543-0013.

Blackfoot Lake Complex Includes the Beta Lake-Doris Ridge fires, Ball fire, and the Blackfoot lake complex of fires located on Flathead National Forest, south of Hungry Horse; Hungry Horse, MT. Fire Information (406) 755-3910, 892-0946.

Size: Beta Lake-Doris Ridge – 798 acres total personnel: under Blackfoot Lk. Fires below Size: Ball – 210 acres total personnel: 103 containment: 0% Size: Blackfoot Lake Fires – 1,427 acres total personnel: 362 containment: 0%

Status: Doris was active yesterday with a short run in the afternoon. Burnout operations began and were successful on the Beta . Good line construction progressed in the southeast side of the Ball Fire. Road #895 from Highway 2 along the west side of Hungry Horse Reservoir to junction of Road #2826 is closed. Campgrounds along the Westside of the reservoir are also closed. Emery Campground is closed. Activity on the Doe Fire yesterday called for some use air operations with bucket drops.

Outlook: A Type I team arrived today to take over the fires in the Blackfoot Lake Complex. It will be stationed at River Ranch in Hungry Horse with a spike camp at Spotted Bear airstrip. On the Ball Fire, crews continued to construct direct line while holding and mopping up constructed line. Burnout operations will be finished today on the Beta Lake and Doris Mountain Fires as long as conditions allow. Line construction will be finished. Air operations on Doe and Blackfoot Lake Fires will continue. Monitoring will continue on other fires in the complex.

Closures were issued for certain areas of the Hungry Horse, Spotted Bear, and Swan Lake Ranger Districts. The boundaries of the closure extend along Forest Road #895 (Westside of Reservoir Road) from its junction with US Highway 2 south along the west side of Hungry Horse Reservoir to the junction of Road #2826. It then extends west through the Swan Lake Ranger District and then heads north following the Forest boundary all the way to the town of Hungry Horse. This closure includes the Jewel Basin and all campgrounds along the west side of the reservoir. Emery Bay campground on the east side of the reservoir is also closed due to fire activity in the area. A public meeting will be held nightly at the Canyon Elementary School at 7:00 pm.

Crazy Horse Fire Located on private and Flathead National Forest land, 3 miles northwest of Lindbergh Lake, MT. Fire Information: (406) 754-4620, (406) 754-2295, (406) 754-2291, (406) 754-3137

Size: 10,169 acres (9 acres growth since 8/25) total personnel: 565 containment: 35%

Status: Continued slow surface spread with isolated torching. Good progress was made mopping up today. Five hand crews constructed line inside the Mission Mountains Wilderness. Heavy demobilization of engines and equipment. All mandatory evacuations and fire activity advisories have been lifted. Upper Kraft Creek road remains closed due to fire traffic. Current Forest Service area closure remains in effect from Road #903 at the north end along Highway 83 and Road #906 at the south end. The west side boundary includes

Page 1 of 3 the Mission Mountain Wilderness and the eastern boundary is Hwy 83. All areas east of Hwy 83, the Hwy 83 corridor and Holland Lake Campground and Recreation Facilities are open.

Outlook: Red flag warning today for high winds, low RH and high temperature, which could lead to rapid fire spread to the Northeast pending weather conditions. Construct line in the Mission Mountains Wilderness. Hold, improve and mop-up existing fire line. No Community meeting tonight with next meeting August 27th at 6:30 pm at Swan Valley Elementary School.

LITTLE SALMON COMPLEX Located in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, 47 miles southeast of Kalispell, MT. Fire Information: (406) 758-5376

Size: 31,658 acres (11 acres growth since 8/25) total personnel: 73 containment N/A

Status: A Fire Use Management team is set up at the Spotted Bear Ranger District. The Little Salmon complex includes 21 fires: 9 Wildland Fire Use fires (Little Salmon, Pagoda Mtn., Lime Creek, Independence Peak, Salmon Point, Casey Creek, South Spud, Bartlett Mtn. & Little Hammer) and 12 suppression fires more than 15 acres include Mid Creek, Some Creek, Una, Molly Creek, and Leota. Fires became active as winds increased and humidities dropped into the 20% range. Isolated areas of open flames were seen on several fires. Many fires that had been relatively inactive are showing increased activity. Some slopes runs observed on the Lime Fire with 100’-200’ flame lengths in the late afternoon. Little Salmon Fire moved into the area of the 1985 Charlotte Peak Fire and moved actively against the wind in dead and down fuels.

