Wedge Canyon Complex

News Release -August 1, 2003 at 7am

Incident Information Contacts:
(406)755-3910 (voice) and (406)755-3931 (fax)

Fact Sheet 14

Contact: Flathead National Forest, Supervisor’s Office 406.758.5252,

Wedge Fire Information ICP: 801.413.0525 www.fs.fed.us/r5/fire/ciimt5/ac/

What: Wildfire, lightning-caused

Started: July 18, 2003. Reported on 1:25 P.M.

Location: About 20 miles east of Eureka. Montana, and 6 miles south of the Canadian border, primarily in the Teepee Creek drainage of the North Fork Flathead River.

Legal Description: Portions of T36N, T37N, R22W and R23W

Current Size: Approximately 22,000 acres

Containment: 30%

Estimated Containment Date: Unknown

Threats to Human Life/Safety: Whale Creek Residents along the North Fork Road, Trail Creek Residents (approximately 50 homes/cabins), and Kintla Campground

Resources Threatened: Timber, Recreation, Fisheries, Class 1 Airshed, Wild & Scenic River Corridor and Private Property.

Injuries in the last 24 hours: None

Jurisdiction: USDA Forest Service (Flathead National Forest), Flathead County Fire Protection District

Other Cooperating Agencies: Montana DNRC, BIA, BLM, NPS, and Glacier National Park

Resources on Fire: 28 hand crews, 4 helicopter, 70 engines, 10 dozers, 14 water tenders, 4 feller bunchers, 6 skidders, 1 excavator, numerous support and overhead for a total of approximately 1,134 personnel.

Remarks: To date: 7 houses/cabins and 23 outbuildings were lost, and 1 house/cabin damaged. The additional lost house/cabin was discovered burned from the fire blowup of 7/25/03.

Air Support used approx. 100,000 gallons of water and/or retardant in suppression efforts yesterday.
Today, crews will continue to construct line from Trail Creek road to Antiley Creek on the NW flank of the fire. A spike camp is being established at Tuchuck campground for crews working in the NW flank.
Fireline rehabilitation of portions of the fire area are underway, and a Burned Area Evaluation Recovery team has been ordered to begin assessing longer term rehabilitation needs.
Salvage opportunities are being evaluated for the national forest portions of the Wedge Canyon fire.
Suppression efforts in Glacier N.P. (of Wedge Canyon) are currently limited due to lack of adequate resources. As resources become available, implementation of the suppression plan will be initiated.

Community meetings at 10:00 A.M. and 8:30 P.M. at Polebridge.

Wedge Canyon Fire will participate in the 7:00 P.M. Public Meeting at Columbia Falls Junior H.S.

Glacier National Park
P.O. Box 128
West Glacier, MT 59936
(406)888-7800
(406)888-7808 - FAX
(406)888-7806 - TDD

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Flathead National Forest
1935 3^rd Avenue, East
Kalispell, MT 59901
(406)758-5200
(406)758-5363 - FAX)
(406)758-5367 - TDD)

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