Thompson-Divide Complex Daily Fact Sheet Sept. 7, 8:00 AM

September 8, 2015Fire Information and Status, NewsGlacier National Park, Granite Fire, Nyack Creek, Sheep Fire, Thompson Creek, Thompson Fire, Thompson-Divide Complex, wildfire informationnfpa

Thompson-Divide Complex, Sep 6, 2015 - Jonathan Moore — The snow layer dipped close to Marias Pass, MT, at elevations around 6,000 ft. north of the Thompson-Divide Complex’s Granite Fire Sept. 6, 2015. (photo Jonathan Moor)

Here’s the morning update for the Thompson-Divide Complex fires, including the Granite, Sheep and Thompson fires. Things are really winding down. This is the last regular update . . .

This is the Final Fact Sheet for the Thompson-Divide Complex from Northern Rockies Type II Incident Management Team Leach. Link to http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4468/

Fire Complex Completed: 72% Injuries: 1 Structures Lost: None

Resources – Total Personnel: 87 Engines: 2

Cause of Fires: All three fires have been determined to be lightning caused.

The Thompson-Divide Complex consists of the Sheep and Granite Fires in the Flathead National Forest and the Thompson Fire in Glacier National Park.

All travel restrictions on U.S. Highway 2 related to the fires have been lifted. Motorists are cautioned to still drive carefully because fire traffic are still using this route for rehabilitation efforts.

Stage I Fire Restrictions are in effect for Glacier National Park and Flathead National Forest, except wilderness areas. Stage I Restrictions allow for campfires only in designated fire rings. All fire restrictions have been dropped in the Flathead National Forest Wilderness areas.

Closures are in effect for some trails and areas in the vicinity of the fires. Cutbank Pass and Nyack area trails remain closed. For more information on Glacier NP closures, see http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/hikingthetrails.htm or call (406) 888-7800. An area closure around the Sheep and Granite fires on the Flathead National Forest is in effect. Call Hungry Horse Ranger District (406) 387-3800 or go to http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/4468/28364/ for details.

The Thompson-Divide Complex received more than an inch of rain in some areas over the past two days and some snow at elevations above 6,000 ft. Today temperatures will be 50-60. There is a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Weather is predicted to return to average temperatures and begin drying mid-week. Smoke from interior hot spots and burning logs may be seen during the week as fuels dry.

Crews will complete hand rehabilitation and remove protective wrap from cabins today. Fires will be monitored for any activity near the perimeters of the Sheep and Granite Fires. Management of the Thompson-Divide Complex is transferring from the Northern Rockies Type II IMT to a local Type 4 team on Monday, Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. The Type 4 team will be located at the Hungry Horse Ranger Station and will continue to monitor all three fires for any fire activity and complete needed rehabilitation.

Sheep Fire, Flathead National Forest

Approximate Size: 2,171 acres

Granite Fire, Flathead National Forest

Approximate Size: 913 acres

Thompson Fire, Glacier National Park

Approximate Size: 18,847 acres

The Northern Rockies Type II Incident Management Team Leach thanks the community, our partners and cooperators for all their support and assistance during this incident.

Alberta to formally protect 250,000 acres north of Waterton-Glacier Park

September 5, 2015Environmental Issues, NewsCastle Watershed, Crown of the Continent, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Parknfpa

Well, this is good news. Alberta is implementing protections for the entire Castle Watershed, just north of Waterton Park . . .

The Alberta government announced Sept. 4 that 250,000 acres just north of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park will be protected from logging and development.

The area, which encompasses the entire Castle Watershed, is part of the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem, which spans northwestern Montana, southeastern British Columbia, and southwestern Alberta.

Efforts to protect the area date back decades, and on Friday the Canadian government announced the expansion of the existing Castle Wildand and creation of a new provincial park on the Alberta front range. Supporters said the designation will preserve the area’s ecological integrity and offer increased protection for wildlife populations, including trans-boundary grizzly bears, wolverines and cutthroat trout.

Read more . . .

Flathead National Forest eases fire restrictions to Stage I

September 5, 2015Fire Information and Status, NewsFlathead National Forest, Stage 1 fire restrictionsnfpa

Fire restrictions ease a bit to Stage I in the Flathead National Forest starting today. Other federal and state lands will likely follow suit. Commissioner gridlock will probably keep Flathead County at Stage II restrictions over the long weekend.

Here’s the meat of the Flathead Forest press release announcing the changes . . .

