Tag Archives: Thompson Creek

Thompson-Divide Complex morning update, Aug 21, 8:00 am

Thompson Fire in Glacier National Park backcountry, Aug. 16, 2015
Thompson Fire

Here is the official morning report on the fires in the Thompson-Divide Complex, including the Thompson, Sheep, Granite and Spruce blazes . . .

Incident: Thompson-Divide Complex Wildfire

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

Resources – Total Personnel: 253 Injuries: 1 Structures Lost: None

Hand Crews: 4 20-person, 2 Wildland Fire Management Modules, 1 Helitack Crew (10), Smokejumpers (3)

Air Support: Helicopters (1 Type-1 & 3 Type-3), Engines: 8

The Thompson-Divide Complex is comprised of the Sheep, Granite, and Spruce Fires on Flathead National Forest and the Thompson Fire on Glacier National Park.

Highway 2 is closed at West Glacier and East Glacier, except to local residents. Call 511 or visit http://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/alerts.shtml for current road status.Stage II Fire Restrictions are in effect for Northwest Montana.

A Red Flag Warning is in effect for active fire behavior until 8:00 pm today.Set stage alert to residents and businesses in the vicinity of Essex for possible evacuation.

The fires will experience warm and windy conditions with southwest winds up to 30-40 mph shifting to the northwest later in the day. The fires are expected to become more active with increased spread under these conditions. A mobile fire retardant base is being used for helicopter bucket drops. Smoke conditions are elevated throughout western Montana. Visit http://svc.mt.gov/deq/todaysair/ for air quality info. New 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 Glacier NP page http://www.nps.gov/glac/index.htm or for Flathead NF call Hungry Horse Ranger District (406) 387-3800.


 

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 wooden trestle

Approximate Size: 232 acres Containment: 0% Structures Lost: None

Fire Update: The Sheep Fire is about 2.5 miles south of Essex in the Great Bear Wilderness of Flathead National Forest. It is burning in very steep, difficult terrain with limited access. The fire was very active yesterday with the influence of the predicted Red Flag weather conditions. The fire spread northeast toward the Middle Fork and was about ½ mile from the transportation corridor last evening. A heavy helicopter was effective in applying about 29,000 gallons of retardant on portions of the perimeter to slow spread.

Because of fire spread fire managers requested a closure of U.S. 2 at West Glacier (Mile Post 154) and East Glacier (MP209) with residents only allowed past these points. Access between MP178 (Walton) and MP185 (Bear Creek) have restrictions.Portions of the Highway 2 corridor around Essex remain in the ‘Set’ Stage of the Ready, Set, Go evacuation strategy. Residents of Essex and surrounding area are advised to prepare their property and themselves for possible evacuation. People should load critical property and needs into their vehicle in preparation. They should have an evacuation plan in place and make sure everyone knows the plan. Visit http://www.wildlandfirersg.org/ for more information.

A night shift operated last night to monitor fire conditions and spread.


 

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

Approximate Size: 65 acres Containment: 0%

Fire Update: The Granite Fire is west of Marias Pass and south of Hwy. 2 in the Great Bear Wilderness. It is burning in very steep terrain in a mixed conifer forest below a ridge. Thursday, crews assessed the area to determine the best plan of attack. They implemented structure protection measures on several backcountry cabins. Crews have been encountering numerous snags that need to be dealt with for safety before line construction. The Granite Creek Trail (#156) is closed.


 

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

Approximate Size: 2 acres Containment: 0%

Fire Update: The Spruce Fire was added to the complex Aug. 19. The Spruce Fire is about 5 miles south of U.S. 2 at Bear Creek in the Great Bear Wilderness. Several smokejumpers and a small crew worked on establishing control lines to contain this small fire. The Spruce Park cabin is a special concern on this fire.


 

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

Approximate Size: 14,095 acres Containment: 0%

Structures At Risk: 2 historic cabins Structures Lost: None

Fire Update: The Thompson Fire is located in a remote south-central backcountry area of Glacier National Park about 15 miles east of the West Glacier entrance in the Thompson and Nyack drainage and west of the Continental Divide.Crews made good progress yesterday mopping up some edges from burnout operations earlier in the week to contain the fire. Today, crews will continue that effort. The fire remains west of the Divide and poses no threat to communities around East Glacier and St. Mary.Most of Glacier National Park is unaffected by this wildfire 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 any 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/#.

