Wedge Canyon Complex

News Release -August 10, 2003 at 7am

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

Fact Sheet 23

Wedge Fire Information ICP 801-413-0525 www.fs.fed.us/r5/fire/ciimt5/ac/

JIC Joint Information Center for all fires within Glacier N.P. and Flathead N.F.) 406-755-3910

What: Wildfire, lightning-caused

Started: July 18, 2003 reported 1:25 P.M.

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

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

Current Size: Approximately 25,744 acres

Containment: 70%

Estimated Containment Date: Unknown

Threats to Human Life/Safety: Whale Creek Residents along the North Fork Road, Trail Creek Residents (approximately 100 homes/cabins), historic buildings, and Kintla Campground.

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

Injuries in the last 24 hours: One case of dehydration.

Jurisdiction: USDA Forest Service (Flathead National Forest), Flathead County and Glacier National Park

Other Cooperating Agencies: Montana DNRC, BIA, and BLM.

Resources on Fire: 29 hand crews, 11 helicopters, 54 engines, 5 dozers and 21 water tenders. Equipment used as needed includes feller bunchers, skidders and excavators. Total support and overhead positions are approximately 1,199 personnel.

Remarks: To date: 7 houses/cabins, 29 outbuildings were lost, and 1 house/cabin damaged.

The Wedge Canyon Fire has assumed responsibility for the Wolf Gun and Paul Bunyan fires.
Crews on the Wolfgun Fire cold trailed and mopped up. The Paul Bunyan Fire is unstaffed; no smokes have been observed.
Crews are cold trailing and mopping up in most divisions on the Wedge Canyon Fire. Rehabilitation work continues.
The North Fork Road is open from Glacier Rim to Polebridge. Firefighters, residents and visitors should use extra caution while driving.
Businesses in Polebridge are open.
Estimated cost to date is $17,340,000.
Transition to Harts Type I Incident Management Team occurs at 0600.
Glacier National Park will be opening the inside North Fork Road from Polebridge Ranger Station to Logging Creek. The road to Bowman Lake, the campground and the trails are open. Quartz Lake backcountry sites and trails are also opened. The Kintla Campground and all areas around Kintla Lake remain closed.

Community meeting at 8:30 P.M. at Polebridge.

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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