Thompson-Divide Complex morning update – Aug 30, 8:00 am

Fire Information and Status, News, , , , , , , ,
Helicopter conducts water drop operations on the Sheep Fire, 29 Aug, 2015
Helicopter conducts water drop operations on the Sheep Fire, 29 Aug, 2015

Here’s the morning update for the Thompson-Divide Complex fires.

The big news continues to be the Sheep Fire, which is threatening Essex. Essex is under a mandatory evacuation order and US Route 2 is closed in the immediate vicinity . . .

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

Evacuation and Highway Closure Information: Flathead County EOC, (406) 758-2111, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.

Resources – Total Personnel: 316 Injuries: 1 Structures Lost: None

20-Person Hand Crews: 1 Type-1 and 3 Type-2, 1 Wildland Fire Management Module (8), 1 Helitack Crew (10)

Air Support: Helicopters (2 Type-1 & 2 Type-3), Engines: 17 Heavy Equipment: 15

The Thompson-Divide Complex is comprised of the Sheep and Granite Fires on the Flathead National Forest and the Thompson Fire in Glacier National Park. The Sheep fire is the incident priority as it is approaching US Hwy. 2 and the BNSF railway and is threatening the community of Essex.

On Aug. 27, Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry ordered a mandatory evacuation of Essex and the surrounding area because of increased activity on the Sheep Fire. For more information on the evacuation, call the Flathead County Office of Emergency Services at (406) 758-2111. The American Red Cross has established an evacuation center at West Glacier Elementary School at 160 Old Bridge Rd., (800) 272-6668.

Highway 2 is closed between mileposts 176.8 at Schellinger and 185 at Bear Creek. BNSF trains and Amtrak are running intermittently. Call 511 or visit http://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/alerts.shtml for current road status. For more information on Amtrak call (800) 872-7245.

Stage II Fire Restrictions are in effect for northwestern Montana.

Visit http://svc.mt.gov/deq/todaysair/ for air quality info.

Closures are in effect for some trails in the vicinity of the fires for Glacier National Park and Flathead National Forest. For more info, please see the Glacier NP page http://www.nps.gov/glac/upload/8-22-15-closures-web.pdf or for Flathead NF call Hungry Horse Ranger District (406) 387-3800. An area closure around the Granite and Sheep Fires in the Great Bear Wilderness is in place. Contact Hungry Horse Ranger District for more information. The order and map are posted at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/4468/28364/.

The predicted cold front arrived in the fire area by mid-afternoon yesterday. Peak winds did not reach the levels anticipated. Today, the fire area will have mostly cloudy conditions with chances of showers and afternoon thunderstorms. The NW Park area did experience some trace amounts of rain over night. Temperatures will be reduced and humidity higher with SW winds of 15-25 mph switching to NW this afternoon. General fire behavior is expected to be moderated.

Sheep Fire, Flathead National Forest

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

Approximate Size: 2,101 acres Containment: 0% 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 MacDonald Creek. The fire has not crossed Sheep Creek to the south. Moderated fire activity will likely allow direct suppression efforts in the Sheep Creek area. Construction of the shaded fuel break around Essex is near completion. The logs and slash created by this effort are being moved to a safe location. Crews will begin reducing fuels along Essex Creek Road to the Marion Bridge using a feller-buncher to make this position more defensible if burning operations are required later. Crews may also begin fuels reduction efforts on County park land on the south side of Essex. Helicopters may have visibility problems early with haze and fog that may delay support operations with water drops and logistical shuttle missions. Structural protection measures are in place in Essex. Night shift continues to monitor fire movement and patrol the Essex area and Walton compound for any encroaching fire activity.

Continue reading Thompson-Divide Complex morning update – Aug 30, 8:00 am →

Berry hunting bears trigger St. Mary Campground restrictions

Fire Information and Status, News, ,
St. Mary Lake
St. Mary Lake in Glacier National Park

First fires, now bears. The St. Mary area of Glacier Park has had its problems this summer . . .

It will be hard-sided camping only for now at St. Mary Campground on the east side of Glacier National Park.

Bears in search of berries in the area are “creating a high potential for negative human-bear interactions,” park officials said Friday.

RVs, motorhomes, trailers and hard-sided pop-ups will be allowed in the campground, as will camper vehicles such as Volkswagen buses and pickup trucks with small canvas pop-ups “as long as the canvas is not exposed,” Glacier spokeswoman Katelyn Liming said.

Read more . . .

