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Date & Time Fact Sheet 56 |
Wedge Canyon FireContact: |
What: Lightning Caused Wildfire
Started: July 18, 2003 13:25
General Location: About 42 miles north of Columbia Falls, Montana, and 6 miles south of the Canadian border.
Current Size: Approx. 53,315 acres.
Injuries: 25 to date / 1 today.
Containment: 87%
Estimated Containment Date: 9-15-03 18:00
Estimated Control: Unknown
Fire Fighters Pause in Silence
A moment of silence and reflection was held today at the morning briefing in reverence to September 11, 2001.
As the Saleen Team prepares to transition with another type ll team on Saturday, crews on the line remained busy with the rehabilitation efforts. This final team will monitor and mop up any remaining hot spots found on the fire.
Crews will continue to work closely with Resource Advisors in rehabilitation operations. Efforts will be made to reduce or eliminate the possibility of erosion and sedimentation resulting from fire suppression activities such as fire lines, dozer lines, reopened roads, and other disturbed areas. In the next few days, miles of hose lines and equipment will be returned to the incident command cache.
Cool weather continues helping to secure the fire lines and aiding in the mop up. Cooler temperatures are expected to last through the weekend and into next week, with a chance of showers on Thursday.
The road and area closure will remain in effect until the hazard trees and road and fireline rehabilitation efforts are completed. The North Fork Road remains closed one half mile north of Moose Creek.
Residents in the Teepee Lake, Trail Creek, North Fork Road and Bowman Lake areas are adjusting back to normal routines and preparations for the fall season. There will be no more public meetings, but the residents in the area will be kept informed with newsletters.
Wolf Gun Fire will continue to be monitored as needed dependent upon weather conditions and fire behavior. Acres by ownership on the Wedge Fire are: State - 1,093, Glacier National Park - 30,012, Flathead National Forest - 20,628, and Private ownership - 1,241.
Safety of fire fighting personnel and public is of the highest priority.
Jurisdiction: Flathead National Forest, Glacier National Park and Flathead County.
Other Cooperating Agencies: Montana DNRC, BIA and BLM.
Resources on the fire: 425 total personnel / 4 helicopters / 11 crews / 9 engines.
Roads: North Fork Road is open from Big Creek to Sonderson Meadow.
Remarks: To date: 7 houses/cabins, 29 outbuildings were lost and 1 house/cabin damaged. (July 26 and July 31, 2003.)
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