Weather conditions have been a contributing factor for the Flathead National Forest to move the current fire restrictions to Stage I, which become effective at 0001 a.m. Mountain daylight time on Saturday, September 5, 2015. Under Stage I, stove fires, campfires and charcoal fires are allowed ONLY at developed recreation sites (See the list below or contact your local agency for a list of sites), fires within rock fire rings are not authorized. Smoking is allowed only within an enclosed vehicle or building; a developed recreation site; or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of flammable materials. There will be no fire restrictions within the Bob Marshall and Great Bear Wilderness areas within the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex.

The restrictions may continue into the hunting season until the area receives enough moisture to ensure that wildfire starts will be at a minimum. Hunters need to check for restrictions in the area they plan to be, and adhere to those restrictions accordingly.

Fire Danger is currently at level High. When the fire danger is “high”, fires can start easily from most causes and small fuels (such as grasses and needles) will ignite readily. Unattended campfires and brush fires are likely to escape. Fires will spread easily, with some areas of high-intensity burning on slopes or concentrated fuels; so always crush smokes dead out; never leave a campfire unattended; ensure that your vehicle has a properly installed spark arrester that is operational; stop and park only in areas clear of vegetation;

For further information contact the Flathead National Forest at (406) 758-5200 or visit the Flathead National Forest web page, www.fs.usda.gov/flathead and http://firerestrictions.us.

Continue reading . . .

Also read: Flathead County Stays at Stage 2 Fire Restrictions for Long Weekend (Flathead Beacon)

Cooler, wetter and a lot less smoke; fires settle down

September 4, 2015Fire Information and Status, NewsFlathead National Forest, Glacier National Park, Kootenai National Forest, Northwest Montana, wildfire informationnfpa

The cool, wet weather has really knocked things down. South of Glacier Park, the Essex evacuation order is cancelled and traffic on U.S. Highway 2 through the area is back to normal. Locally, the forest closure in the North Fork was lifted, as well as most of the closures in the Kootenai Forest. Trail Creek Road is open all the way through. Quite a few fire crews are demobilizing.

Here’s an overview of conditions throughout the region . . .

Cool, rainy conditions in the Fortine area were favorable enough on the Marston Fire that the fire management team and Flathead and Kootenai national forests have lifted most of the land closures in the Whitefish Range.

That team is managing several fires, including the one burning on and around Marston Mountain that has covered 7,000 acres.

Spokesman Tom Rhodes said the Flathead National Forest has rescinded all of its closures in the Glacier View Ranger District and most of the Kootenai-managed Ten Lakes area has reopened with the exception of Sinclair Creek Trail.

Read more (paywall) . . .

Also read: Western Montana forests and roads reopen, fire growth stalls (Missoulian)

Thompson-Divide Complex morning update – Sep 4, 8:00 am

September 4, 2015Fire Information and Status, NewsGlacier National Park, Granite Fire, Nyack Creek, Sheep Fire, Thompson Creek, Thompson Fire, Thompson-Divide Complex, wildfire informationnfpa

Thompson-Divide Complex demobilization — Receiving & Distribution Mngr. Rick Sendra and Patrick Gomez roll hoses as Keesha Williams unbunches hose from the Thompson Fire, Sept. 2. Gomez is a Natural Resources Specialist and Williams is a Welder from Trapper Creek Job Corps.

Here’s the morning update for the Thompson-Divide Complex fires, including the Granite, Sheep and Thompson fires.

The recent, cool, damp weather is really taking effect. The Sheep Fire, which triggered an evacuation order for Essex a few days ago has laid down considerably. The Essex evacuation order is now lifted and travel on U.S. Route 2 through the area is back to normal, no longer controlled with pilot cars.

Crews are demobilizing. Fire management is being turned over to Glacier Park and the Flathead National Forest.

Fire Information: (406) 387-4854/ (406) 314-1669, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Fire Complex Completed: 38%

Resources – Total Personnel: 213 Injuries: 1 Structures Lost: None

20-Person Hand Crews: 2 Type-1 and 1 Type-2 Air Support: Helicopters (2 Type-1 & 2 Type-3), Engines: 4

Cause of Fires: All three fires have been determined to be lightning caused.