Wildfires trigger more evacuations in Western Montana

Fire Information and Status, News, , ,

Here’s a quick afternoon summary of the wildfire situation in this end of Montana . . .

Another warm, windy day challenged crews battling numerous wildfires in western Montana and brought more evacuations Saturday.

About 20 residences in rural areas south of Libby were told to evacuate Saturday morning because of one of several fires burning in the Kootenai National Forest, fire spokeswoman Jennifer McCully said.

Fire managers were asking for more firefighters, but prospects for help were uncertain Saturday afternoon, McCully said.

Read more . . .

Northeast Kootenai Complex Proximity to Flathead NF Map, Aug 29

Fire Information and Status, News, , , , , ,

From a recent announcement on the Northeast Kootenai Complex InciWeb site . . .

A map of the Marston and Sunday Fires of the Northeast Kootenai Complex showing their proximity to the Flathead National Forest is now posted here on InciWeb and also under the “Maps” tab. This should give residents in Polebridge and other nearby residential areas a better view of the proximity of the Marston Fire to where they live. The fire has NOT moved onto the Flathead National Forest and is approximately 20 miles away from Polebridge. Residents who are concerned about the fire are asked to contact the Northeast Kootenai Complex Fire Information Line at (406) 882-8308 and stay updated on the incident through the Northeast Kootenai Complex InciWeb site.

See/click on the map below. For a full resolution version, download the PDF version (1.3MB).

Northeast Kootenai Complex Proximity to Flathead NF Map, Aug 29, 2015
Northeast Kootenai Complex Proximity to Flathead NF Map, Aug 29, 2015

Thompson-Divide Complex morning update – Aug 29, 8:00 am

Fire Information and Status, News, , , , , , , ,
Sheep Fire burning late afternoon, Aug 27, 2015
Sheep Fire burning late afternoon, Aug 27, 2015

Here’s the somewhat tardy morning update for the Thompson-Divide Complex fires.

The big news is the Sheep Fire, which continues edging towards Essex (see map below). Essex is under a mandatory evacuation order and US Route 2 is closed in the immediate vicinity . . .

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

Evacuation and Highway Closure Information: Flathead County EOC, 406-758-2111, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.

Resources – Total Personnel: 332 Injuries: 1 Structures Lost: None

20-Person Hand Crews: One Type 1 and Four Type 2, 1 Wildland Fire Management Module (8), 1 Helitack Crew (10)

Air Support: Helicopters (2 Type-1 & 2 Type-3), Engines: 17 Heavy Equipment: 15

The Thompson-Divide Complex is comprised of the Sheep and Granite Fires on the Flathead National Forest and the Thompson Fire in Glacier National Park. The Sheep fire is the incident priority as it is approaching US Hwy. 2 and the BNSF railway and is threatening the community of Essex.

On August 27, Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry ordered a mandatory evacuation of Essex and the surrounding area because of increased activity on the Sheep Fire. For more information on the evacuation, call the Flathead County Office of Emergency Services at 406-758-2111. The American Red Cross has established an evacuation center at West Glacier Elementary School at 160 Old Bridge Rd (800-272-6668).

Highway 2 is closed between mileposts 176.8 at Schellinger and 185 at Bear Creek. BNSF trains and Amtrak are running intermittently. Call 511 or visit http://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/alerts.shtml for current road status. For more information on Amtrak call 1-(800) 872-7245.

Stage II Fire Restrictions are in effect for northwestern Montana.

Visit http://svc.mt.gov/deq/todaysair/ for air quality info.

Closures are in effect for some trails in the vicinity of the fires for Glacier National Park and Flathead National Forest. For more info, please see the Glacier NP page http://www.nps.gov/glac/upload/8-22-15-closures-web.pdf or for Flathead NF call Hungry Horse Ranger District (406) 387-3800. The area closures around the Granite and Sheep Fires in the Great Bear Wilderness were expanded today by the Hungry Horse Ranger District. The order and map are posted at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/4468/28364/.

A Red Flag Warning has been issued for Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. for gusty winds and low humidity. The fires may see wind gusts in excess of 40 mph on ridge tops. Wind direction will start from the south and southeast, then come from the southwest and west with passage of a cold front. These conditions could cause active fire behavior including short crown runs and spotting up to ½ mile on all three fires in the complex. Weather conditions will be changing this weekend. A cold front is predicted to arrive late Saturday afternoon. Humidity will increase with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms as this front passes through the area. On Sunday, temperatures will drop about 10 degrees and humidity increase. A chance for showers will remain.

