W.I.S.E. Fire Tracking

Copper Let It Burn Fire

Location: ~10 mi E of Big Creek, Valley Co. ID.
Specific Location: Payette NF, Lat 45° 10´ 8″ Lon 115° 9´ 7″

Date of Origin: 07/10/2010
Cause: Lightning

Situation as of 08/12/2010 4:45 pm
Personnel: 0
Size: 409 acres
Percent Contained: 0%

Fire received significant moisture the last few days.

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Situation as of 08/05/2010 4:30 pm
Personnel: 0
Size: 400 acres
Percent Contained: 0%

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Situation as of 07/29/2010 7:00 pm
Personnel: 0
Size: 290 acres
Percent Contained: 0%

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Situation as of 07/24/2010 7:00 pm
Personnel: 0
Size: 180 acres
Percent Contained: 0%

Fire was detected on July 23rd by aircraft flying over the area around 0830. Currently the fire is being monitored by ‘on the ground’ personnel.

Meaning in the air, not actually on the ground. Sort of like: the Payette NF is staffed by ‘intelligent and capable’ people.

Horseshoe Fire

Location: 5 mi. S of Portal, Cochise Co. NM
Specific Location: SF Cave Ck., Coronado NF, Lat 31° 49´ 4″, Lon 109° 12´ 9″

Date of Origin: 05/26/2010
Cause: Human

Situation as of 06/29/2010 7:00 pm
Personnel: 14
Size: 3,401 acres
Percent Contained: 95%

Costs to Date: $9,879,000 (no update)

Heavy thunderstorm activity and significant rainfall over the fire area.

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Situation as of 06/28/2010 6:00 pm
Personnel: 14
Size: 3,401 acres
Percent Contained: 85%

Costs to Date: $9,879,000

Opening South Fork road to public and all campgrounds. Transitioning to Type 3 IC.

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Situation as of 06/27/2010 6:00 pm
Personnel: 71
Size: 3,386 acres
Percent Contained: 85%

Costs to Date: $9,814,145

Transition to local Type 3 team will occur at noon on 28 June 2010. No fire activity was observed today.

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Abby Foofurb* Fire

Location: 20 miles NE of Idaho City, Boise Co., ID
Specific Location: Boise NF, Lat 43° 58´ 21″, Lon 115° 28´ 39″

Date of Origin: 08/29/2009
Cause: lightning

Situation as of 09/29/2009 3:15 pm
Personnel:80
Size: 950 acres
Percent Contained: 0%

Resources on the fire to check the progression on the north flank into Pikes Fork and the SE corner to the FS RD 303. Closed FS RD 348 Crooked River and FS RD 312 Pikes Fork.

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Situation as of 09/28/2009 4:15 pm
Personnel: 6
Size: 630 acres
Percent Contained: 0%

MMA: not reported

Fire moving to the north toward the Crooked River area. Notifying the public that are in those campground areas. Using aircraft and some ground personnel to try to [sic] herd the fire. Confine and contain strategy. Active fire behavior with running and spotting.

*foofurb: euphemism for “fire used for resource benefit.” However, as is usual with foofurbs, no benefits have been elucidated, no EIS created, no public involvement or hearings held.

Eightmile Foofurb* Fire

Location: 10 miles NE of Lowman, Boise Co. ID
Specific Location: Boise NF, Eightmile Creek vicinity, Lat 44° 10´ 58″, Lon 115° 23´ 34″

Date of Origin: 07/12/2009
Cause: Lightning

Situation as of 08/12/2009 3:00 pm
Personnel: 2
Size: 1,264 acres
Percent contained: 0%

Costs to Date: Not reported

Work is being completed on monitoring plots within the burn perimeter for current and future monitoring. Jackson Peak Lookout and the monitoring folks will give daily updates on the fire. Monitoring flights will be based on fire activity. Long Term Strategic plan is complete and will be updated as the need arises.

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Situation as of 08/07/2009 8:00 pm
Personnel: 2
Size: 922 acres
Percent contained: 0%

Costs to Date: Not reported

1.25 and 1.14 inches of rain for yesterday and today, so far.

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Situation as of 08/06/2009 8:00 pm
Personnel: 89
Size: 922 acres
Percent contained: 0%

Today, the Type 1 Hotshot crew from Idaho City and the Type 2 Initial Attack Crew from Utah were flown off the fire line due to impending severe weather warnings. Helicopters and fixed wing aircraft grounded.

