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Flathead National Forest |
Blackfoot Lake Complex Fire Information
Flathead National Forest
September 7, 2003 7:00 a.m.
Fire Name: Blackfoot Lake Complex
Date and Time of Fire Start: August 20, 2003 1:54 pm
Joint Information Center: (406) 755-3910 6 a.m. – 9 p.m. Blackfoot Lake Fire Information 387-4609
Location: 19 Miles East of Kalispell, Montana
Kind of Fuels: Mixed Conifer
Cause: Lightning
Size: Total Acreage - 25,195
Individual Fires: Beta/Doris-4,852, Blackfoot Lake-11,430, Dead Buck-14, Doe-2,043, Wounded Buck-308, Wildcat, Upper Lid, Ball-6,548
Weather Conditions: Saturday’s weather was similair to Friday but with out the wind gusts. Wind Direction was south easterly which is out of alignment with the majority of canyons.
Fire Behavior: With the wind out of alignment with the canyons the fire behavior was not as active as Friday. Surface fires and torching were noted.
Agency Jurisdiction: U. S. Forest Service, Flathead National Forest
Cooperating Agencies: BLM, BIA, FS, FWS, NPS, State of Montana, Flathead County
Estimated Containment: 13 percent
Estimated Containment Date: September 30, 2003
Incident Commander: H. Mortier/P. O’Bannon
Equipment and Personnel: 42 hand crews, 7 helicopters, 18 engines, 16 water tenders, 26 pieces of heavy equipment (includes dozers and feller bunchers), 276 overhead personnel, and 6 camp crews.
Total Number of Personnel: 1,272
Threats: Powerlines and structures around Hungry Horse dam, communities of Hungry Horse and Martin City, cabins in the Heinrud area, and Coram Experimental Forest and Research Natural Area, Spotted Bear area.
Structures Destroyed: None
Injuries this period: 1
Injuries to Date: 23
Cost to date: $10,938,778
Special Information: The East Side Reservoir Road (38) from the end of the pavement to Spotted Bear Ranger Station has been closed to all public traffic.
The Beta and Doris fire lines are doing well on the south, east, and north sides. Containment of Beta/Doris is 93%. Line construction continues on the west. Fires are moving toward the east and south.