Sheep Fire, Flathead National Forest

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

Approximate Size: 1,595 acres Containment: 0% 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 MacDonald Creek. The fire has not crossed Sheep Creek to the south. Today, fire behavior will depend on the influence of the approaching cold front and the persistence of smoke over the fire. Construction of the shaded fuel break around Essex is nearing completion. Today’s focus will be on the removal of the remaining logs and slash that was created and any cleanup of the fuel break. The objective of this fuel break is to reduce the fuel component and space the tree crowns to limit fire spread and torching. It will also provide a safe location for firefighters if it is decided to burn out fuels in advance of the fire front. Helicopters will be used to drop water on the fire to reduce fire spread as long as visibility requirements can be met. Structural protection in Essex will continue. Night shift continues to monitor fire movement and patrol the Essex area and Walton compound for any encroaching fire activity.

Granite Fire, Flathead National Forest

Approximate Size: 701 acres Containment: 0%

Fire Update: The Granite Fire is burning in very steep terrain in a mixed conifer forest. The fire is located west of Marias Pass and south of Hwy. 2. The fire started in the Great Bear Wilderness and has moved north out of the Wilderness. Yesterday, the fire moved to the west along a ridge between 2 unnamed tributaries of Granite Creek and northwest toward Patrol Ridge. A crew was flown into the Granite Cabin to put in structure protection measures, including wrapping and sprinkler placement. Crews have implemented structural protection measures on other facilities in the fire’s vicinity. Crews have established locations for fireline construction and possible shaded fuel break opportunities when sufficient crews become available for their construction. Helicopter bucket drops are being used to help check fire spread.

Thompson Fire, Glacier National Park

Approximate Size: 17,857 acres Containment: 20%

Structures At Risk: 2 historic cabins Structures Lost: None

Fire Update: The Thompson Fire is located in remote south-central 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. All fire personnel have been removed from this fire. It will be monitored from the air for any increased fire activity. Pumps and hose lays are in place in case a future need arises.

Most of Glacier National Park is unaffected by this wildfire complex and is available for recreational use. Limited backcountry closures are in place. For more specific visitor information, please see the website http://www.nps.gov/glac/index.htm.

The Thompson Fire has not impacted park roads. The Going-to-the-Sun Road is open.

For information on the Reynolds Creek fire, please visit http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4405/#

Sheep Fire Progression Map Aug29, 2015
Sheep Fire Progression Map Aug29, 2015

Record low streamflows for North and Middle Fork

Environmental Issues, News, , ,

Creeks and rivers are very low across this corner of Montana . . .

The two primary tributaries of the Flathead River have the lowest streamflows on record for late August, further reflecting the extreme drought conditions that are tormenting the region in a year being defined by smoky skies and stingy weather.

Entering the final days of August, the Middle Fork Flathead River was running at 470 cubic feet per second, a new record surpassing the previous low set in 1940, according to the National Weather Service. The median flow for this time of year is 977 cfs.

The North Fork Flathead River was running at 628 cfs, surpassing the 2001 record low. The median flow is 1,260 cfs. The streamflows are the lowest since monitoring gauges were established 75 years ago, according to Ray Nickless, NWS hydrologist.

Read more . . .

Marston Fire edges toward North Fork

Fire Information and Status, News, , ,
Marston Fire August 17, 2015
Marston Fire August 17, 2015

With enough wind, the Marston Fire could make a run toward the North Fork . . .

The Marston Fire burning north of Dickey Lake near Fortine gained an estimated 800 acres Friday, pushing northeast toward Whale and Trail Creeks in the North Fork of the Flathead River.

The growing fire on the Kootenai National Forest has led to closures of roads and trails on portions of the northern Glacier View Ranger District of Flathead National Forest.

Information officer Tom Rhodes said the fire was estimated at 5,500 acres and had advanced to about 2.5 miles southwest of Whale Lake by Friday night. Rhodes said it remains about 15 miles from any residential structures near the North Fork, but critical fire conditions today could push it farther along into the drainages as strong winds are forecast to pick up this afternoon and continue into the evening.

Read more . . .

FWP bear managers ask residents to secure attractants

Environmental Issues, News, ,

From a recent Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks press release . . .

FWP bear managers are asking residents in northwest Montana to secure garbage, pet food and other attractants in light of recent conflicts in the Whitefish area. Bear and Lion Specialist Erik Wenum notes that several black bears have been accessing unsecured garbage particularly in the Lion Mountain and Whitefish State Park Road areas.

