Mid Fire Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet #5 for 9-03-03 at 6:30 pm

Contact: Flathead National Forest, Spotted Bear Ranger District, 406-758-6470 or -5376
What: Lightning-caused wildland fires.

Status: The Mid Fire is being managed as Branch IV of the Blackfoot Lake Complex. A Type I Team led by Hal Mortier of California assumed operations of this suppression fire on August 30, 2003. The management strategy is to prevent the fire from moving to the north and west and exiting the Wilderness.

Summary of Activity: On Wednesday morning (until the inversion lifted) the Mid Fire experienced very light winds from the north with winds aloft from the west. These conditions proved favorable on this fire, pushing it back onto itself and crowding it into a rocky bluff on the SE corner of the fire. Consequently, the fire experienced no growth on Wednesday. No suppression activities were taken on the fire on Wednesday, as the planned aerial resources were diverted to the Ball Fire within the same Fire Complex.

On Thursday, two Type I helicopters are planned to provide aerial suppression. The portable retardant batch plant, located at the Spotted Bear Helibase, is operational and one helicopter will drop retardant along the western perimeter and where necessary along the ridgetops, away from water sources. The other helicopter will drop water where hotspots are located in riparian and creek zones. The objective is to slow the fire’s progression towards the South Fork of the Flathead. The retardant line will be anchored to a rocky bluff on the west side of the fire.

Location: The Little Salmon Complex is located 47 miles southeast of Kalispell, Montana, in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex.

Current Size: Total: 9,371 acres.

Concerns: Firefighter and public safety, aviation, and the effects of smoke on surrounding communities.

Resource Benefits: This fire will help to minimize future threats to firefighters and wilderness users by reducing fuel buildup. Future fire size and intensity will be reduced.

Trail Closures: East side Hungry Horse Reservoir road access via road #38 reopened Friday from U.S. Highway 2 to Wilderness Lodge, Diamond R Guest Ranch, Spotted Bear Ranch, and Spotted Bear Ranger Station, along with 7 miles of the South Fork of the Flathead River outside the Bob Marshall Wilderness, from Spotted Bear Ranger Station to Hungry Horse Reservoir.

The Spotted Bear River drainage; access to trailheads for Meadow Creek and Gorge Creek. South Fork Flathead River drainage of the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Also, trails #83, #87, #88, #89, #90, #102, upper end of #112, #173, #176, #177, #243, #359, and #584 in the Silvertip area.

The Rocky Mountain Ranger District of the Lewis and Clark National Forest has closed several trails east of the Little Salmon Creek Complex: #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; #266 from the junction with #229 to the Forest boundary at the Continental Divide; #227 from the Continental Divide to the junction with #202; #229 from the Lewis and Clark National Forest boundary 1 mile south of County 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 #211; Ahorn Creek #209; and East Fork Ahorn #225.

Closures will be lifted once public safety hazards are removed. Ensure you are aware of current fire restrictions and area closures before you head outdoors.

Trailheads for Monture; North Fork Blackfoot; Benchmark; West, Middle, and South forks of the Teton River; Morrison Creek; and Bear Creek can still be used to access open areas.

The Small Business Administration approved a disaster declaration, allowing qualified small businesses affected by the fires and closures to apply for assistance. The SBA has scheduled public meetings.

Jurisdiction: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service - Flathead National Forest, Spotted Bear Ranger District.

Remarks:

09/02 – Temperatures on Tuesday again reached the mid-80s; however humidity recovery was better than it had been in many days. The inversion layer, which has been burning off by early afternoon, remained over the fire all day and resulted in less fire activity than previous days. Tuesday morning’s mild cold front was predicted to bring 6-10 mph winds from the NE; shifting to a SE direction in the afternoon. However, light winds appeared to remain from the north most of the day. The inversion trapped the smoke, obliterating visibility, grounding aircraft, and delaying planned operations until Wednesday.

No aerial suppression activities were possible on Tuesday; and an aerial observation in the late afternoon reported the favorable light winds from the north pushed the fire back into the Wilderness. The Mid Fire appeared to have minimal growth on Tuesday; however, some single tree torching was observed in the late afternoon, particularly on the southwest flank.