The Thompson-Divide Complex consists of the Sheep and Granite Fires in the Flathead National Forest and the Thompson Fire in Glacier National Park. The Sheep Fire is the incident priority due to its proximity to US Hwy. 2, BNSF railway and the community of Essex. Crews and equipment will continue to demobilize today. Today there will be rehabilitation efforts on all three fires. The camp crew has rolled up over 9 miles of hose line so far from the three fires.

The evacuation order for the Essex area will lift today at 8:00 am. For more information, call the Flathead County Office of Emergency Services at (406) 758-2111.

The pilot car escort will end today at 8:00 am, with unrestricted travel on U.S. Highway 2. Motorists are cautioned to drive carefully because of fire traffic along this route. For current road status, call 511 or visit http://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/alerts.shtml.

Stage II Fire Restrictions are in effect for the area. Visit http://svc.mt.gov/deq/todaysair/ for air quality info.

Closures are in effect for some trails and areas in the vicinity of the fires. As of Sept 1 all of the trails in the Two Medicine and Cutbank Valley are open, including the Dawson-Pitamakan Loop. The Cutbank Pass and Nyack area trails remain closed for visitor safety. For more information on Glacier NP closures, please see http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/hikingthetrails.htm or call 405-888-7800. An area closure around the Sheep and Granite fires on the Flathead National Forest is in effect. Call Hungry Horse Ranger District (406) 387-3800 or go to http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/4468/28364/ for details.

There is a 60% chance of showers this Friday afternoon with temperatures around 51-56. The humidity is expected to be 55-60. Winds will be 5-10 mph with 15 mph gusts. Continued minimal fire activity through the weekend is expected due to wet, cool weather and increased fuel moisture.

Sheep Fire, Flathead National Forest

Approximate Size: 2,171 acres Structures Lost: None

Fire Update: The Sheep Fire is on the Flathead National Forest and burning in very steep terrain with limited access. The fire is about 1 mile south of Essex and about 1/8 mile from the train tracks between Tank Creek and McDonald Creek. The fire showed little activity again yesterday. Structural protection measures have been removed. Crews will continue to monitor and haul out equipment. The team will begin to rehabilitate fire lines and other disturbed areas around the Sheep Fire.

Granite Fire, Flathead National Forest

Approximate Size: 913 acres

Fire Update: The Granite Fire is located west of Marias Pass and south of U.S. Hwy. 2. The fire started in the Great Bear Wilderness and has moved north out of the Wilderness. There has been little fire activity the past few days. One engine and crew are using existing roads to monitor the fire’s activity. Excess equipment is being hauled out.

Thompson Fire, Glacier National Park

Approximate Size: 18,847 acres Structures Lost: None

Fire Update: The Thompson Fire is located in remote southern backcountry of Glacier National Park about 15 miles east of the West Glacier entrance in the Thompson and Nyack drainages west of the Continental Divide. Aircraft will continue to monitor the fire.

Most of Glacier National Park is unaffected by this wildfire complex and is available for recreational use. The Thompson Fire has not impacted park roads. The Going-to-the-Sun Road is open.

Love the Badger-Two Medicine? Don’t Miss This!

September 3, 2015Environmental Issues, NewsBadger-Two Medicine region, Glacier-Two Medicine Alliancenfpa

Stolen shamelessly from an announcement sent out by Dave Hadden of Headwaters Montana . . .

Blackfeet Tribal leaders and conservationists have made significant progress in recent months toward permanent protection of the Badger – Two Medicine sacred landscape.

The Glacier Two Medicine Alliance’s annual Fall Gathering is well worth attending and supporting. Good food, good music and GREAT people. (See poster below.)

Put this event on your fall calendar and contribute your energy to a positive future for this place.

Glacier-Two Medicine Alliance 2015 Fall Gathering Poster

North Fork and Grave Creek/10 Lakes area closures lifted

September 3, 2015Fire Information and Status, NewsFlathead National Forest, Kootenai National Forest, Marston Fire, Trail Creek Road, wildfiresnfpa

In case it you missed it in this morning’s Kootenai fire complex report, the North Fork area closure in the Flathead Forest and the Grave Creek/10 Lakes area closure in the Kootenai Forest have been rescinded. The Forest Service is no longer worried about the Marston Fire making a run toward the North Fork. Also, Trail Creek Road is open again all the way through. Looks like the cool, damp weather is really helping.