Fire behavior has moderated due to a wet weather pattern setting up over the general area.

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Situation as of 08/04/2009 7:00 pm
Personnel: 83
Size: 922 acres
Percent contained: 0%

Costs to Date: Not Reported

Town Hall Meeting scheduled for 6:00 P.M., Wednesday, August 5, at the Lowman Emergency Services Building.

Late evening and early morning drift smoke low in the South Fork Payette drainage in the vicinity of Eightmile Creek could be hazardous to Highway 21 traffic, caution is advised. The Real Time Smoke Monitor installed by DEQ [on private property at the instigation of the private property owner, not the BNF] continues to monitor one hour running averages and mid-24 hour averages.

Today, a Type 1 Hotshot crew from Idaho City was flown to the ridge between Eightmile Creek and the East Fork of Eightmile Creek. Wednesday, the crew will begin to establish an anchor point and construct handline off of Eightmile Creek to secure the southern perimeter. Two Type 2 Initial Attack crews from Utah arrived and plans are for them to build handline up the east flank, working along the ridge line between Eightmile Creek and the East Fork of Eightmile Creek. Helicopter water bucket drops were made to successfully check the fire on the southern perimeter and on ridge line between Eightmile and the East Fork of Eightmile Creek. For the first time in a few days, a helicopter was available to GPS the fire. The fire was mapped at 922 acres as of 5 P.M., August 4. A helicopter and crew has been assigned to the incident for overall logistical support.

A Type 2 short team has been ordered, and will transition with the local Type 3 team on Thursday.

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Goodluck Fire

Location: 25 miles SW of Salmon, Lemhi Co. ID
Specific Location: Salmon-Challis NF, Swan Peak vicinity, Lat 44° 59´ 37″, Lon 114° 9´ 16″

Date of Origin: 07/24/2009
Cause: Lightning

Situation as of 07/30/2009 5:00 pm
Personnel: 46
Size: 150 acres
Percent contained: 100%

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Situation as of 07/28/2009 5:00 pm
Personnel: 185
Size: 150 acres
Percent contained: 60%

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Situation as of 07/27/2009 5:00 pm
Personnel: 189
Size: 150 acres
Percent contained: 40%

Continue to plumb water to fire line, mob-up, and grid for spot fires.

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Situation as of 07/26/2009 5:00 pm
Personnel: 158
Size: 150 acres
Percent contained: 10%

Forest system roads (4) closed in the fire area. Made good progress with dozers supported by water and aircraft.

Post-Fire Vegetation Conditions on the National Forests

The USFS RAVG interactive website [here]:

… offers an initial description of post-fire vegetative conditions using the Rapid Assessment of Vegetation Condition after Wildfire (RAVG) process. RAVG analysis looks at fires that burn more than 1,000 acres of forested National Forest System (NFS) lands, beginning with fires that occurred in 2007. These fires result in direct losses of vegetative cover and many of the benefits associated with forested ecosystems.

NFS lands experience thousands of wildfires every year, most of which are relatively small. The largest fires typically account for 90% of the total acreage burned. RAVG analysis provides a first approximation of areas that due to severity of the fire may require reforestation treatments. These reforestation treatments would re-establish forest cover and restore associated ecosystem services. This initial approximation could be followed by a site-specific diagnosis and development of a silvicultural prescription identifying reforestation needs.

Search for RAVG wildfire summaries using the Select Wildfires… “By Year…”, “By State…”, or “By National Forest/Grassland…” menus (does not allow multiple criteria selection) to produce lists of wildfires; or, you may select an individual wildfire using the “By Wildfire…” selection menu. You may also select a Forest Service Region on the map below to display a wildfire list for that region of the United States.

Timber WFU Fire

Location: 13 miles NE of Spencer, Clark Co., ID

Specific Location: Centennial Mtns., N of Camas Creek, Caribou-Targhee NF, Lat 44° 30´ 6″ Lon 112° 1´ 21″

Date of origin: 09/29/2008
Cause: lightning

Situation as of Oct 03, 2008 2:45 PM
Personnel: 17
Size: 1,747 acres
Percent contained: 0%
MMA: not reported

Single and group tree torching. Short crown runs, 1/4 mile spotting. Fire has burned ~100 acs in Montana, Beaverhead NF.