Since Tuesday’s air operations were grounded due to the inversion, the original operational plan will be enacted on Wednesday. On Wednesday, two Type I helicopters will provide aerial suppression. The portable retardant batch plant, located at the Spotted Bear Helibase, is now operational and one helicopter will drop retardant along the western perimeter and where necessary along the ridgetops, away from water sources. The other helicopter will drop water where hotspots are located in riparian and creek zones. The objective is to slow the fire’s progression towards the South Fork of the Flathead. The retardant line will be anchored to a rocky bluff on the west side of the fire.

09/01 - Temperatures on Monday were in the mid-80s and humidity remained in the teens. Inversion conditions kept fire behavior moderated until about 1:00 pm. The mid-slopes and ridgetops remained extremely dry because of poor humidity recovery; these conditions led to another active afternoon burn period. Burning on the southwest perimeter of the fire moved the fire further down Mid Creek. Infrared information showed the intense heat in this portion of the fire the previous evening. A hotspot outside the main perimeter of the fire on the north side in Lost Jack Creek continued to show activity and spotting was seen in Silvertip Creek drainage on the east side of the fire. After the inversion lifted, two Type I helicopters (heavies) dropped water on the west side of the fire during the afternoon and on hotspots and other flanks of the fire. Crews completed structural protection of the Spotted Bear Lookout, located approximately six miles from the Mid Fire as a precautionary measure.

On Tuesday, the Mid Fire will continue to be monitored from the air and air resources will be used to confine the fire within the Wilderness on the north and west perimeters. Two Type I helicopters will provide aerial suppression. One helicopter will drop water where hotspots are located in riparian and creek zones; the second helicopter will drop retardant along the western perimeter and where necessary along the ridgetops, away from water sources. The portable retardant batch plant, located at the Spotted Bear Helibase, should be operational by Tuesdayafternoon. The objective is to create a retardant line of defense at the upper elevations along the edge of the fire to prevent its progress towards the South Fork of the Flathead. The retardant line will be anchored to a rocky bluff on the west side of the fire. The Mid Fire did not create any visible column today.

08/31 - Temperatures on Sunday were in the high 70s and humidity remained in the teens. Inversion conditions remained until about 1:00 pm, moderating the fire behavior. Conditions at mid and upper slopes remained extremely dry. Short, but active, crown fires that re-burned back into themselves were observed throughout the afternoon. Two Type I helicopters (heavies) dropped water on the west side of the fire during the afternoon, after the inversion lifted. Crews continued structural protection of the Spotted Bear Lookout, located approximately six miles from the Mid Fire as a precautionary measure.

On Monday, the Mid Fire will continue to be monitored from the air and air resources will be used to confine the fire within the Wilderness on the north and west perimeters. Two additional Type I helicopters are slated to join in the air suppression activities and a portable retardant batch plant will be located at the Spotted Bear helibase. Once operational, suppression will include two Type I helicopters dropping water along the south and southwest perimeters in advance of the additional Type I helicopters who will distribute retardant. The objective is to create a retardant line of defense at the upper elevations along the edge of the fire to prevent its progress towards the South Fork of the Flathead. The retardant line will be anchored to a rocky bluff on the west side of the fire. The Mid Fire did not create any visible column today.

08/30 - Temperatures on Saturday were in the mid 70s and humidity remained in the high teens. Inversion conditions remained until mid-day, moderating the fire behavior. Although dew points remained high in the valleys, air at mid and upper slopes remained extremely dry. Backing fires made uphill runs through unburned and partially burned fuels. When the inversion lifted at mid-day, a Type I helicopter was dropping water over the fire, inversion conditions limited visibility and prevented the safe use of air suppression activities earlier in the day. Crews began structural protection of the Spotted Bear Lookout, located approximately six miles from the Mid Fire. Wrapping of the lookout will continue over the next several days.

On Sunday, the Mid Fire will continue to be monitored from the air and air resources will be used to confine the fire within the Wilderness on the north and west perimeters.

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Blackfoot Lake Complex : Mid Fire

Fact Sheet #5 for 9-03-03 at 6:30 pm

Remarks:

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