Thompson-Divide Complex morning update – Sep 3, 8:00 am

September 3, 2015Fire Information and Status, NewsGlacier National Park, Granite Fire, Nyack Creek, Sheep Fire, Spruce Fire, Thompson Creek, Thompson Fire, Thompson-Divide Complex, wildfire informationnfpa

Here’s the morning update for the Thompson-Divide Complex fires, including the Granite, Sheep and Thompson fires.

The big news continues to be the Sheep Fire (see map below), which triggered an evacuation order for Essex a few days ago. The Essex evacuation order was subsequently lifted and U.S. Route 2 was reopened for traffic using pilot cars to keep things orderly. However, authorities are still edgy about Essex and warned residents to be ready to evacuate on short notice. The arrival of cooler, wetter weather has helped firefighters throughout the region.

Seems like the Sheep Fire should have a scarier name, doesn’t it?

Fire Complex Completed: 38%

Resources – Total Personnel: 262, Injuries: 1 Structures Lost: None

20-Person Hand Crews: 2 Type-1 and 2 Type-2 Air Support: Helicopters (2 Type-1 & 2 Type-3), Engines: 8

Heavy Equipment: 7 Cause of Fires: All three active fires have been determined to be lightning caused.

The Essex area is in the ‘Set’ Stage of the Ready, Set, Go evacuation model. Residents are advised to remain prepared to evacuate if conditions again warrant this action. For more information, call the Flathead County Office of Emergency Services at (406) 758-2111.

U.S. Highway 2 is open with pilot cars escorting traffic between mileposts 176.5 and 185. Escorted vehicles are not allowed to stop in this area. BNSF and Amtrak trains are running. For current road status, call 511 or visit http://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/alerts.shtml. For more information on Amtrak, call (800) 872-7245.

Stage II Fire Restrictions are in effect for the area. Visit http://svc.mt.gov/deq/todaysair/ for air quality info.

Closures are in effect for some trails and areas in the vicinity of the fires. As of Sept 1 all of the trails in the Two Medicine and Cutbank Valley are open, including the Dawson-Pitamakan Loop. The Cutbank Pass and Nyack area trails remain closed for visitor safety. Visit http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/hikingthetrails.htm for current information. For more information on Glacier NP closures, please see http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/hikingthetrails.htm or call 405-888-7800 or. For the Flathead National Forest, call Hungry Horse Ranger District (406) 387-3800 or go to http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/4468/28364/.

Sheep and Granite fires received up to .25 inches of rain last night. Low pressure weather patterns will continue to affect the area thru the weekend, with the possibility of air operations being limited by a low ceiling today. Maximum temperatures will be in the low 60s. Winds are forecast to be lighter today, with a 90% chance of showers. Continued minimal fire activity through the weekend is expected due to increased moisture in fuels and weather conditions.

Sheep Fire, Flathead National Forest Link to http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4468/

Structures At Risk: 200+ structures, BNSF has several wooden snowsheds and 1 trestle, utilities infrastructure

Approximate Size: 2,171 acres Structures Lost: None

Fire Update: The Sheep Fire is on the Flathead National Forest and burning in very steep terrain with limited access. The fire is about 1 mile south of Essex and about 1/8 mile from the train tracks between Tank Creek and McDonald Creek. The fire again showed little activity yesterday. Firefighters will continue to patrol and put out hotspots in the Sheep Creek and Tank Creek drainages and remove hoses and pumps from the snowshed and rail yard in Essex. Structural protection measures are in place in Essex.

Granite Fire, Flathead National Forest Link to http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4468/

Approximate Size: 913 acres

Thompson Fire, Glacier National Park Link to http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4468/

Approximate Size: 18,845 acres Structures At Risk: 2 historic cabins Structures Lost: None

Most of Glacier National Park is unaffected by this wildfire complex and is available for recreational use. The Thompson Fire has not impacted park roads. The Going-to-the-Sun Road is open.

Northeast Kootenai Complex morning update – Sep 3, 9:30 am

September 3, 2015Fire Information and Status, NewsBarnaby Fire, Marston Fire, Northeast Kootenai Complex, Sunday Firenfpa

Here’s this morning’s report on the Northeast Kootenai Complex fires.

Well now, here’s some good news:The North Fork area closure in the Flathead Forest and the Grave Creek/10 Lakes area closure in the Kootenai Forest have been rescinded. The Forest Service is no longer worried about the Marston Fire making a run toward the North Fork. Also, Trail Creek Road is open again. Looks like the cool, damp weather is really helping.

Additionally, Gabe Holguin’s Type III Management team is taking over from Shawn Pearson’s Type II team this evening . . .