“If residents secure garbage it would take care of most of our problems there,” says Wenum. He advises the following:

  • Secure garbage inside a garage or secure shed
  • Bring pet food in at night
  • Clean up livestock food
  • Bring in bird feeders, clean up spilled seed

When bears access garbage they can become food conditioned and can potentially be dangerous. Wildlife biologists usually have to kill food conditioned bears in the interest of public safety.

For information or to report a problem, call:
Erik Wenum, FWP Bear and Lion Specialist; 756-1776.

See also:

Black bears ‘pour down’ on western Montana valleys for apples, berries (Missoulian)

Hungry bears create problems across Flathead (Daily Inter Lake)

Montana senators, others meet to celebrate North Fork protection

Environmental Issues, News

Besides smoke and fires, there has been some other North Fork-related news. Most notably, there was a meet-n-greet last Monday at the Blankenship Bridge to celebrate passage of the North Fork Watershed Protection Act. Included were Montana’s Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines, Marcy Grossman, Canadian Consul General for the Rocky Mountain Region, and several other speakers. There was a substantial North Fork contingent present and lots of press.

They also had munchies and coffee. Pretty good munchies and coffee, in fact.

Anyway, here are links to most of the press coverage . . .

On a smoky day, celebrating the North Fork (Hungry Horse News and Daily Inter Lake)

Bipartisan Collaboration Preserves the North Fork (Flathead Beacon)

Montana Senators Celebrate North Fork Protection (ABC-fOX)

North Fork Flathead protection celebrated by Tester, Daines, others (Missoulian)

Northeast Kootenai Complex morning update – Aug 29

Fire Information and Status, News, , , ,
Marston Fire photo by Stonehenge Air Museum, Aug 28, 2015
Marston Fire photo by Stonehenge Air Museum, Aug 28, 2015

Here’s this morning’s report on the Northeast Kootenai Complex fires. Of greatest interest to North Forkers is the Marston Fire, which made a run to the northeast over the last couple of days, resulting in a precautionary closure of a section of the Flathead National Forest in the North Fork.

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.

WEATHER & FIRE BEHAVIOR: A red flag warning has been issued for today. Temperature will be in the low 80s today with relative humidity in the low 20s. Winds will be from the south, switching to southwest and west, with an increase throughout the day peaking in late afternoon or early evening with the passage of a cold front. The winds will override the cooler temperatures and higher relative humidity with fire activity increasing throughout the day.

MARSTON FIRE:
The Marston Fire is estimated at 6,000 acres with 10% containment. The fire increased over the last couple of days due to fire growth on the northeast side of the fire. Equipment and crews continue to mop up and secure line on the northern, west and southwestern edges of the fire. In addition, fuel breaks are being constructed south of the fire and east onto the Stillwater State Forest. Helicopter bucket drops are used daily, as air/smoke conditions allow, in an effort to slow fire growth.

SUNDAY FIRE:
The Sunday Fire located about four miles southeast of Stryker, MT, is 60 acres with 100% containment. Palm IR (Infrared) was used yesterday by local Forest Service personnel to try and detect any remaining hot spots on the fire and will be used again today.
BARNABY FIRE:
The Barnaby Fire is located about four miles northeast of Eureka in steep, rugged terrain. The fire is being monitored from the air. Water was dropped from the chinook helicopters on the fire late yesterday to keep the fire in check. Fire remains 50 acres, 0% containment.
PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES: 343 personnel including 2 Type -1 crews, 4 Type – 2 crews, 10 engines,
3 helicopters (2 Type – 1 Chinooks, 1 Type – 2), 7 dozers, 9 water tenders, and 4 skidlines.
SPECIAL MESSAGES/CLOSURES: There is an area closure for both the Martson and Barnaby Fires. The Martson Fire Closure includes closure of Murphy Lake for the safety of both firefighting equipment and the public, as helicopters dip out of Murphy Lake for water drops on the Marston Fire. A new Area Closure for Hungry Horse Ranger District, Flathead National Forest has been issued. See Inciweb for maps and explanations of closures.
The Incident Management Team will have a booth at the Lincoln County Fair this weekend. A community meeting will be held Sunday evening, August 30, at 7:00 p.m. at the Trego Civic Center.
For more information on the fires, visit: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/; Select “Northeast Kootenai Complex.”

Marston Fire Map-Aug 27, 2015
Marston Fire Map-Aug 27, 2015