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Crazy Horse Fire |
September 1, 2003 8:00 a.m.
Contact: Information Officers Ted Pettis & Sarah Cooper
Fire Information; Hours 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.: 406-754-4620
What: Wildland fire, lightning-caused
Started: August 10, 2003
Location: Eight miles south of Condon, MT
Latitude/ Longitude: 47 25’ 1” by 113 49’ 55” in Missoula County
Jurisdiction: Flathead National Forest & Montana–DNRC
Cooperating Agencies: Swan Valley Fire Company, Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, Plum Creek Timber Co.
Current size: 11,000 acres Containment: 70%
Estimated Containment Date: 9/15/03
Structures Threatened: none at this time
All evacuation orders for the Swan Valley homes associated with the Crazy Horse Fire have been lifted.
Injuries to date: 3
Resources on Fire: There are 290 people, including four 20-person hand crews, assigned to the fire. Equipment includes five helicopters, twenty-four engines/water tenders, and twelve pieces of heavy equipment. A Northern Rockies Incident Management Team from North Idaho, under the leadership of Incident Commander Allen Chrisman, is assigned to manage this fire. The IMT will continue to provide initial attack response and support within the Flathead National Forest and Montana-DNRC protection areas, as agreed. The Incident Command Post is located on the Gordon Ranch property, 8 miles south of Condon, MT.
Yesterday’s Activity: The north, south, and east flanks of the fire are contained. Many portions have had extensive mop-up completed, crews continue to patrol and mop-up those areas.
Crews have been mopping up the 300-foot wide area ignited inside the Wilderness during the burnout operation on August 29 at the head of Red Butte Creek. This action was successful in helping secure a large portion of fireline in the southwest corner of fire and added to the previously reported acres.
The upper reaches of Hemlock Creek were burning actively
today and most of the night. The fire has reached the trigger point of being
west of Hemlock Lake, which makes it necessary to implement the burnout discussed
at the August 30th public meeting. This operation is occurring
earlier than expected but necessary to reduce the chance of spotting or burning
over the ridge system into the headwaters of Elk Creek.
Today’s Plan: A stronger high-pressure system will rebuild bringing warmer temperatures with lower relative humidities. Crews will continue mop-up operations on the north, east, and south flanks of the fire. Rehabilitation of firelines continues on these portions of the fire area outside the Wilderness. As weather conditions become warmer and dryer, expect to see isolated torching of trees in unburned interior islands in the coming days. These situations will be monitored and pose no threat to the fire perimeter.
With yesterday’s fire spread west of Hemlock Lake, a burnout operation in the upper end of Hemlock Creek within the Wilderness will be implemented if conditions are right. This action is necessary to best secure the last area of uncontained fireline in the northwest corner.
A public meeting, hosted by Chrisman’s IMT, will be held tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Condon Community Center to update the community on the current fire situation and how the Hemlock Creek burnout operation went today.
Special Concerns: Safety is always #1 among all firefighting agencies. Burned-through green trees and snags continue to be a hazard. Bees have just recently become a problem.
The Crazy Horse Fire Area Closure is still in effect, but the affected area is much smaller. A new map has been published by the Flathead NF to show the changes. Call the Condon Work Center @ 406-754-2295 for details or check the website listed below. Maps are also being posted at several bulletin boards throughout the Swan Valley.
Prevention Message: The fire danger in western Montana is very high to extreme. All federal, state, and private lands have moved into Stage II fire restrictions effective Monday, July 28. These restrictions prohibit:
For additional information on this and other fires, Forest Closures, or Stage II fire restrictions, call the Northern Rockies Incident Information Office at 1-800-781-2811 or visit their website at www.fs.fed.us/r1/fire/2003fires.shtml or the Northwest Montana Area Command website at www.fs.fed.us/nwacfire
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