Information Officers: Katie Knotek, Tom Rhode & Meg Nemitz
Fire Information Line: (406) 882-8308
Office hours: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Email: northeastkootenaicomplex@gmail.com

INCIDENT: Northeast Kootenai Complex (includes Barnaby, Marston, and Sunday Fires)
AGENCY JURISDICTION: USDA Forest Service, Kootenai & Flathead National Forests; Montana DNRC, Libby and Stillwater Units.
INCIDENT COMMANDER: Shawn Pearson, Northern Rockies Type II Incident Management Team (IMT). The Incident Command Post (ICP) is located at the Murphy Lake Ranger Station.

TEAM TRANSITION: The Northern Rockies Type II Incident Management Team lead by Shawn Pearson has reached the end of a maximum 21 day assignment. The Team will transfer command of the fire today to Gabe Holguin’s Type III Southwest Incident Management Team at approximately 6:00 p.m. This will be the last Fact Sheet distributed by Pearson’s Team. The incoming team will begin to disperse information about the Northeast Kootenai Complex Friday morning.

WEATHER & FIRE BEHAVIOR: The cooling trend with temperatures in the 50’s and higher relative humidity around 50% will keep fire activity moderate throughout the weekend. Mild winds will be predominantly out of the southwest, and rain is predicted as the weekend progresses.

MARSTON FIRE:
The Marston Fire is at 7,000 acres with 30% containment. Crews and machinery are working east of Jager Mine reinforcing line to keep the fire south of Deep Creek. Fireline from Deep Creek south to about one mile above Sink Creek continues to hold and is keeping the fire from moving west. On the south-southwest side of the fire, crews are mopping up previous days’ burnout operations and may continue burnout operations weather permitting. Helicopters are still available and will be used as necessary to aid firefighters with slowing the fire’s progression.

SUNDAY FIRE:
The Sunday Fire, southeast of Stryker, MT, is 100% contained at 60 acres and is in patrol status.

BARNABY FIRE:
The Barnaby Fire, located about four miles northeast of Eureka, is being monitored by air daily due to its location in steep rugged terrain. Helicopters are still available to drop water as needed.

PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES: 215 personnel including 2 Type -1 crews, 2 Type – 2 crews, 2 engines, 3 helicopters (2 Type – 1 Chinook, 1 Type – 2), 1 dozer, 2 water tenders, and 1 skidgine.

SPECIAL MESSAGES/CLOSURES:
• Barnaby Fire Area Closure (Grave Creek/10 Lakes Area, Kootenai National Forest) Order #D03-066-S-15 has been rescinded.
• Northeast Kootenai Complex Area Closure (North Fork Area Closure, Flathead National Forest) Order #D07-099-S-15 has been rescinded.
• Barnaby Fire Trail Closure (Sinclair Creek Trail #88) Order #D03-065-S-15 is STILL IN EFFECT.
• Marston Fire Area Closure Order #D03-067-S-15, Kootenai National Forest, is STILL IN EFFECT.

These closure orders can be viewed on InciWeb, please see link below.

For more information on the fires, visit: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/; Select “Northeast Kootenai Complex.”

NFPA speaks up for the Badger-Two Medicine

September 3, 2015Environmental Issues, NewsAdvisory Council on Historic Preservation, Badger-Two Medicine region, Choteau, oil and gas leasesnfpa

Here’s a report from NFPA president Debo Powers on yesterday’s meeting in Choteau concerning drilling leases in the Badger-Two Medicine . . .

On Wednesday, September 2, an independent federal agency called the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) traveled to Choteau, Montana to hear from the public about proposed oil and gas development in the Badger-Two Medicine. The hearing was preparation for the ACHP’s recommendation to the U.S. Forest Service concerning whether or not the impacts of drilling can be mitigated.

Three members of the North Fork Preservation Association traveled four hours each way to attend the public hearing and stand in solidarity with the Blackfeet Nation who say that the Badger-Two Medicine is sacred and central to their culture.

The large meeting room at the Stage Stop Inn was packed with both native and non-native Montanans who showed their support for cancellation of the leases. The testimony took two and a half hours with each speaker having 2 minutes to speak. The only person who spoke in favor of drilling was the attorney for the company who holds the leases.

One member of the ACHP told me afterwards that it was impressive to see the non-native support for native people and their culture. He commented that common interests can bring people together.