Outlook: Fire weather watch issued for today for hazardous fire weather conditions with drying, strong winds and low relative humidities. Structure protection at Big Prairie and Black Bear. Monitor fire spread from Little Salmon, Lime, Gordon, and other fires into Big Prairie.

Due to increased fire activity and multiple new starts, all trails in the South Fork Flathead River drainage of the Bob Marshall Wilderness area Mid Creek (3 miles south of Meadow Creek Trailhead) to the southern boundary of the Spotted Bear Ranger District. Six additional trail closures in the northeast side of the Scapegoat Wilderness on the Rocky Mountain Ranger District of the Lewis and Clark National Forest went into effect today. Trail #202 from the junction of #226 to its southern terminus; #219 from the junction with #229 to the Forest boundary at Red Mountain; #226 from the Continental Divide to the junction with #202 from the Continental Divide to the junction with #202; #229 from the Lewis and Clark National Forest boundary 1 mile south of Country Road 577 (Dearborn River Road) to the Forest boundary at the Continental Divide; #246 from the Continental Divide to the junction with #202; #248; #247; Indian Creek #221; Ahorn Creek #209; and East Fork Ahorn #225.

ROBERT FIRE Located on Flathead National Forest and Glacier National Park, 8 miles north of Columbia Falls, MT. Fire Information (406) 892-0946, 892-0948.

Size: 45,581 (670 acres increase since 8/25) total personnel: 680 containment: 65%

Status: The fire had fair overnight humidity recovery, but the drying trend continues. Extended attack continues on the fires. Steep rugged terrain is still a concern for safety and line construction. Fire active around Kelly Camp but crews maintained fire line. Crews continued to secure previous spot fires and other hot spots above the Upper McDonald Creek drainage. Rehabilitation of suppression-related resource damage, resumed today on cooler portions of the Robert Fire.

Outlook: North Fork Road is open from Glacier Rim to Polebridge. No stopping along the road and all roads that junction or are adjacent with the North Fork road will remain closed. The area just beyond Polebridge and the Red Meadows road remain closed to all except residents, emergency personnel and firefighters. A second closure is in effect above Polebridge restricting access to the river access point and Glacier National Park. The travel restrictions are in effect due to the concern for public safety. Crews will continue to work toward securing constructed control lines, direct attack where fire activity and personnel safety allows. The National Guard will be arriving on the fire by Tues., total 141 people.

Glacier National Park: The Middle Fork Complex (954 ac), inside the park, was active yesterday. Due to this activity and possible burn out operations the Middle Fork of the Flathead River from Cascadilla Creek access point to West Glacier is closed. These fires continue to be monitored and assessed. Trails and campgrounds in the park’s North Fork area, north from Lake McDonald and west of the Continental Divide, and the Camas and Hay Creek Roads remain temporarily closed until further notice. Boating on Lake McDonald is temporarily prohibited with the exception of boat tours on the DeSmet, transporting fire crews, and Kelly Camp residents, due to aerial fire suppression. Fish Creek, Avalanche and Big Creek campgrounds remain closed. Openings and closures are dependent upon fire behavior. Lake McDonald Page 2 of 3 Lodge is now open to the public. Sperry Chalet is closed for the season. Trails in the Sperry Chalet area are also closed. Call Glacier National Park for more detailed information 406-888-7801.

TRAPPER CREEK COMPLEX (Trapper Creek fire, Paul Bunyan fire, Trout Creek and Wolf Gun Fire) Located in Glacier National Park, 45 miles north of Kalispell, MT. Fire Information: (406) 892-0946, 892- 0948.

