 |
MORNING UPDATESaturday |
 |
Glacier National Park and Flathead National Forest Fires
Robert Fire-Trapper Creek, Middle Fork
and Rampage Fire Complexes
For fire information, contact the Joint Information Center
406-755-3910
www.fs.fed.us/nwacfire
Robert Fire Information 406/892-0946
For Road Closure & Evacuation Information:
Flathead County OES Public Information Line: 406/758-5606
Headlines
Within the complexes, 8 fires continue to burn for a total of 113,059 acres. Today, the Northern Rockies Incident Management Team (Bob Sandman, Incident Commander) will transition with the California Interagency Incident Management Team 5 (Tom Cable, Incident Commander) at 6:00 p.m. Management priorities are to prevent fire from crossing the Middle Fork of the Flathead River and to diminish the threat to structures in Pinnacle and Essex; to stop the westerly spread of the Middle Fork fires towards West Glacier; and to keep the Rampage Complex from spotting over the Continental Divide.
ROBERT FIRE: The Robert Fire is located in Flathead County, about 8 miles north of Columbia Falls, Montana. Crews on the Robert Fire will be working west of the North Fork Road, mopping up hot spots, dropping snags, and rehabilitating hand lines.
- Today’s Reported Acreage: 57,570 acres.
- Yesterday’s reported acres: 57,570
- Containment: 60%
- Expected Date of Containment: 10/01/2003
- Date started and cause: Started July 23 at about 4:30 pm; cause under investigation
RAMPAGE COMPLEX: These fires started 15 miles east of West Glacier, Montana, north of the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. Crews will monitor the fire’s progress.
- Today’s Reported Acreage: 24,488 acres (Double Mountain – 23,958 acres; Riverview - 530 acres); Yesterday’s reported acres: 24,488
- Containment: 10% Expected
- Date of Containment: 10/01/2003
- Date started and cause: Started August 19 at 10:00 pm; lightning
MIDDLE FORK COMPLEX: This complex is located three miles east of West Glacier, Montana, north of the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. The fire should continue to slowly move downhill toward the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. Crews will resume rehabilitation work in Lincoln Creek and remove fire protective wrap from the Loneman Lookout and Sperry Chalet. Rehabilitation work will begin in the Lake McDonald campground.
- Today’s Reported Acreage: 11,851 acres.
- Yesterday’s reported acres: 11,851.
- Containment: 20% Expected Date of Containment: 10/01/2003
- Date started and cause: Started August 19 at 10:00 pm; lightning.
TRAPPER CREEK COMPLEX: The Trapper Creek Complex is located in Flathead County 45 miles northeast of Kalispell, Montana in Glacier National Park Crews will continue to monitor the Trapper Creek fire and patrol the fire line.
- Today’s Reported Acreage: 19,150 acres.
- Yesterday’s reported acres: 19,150 (Trapper Creek fire).
- Containment: 45 % Expected Date of Containment: 10/01/2003
- Date started and cause: started July 16 at about 2:00 am; lightning.
FIREFIGHTING RESOURCES
The Robert complex of fires has the following resources: 20-Person Fire
Crews – 7;
Helicopters – 3; Engines – 21; Water tenders – 12; Total
Personnel – 557
Firefighting resources will continue to be moved to priority areas within
the complexes, as the situation requires.
WEATHER
A drier and more stable ridge of high pressure will move into the area today
and Sunday. Skies will be mostly clear with temperatures in the 60s. Inversions
may return to the burn area this weekend.
COOPERATORS
Blackfeet Nation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Canadian
Park Service, National Park Service, National Weather Service, Department
of Defense, Montana DNRC, Montana National Guard, US Fish and Wildlife
Service, US Forest Service, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, the
Flathead County Office of Emergency Services, Fire Departments of Flathead
County, Burlington Northern Railroad.
RESTRICTIONS AND CLOSURES
National Park Areas: There are several closures and restrictions of trails
and facilities within Glacier National Park. For more information and up
to date conditions, contact the park at 406-888-7800 or check www.nps.gov/glac
National Forest Areas: The burned area between Big Creek
and Glacier Rim remains closed to public use, including the North Fork
road and National
Forest lands on the west side of the road. For more information, contact
the Forest Service Ranger Station at 406-387-3800.
- The Middle Fork River is open; however, there is no use on the Glacier National Park side of the river from the Paola river access site to West Glacier river access site.
- The North Fork of the Flathead River from Sondreson Meadow to Big Creek is open. It is mandatory that the public must take out their watercraft at Big Creek. The river remains closed below Big Creek and from the Canadian border to Sondreson Meadow.
Other Areas: U.S. 2 is open; the no-stopping restriction has been lifted between West Glacier and the flashing sign at the Cascadilla river access.
Earlier News Releases
- September 12 - am
- September 11 - pm
- September 11 - am
- September 10 - pm
- September 10 - am
- September 9 - pm
- September 9 - am
- September 8 - pm
- September 8 - am
- September 7 - pm
- September 7 - am
- September 6 - pm
- September 6 - am
- September 5 - am
- September 4 - pm
- September 4 - am
- September 3 - pm
- September 3 - am
- September 2 - pm
- September 2 - am
- September 1 - pm
- September 1 - am
- August 31 - pm
- August 31 - am
- August 30 - pm
- August 30 - am
- August 29 - pm
- August 29 - am
- August 28
- News Updates August 7 to August 28 (links to Southern Region Incident Command Team website)