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Situation as of Oct 01, 2008 5:00 PM
Personnel: 8
Size: 600+ acres
Percent contained: 0%
MMA: not reported

Single and group tree torching. Short crown runs, 1/4 mile spotting. Fire has moved N and crossed into Montana, Beaverhead NF.

Pepper WFU Fire

Location: 6 miles E of Yellowpine, Valley Co., ID

Specific Location: Pepper Ck, Lat 44° 56´ 56″ Lon 115° 21´ 12″

Date of Origin: 08/21/2008 (First official report 08/29/08)
Cause: lightning

Situation as of 08/29/08 at 11:00 AM
Personnel: 0
Size: 137 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
Desired maximum Fire Size (MMA): not reported

Est. containment date: 10/31/08 (in other words, whenever)

Sam Hescock is in charge of this fire, too. Sam burned down 470,000 acres of the Payette NF last year.

Nature Fire

Location: 3 miles W of Picabo, Blaine Co., ID

Specific Location: Silver Creek Nature Preserve, S of Hwy 20, Lat 43° 18´ 49″ Lon 114° 12´ 51″

Date of Origin: 08/27/2008
Cause: human

Situation as of 08/29/2008 at 5:20 PM
Personnel: 166
Size: 14,874 acres
Percent Contained: 100%

Structures Destroyed: 4 outbuildings total

100% containment. Minimal interior smokes. Mop up.

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Situation as of 08/28/2008 at 5:45 PM
Personnel: 207
Size: 10,700 acres
Percent Contained: 35%

Structures Destroyed: 3 outbuildings

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Situation as of 08/27/2008 at 7:00 PM
Personnel: 117
Size: 700 acres
Percent Contained: 0%

Roads to the Silver Creek Nature Preserve (The Nature Conservancy) have been closed. It is unclear from the reports whether the fire started on TNC property. The Nature Fire is not a WFU, despite the fact that TNC is a principal supporter and proponent of WFU. Evidently WFU applies to other people’s property, not theirs. When TNC gets a fire, they expect firefighters to put it out and the taxpayers (not the TNC, they pay no taxes) to pay for it.

Storm WFU Fire

Location: 15 Miles E of Powell, ID

Specific Location: Clearwater NF, Lat 46° 31´ 27″ Lon 114° 23´ 0″

Date of Origin: 08/09/2008 (First official report 8/25)
Cause: lightning

Situation as of 08/23/2008 3:00 PM
Personnel: 0
Size: 340 acres
Percent contained: 0%
Maximum desired fire size (MMA): 4 million acres

4th of July Fire

Location: 5 miles SE of North Fork, Lemhi Co., ID

Specific Location: 4th of July Creek Rd., 0.7 mi E of Hwy 93, Lat 45° 22´ 16″ Lon 113° 56´ 8″

Date of Origin: 08/21/2008
Cause: human

Situation as of 08/23/2008 4:00 PM
Personnel: 15
Size: 330 acres
Percent contained: 100%

Good cooperation between agency and county (rural fire departments) contributed to successfully protecting the communities that were threatened, and controlling the fire at minimal acreage.

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Situation as of 08/22/2008 5:00 PM
Personnel: 66
Size: 330 acres
Percent contained: not reported

Structures Threatened: 40 residences , 12 outbuildings

Wind driven fire with winds recorded at 45 mph on the fire. Fire received some precipitation overnight with good RH recovery. Some interior burning of larger fuels, with most of the perimeter being cold.

Border Complex WFU Fires

Location: 30 miles W of North Fork, Lemhi Co., ID
Specific Location: Salmon Challis NF, Lat 45° 30´ 47″ Lon 114° 37´ 24″

Date of Origin: 08/05/2008
Cause: lightning

Situation as of 09/10/2008 3:30 PM
Personnel: 1
Size: 7,137 acres
Percent contained: 0%
Maximum desired fire size (MMA): 106,000 acres

Costs to Date: $232,000

Plan to transition to a Type 4 IC on Saturday, Sept. 13. It is possible that the trail closures will be lifted next week. This will be our last report until significant activity occurs. Roan Fire: 230 Acres Cayuse/Woodhump: 6,907

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Situation as of 08/31/2008 12:30 PM
Personnel: 1
Size: 6,676 acres
Percent contained: 0%
Maximum desired fire size (MMA): 106,000 acres

Costs to Date: $230,000 (not updated)

Rainfall over night and continuing on today and 1/4″ total. Demobbed 6 of the 7 overhead. Fires will be monitored by lookouts throughout the week. Last report until significant activity occurs.