Complex size – 25,590 (492 report since 8/22) Trapper Creek: size – 17,490 acres, Containment - 65% Wolf Gun: size – 8,100 acres, Containment - 50% 3) total personnel: 22

Status: This fire is being monitored exclusively by air with no ongoing suppression actions. Creeping and short surface fire runs with occasional tree torching were observed. Initial attack on a new spot fire, the Morning Star fire, between Two Medicine and Cutbank. Fire is contained and in mop-up but still monitoring. Pitamakin Pass- Atlantic Creek trail is closed. Morning Star campground is closed.

Outlook: All fires remain in a monitoring status and aerial and ground-based monitoring of fire activity will continue. Extremely dry fuels, inaccessible terrain, and the remote nature of this fire preclude containment and confinement. Poor visibility and smoke inversions are hampering the use of aviation resources.

WEDGE Located on the Flathead National Forest and Glacier National Park, 20 miles east of Eureka, MT and six miles south of the Canadian border. Fire Information (801) 413-0525.

Size: 44,441 (2,441 acres increase since 8/25) total personnel: 433 containment: 62%

Status: The area south of Trail Creek Road had moderate burning yesterday. The fire in this area had been previously been slowly backing downhill over the last few days in an area of steep slopes and closed canopy older growth vegetation. Fire crews are working at improving and placing new indirect containment lines using changes in vegetation and terrain as possible. Sprinkler systems are in place and continue to be used along Trail Creek. The southeast section of the fire, inside the park became active yesterday. It made a run in the direction of Long Bow Creek. It is burning in the direction of what is expected. Fire line personnel are unable to attack the fire directly I this area because of the consistent dense vegetation and steep terrain. Hand crews continue to build line south from yesterday’s burnout near Mud Creek. They are taking advantage of moist meadows, old burns where the vegetation canopy is not as thick, and other natural barriers to have a better chance of containing the fire. Residents are reminded that evacuations remain in effect from Moose Creek to the Canadian Border. Teepee Creek Road is closed due to snags. Structure protection measures continued. Temperatures reached 37 degrees in camp this am.

Outlook: More crown runs on the south and east side of the portion of fire within Glacier National Park is expected. Crews plan to wrap structures in the Bowman Lake area. Structure protection in Trail Creek and North Fork road areas will continue to be implemented. Flanking of the eastern portion will be continued along with improvements of the dozer line in the northern section. Public meeting at Polebridge every night at 8:00 pm. Community meeting at Larry Wilson’s place at 9:00 am every other day starting 8/25.

Fires on the Idaho Panhandle National Forest Call (208) 765-7217. A new fire was reported last night, called the Gold Chest, two miles southeast of Murray, Idaho. The fire is estimated at 120 acres. Air tankers dropping retardant helped line the fire. A helicopter used bucket drops on the hot spots inside the perimeter. Two 20-persons crews will be at the fire today with the aid of three engines. The fire is burning away from the community, and no structures are threatened. The origin of the fire is under investigations.

Other Fires on the Flathead National Forest/Glacier National Park

ƒ High Fire: 120 acres. On the Flathead NF, in the SE corner of the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Fire in steep terrain, no ground crews with air attack only. Three Type I helicopters dropped retardant all day. Benchmark airstrip and campground closed to the public. Will be evaluating options for direct attach with ground resources. 62 personnel on the fire. ƒ Middle Fork Complex: 954 acres. In Glacier National Park, approximately 5 miles east of West Glacier. The complex consists of the Belton, Center and Harrison fires. These fires are being monitored with no suppression actions planned at this time. No containment or control targets have been set. There was growth on the Harrison fire, no staffing at this point but are monitoring. Structure protection on the lookout. ƒ Rampage Complex: Approx. 100 acres. In Glacier National Park, southern edge of the Park. The complex consists of the Rampage, Riverview 1, Riverview 2, and Double Mountain 2 fires. These fires are being monitored at this time. Page 3 of 3