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Situation as of 08/29/2008 3:00 PM
Personnel: 7
Size: 6,676 acres
Percent contained: 0%
Maximum desired fire size (MMA): 106,000 acres

Costs to Date: $230,000

Cayuse and Wood Hump Fires have grown together and total 6,448 acres. Roan Fire total 228 acres per GPS mapping 8/28/2008.

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Situation as of 08/26/2008 3:00 PM
Personnel: 10
Size: 6,000 acres
Percent contained: 0%
Maximum desired fire size (MMA): 106,000 acres

Costs to Date: $228,000

The Wood Hump and Cayuse Fires have burned together; acreage of each individual fire is estimated until better observation can be made. Wood Hump: 4,807 - Cayuse: 986 - Roan: 207

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Situation as of 08/24/2008 3:30 PM
Personnel: 3 reported, but they are nowhere near the fires
Size: 5,537 acres
Percent contained: 0%
Maximum desired fire size (MMA): 106,000 acres

Costs to Date: not updated

The complex includes the Wood Hump WFU on the Bitterroot NF (4,544 acres), the Cayuse WFU (786 acres) and the Roan WFU (207 acres) all on the Salmon Challis NF.

The Wood Hump and Cayuse fires expected burn into each other by the end of the day.

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Situation as of 08/21/2008 5:30 PM
Personnel: 0
Size: 2,662 acres
Percent contained: 0%
Maximum desired fire size (MMA): 106,000 acres

Costs to Date: $228,000

The complex includes the Wood Hump WFU [here] on the Bitterroot NF (2,212 acres), the Cayuse WFU [here] (400 acres) and the Roan WFU (40 acres) on the Salmon Challis NF.

Significant fire growth in the last 24 hours not reported but evident on Google Earth Fire Map.

Bargamin WFU Fire

Location: 15 miles SE of Elk City, Idaho Co., ID

Specific Location: Nez Perce NF, Lat 45° 49´ 11″ Lon 114° 56´ 43″

Date of origin: 08/09/2008
Cause: lightning

Situation as of 08/19/2008 6:00 PM
Personnel: 0
Size: 525 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
Maximum desired fire size: not reported

First official report 8/20/08.

Single tree torching, with short crown runs in the drainages.

Diamond WFU Fire

Location: 18 miles WNW of Darby MT in Idaho Co., ID

Specific Location: Diamond Lake, Selway-Bitterroot, Nez Perce NF, Lat 46° 6´ 9″ Lon 114° 32´ 12″

Date of origin: 08/02/2008
Cause: lightning

Situation as of 08/19/2008 6:00 PM
Personnel: 0
Size: 692 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
Maximum desired fire size: not reported

First official report 8/20/08.

Personnel from the Darby RD will be patrolling the Bear Creek Pass area to warn public of potential fire danger and wrap trailhead signs. Fire information signs will be posted at the trailheads and trails will remain open until fire activity and eastward spread warrants a closure.

Moose Creek WFU Fires

Location: 25 Miles SSW of Powell, ID

Specific Location: Moose Creek, Nez Perce NF, Lat 46° 12´ 48″ Lon 114° 49´ 38″

Date of Origin: 07/25/2008
Cause: lightning

Situation as of 08/23/2008 3:00 PM
Personnel: 0
Size: 2,549 acres
Percent contained: 0%
Maximum desired fire size (MMA): 4 million acres

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Situation as of 08/20/2008 4:00 PM
Personnel: 0
Size: 2,173 acres
Percent contained: 0%
Maximum desired fire size (MMA): not reported

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Situation as of 08/18/2008 3:00 PM
Personnel: 0
Size: 1,153 acres
Percent contained: 0%
Maximum desired fire size (MMA): not reported

First official mention of these fires by the Rocky Mtn. Coordination Center: 8/18

14 fires, largest are Elbow WFU (500 acs), Diamond WFU (250 acs), Warm Springs WFU (200 acs), Indian WFU (150 acs), and Issac WFU (40 acs).

Wilderness manager has initiated contacts with all potentially affected outfitters.

Active perimeter growth on all flanks with creeping, torching, short range spotting and active backing observed from patrol flight.