Thompson-Divide Complex Vicinity Map Aug 20 2015
Thompson-Divide Complex Vicinity Map Aug 20 2015

Thompson-Divide Complex evening update, Aug 17, 7pm

Thompson Fire in Glacier National Park backcountry, Aug. 16, 2015
Thompson Fire in Glacier National Park backcountry, Aug. 16, 2015

Here are the highlights of the Thompson-Divide Complex evening update for Friday, August 17. The “Thompson-Divide Complex” is mostly the Thompson Fire, plus a couple of smaller ones just outside Glacier Park that the current incident management team is also handling now. Fire crews are stretched thin at present . . .

Thompson Fire Glacier National Park

Link to http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4468/ Fire Information: (406) 314-1669 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Approximate Size: 13,680 acres

Containment: 0% Latitude 48.551, Longitude -113.613

Fire Update: The Thompson Fire, reported Aug. 9, is located in a remote south-central backcountry area of Glacier National Park about 15 miles east of the West Glacier entrance in the Thompson and Nyack drainages west of the Continental Divide.

Crews remained camped out and worked in the Nyack Creek drainage today. They did a burning operation to reduce fuels in avalanche chutes on the west side of the fire’s perimeter to contain the fire. Tomorrow they plan to do some cleanup of the burnout operation. Fire personnel in the Two Medicine and Cut Bank drainages will monitor for any fire that might cross to the east-side of the Continental Divide. The fire remains west of the Divide and poses no threat to communities around East Glacier and St. Mary.

Thompson Fire evening update, Aug 16, 7pm

Garden Valley Idaho Helitack crew refuels
Garden Valley Idaho Helitack crew refuels

Here are the highlights of the Thompson Fire evening update. No surprises, but some progress on the ground . . .

Fire Update: The Thompson Fire was reported at approximately 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9. It is located in a remote south-central backcountry area of Glacier National Park about 15 miles east of the West Glacier entrance and 12 miles southwest of the Saint Mary entrance. The fire is burning in the Thompson Creek and Nyack Creek drainages west of Medicine Grizzly Peak where the Flathead and Glacier Counties border follows the Continental Divide. No structures have been lost or damaged to date and no injuries have been reported.

Crews worked in the Nyack Creek area today. A helitack crew worked on cooling any remaining hot spots around Upper Nyack Backcountry Patrol Cabin to provide additional structure protection. Other crews began constructing a wet line along avalanche chutes on the west side of the fire’s perimeter to contain the fire. This includes the use of helicopter water drops and pumps and hose lays on the ground. Fire personnel in the Two Medicine and Cut Bank drainages continued their structure assessment for possible protection if the fire were to cross the Continental Divide. They are also monitoring for any fire that might cross the Divide.

Although buffeted by winds on Friday, the fire remains west of the Divide and has not made any advance to the east. Without spread east of the Divide, the fire poses no threat to communities around East Glacier and St. Mary. Limited growth of the fire was seen on Saturday on the west side in Nyack Creek.

Weather will remain unsettled through Monday night with the passage of a weak disturbance. This provides an opportunity for afternoon thunderstorms and a slight chance of rain, especially along the Divide. A high pressure ridge will begin building on Tuesday through Thursday bringing warmer and drier conditions. This will bring increased fire spread on the ground with isolated tree torching. As fuels in the burn area dry, there will likely be an increase in smoke production that may be seen from local communities on both sides of the Divide.

Thompson Fire a little bigger, still staying west of divide

Thompson Fire burning on west side of Cut Bank Pass, Aug 12, 2015

Here are the highlights of this morning’s update on Glacier Park’s Thompson Fire. Short version: The fire is a little bigger (13,680 acres) and there are now people on the ground in the backcountry . . .

Approximate Size: 13,680 acres
Containment: 0% Latitude 48.551, Longitude -113.613
Resources – Total Personnel: 111 Injuries: None
Hand Crews: 1 Wildland Fire Management Module Air Support: Helicopters (1 Type-1 & 1 Type-3) 1 Helitack Crew

Fire Update: The Thompson Fire was reported at approximately 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9. It is located in a remote south-central backcountry area of Glacier National Park about 15 miles east of the West Glacier entrance and 12 miles southwest of the Saint Mary entrance. The fire is burning in the Thompson Creek and Nyack Creek drainages west of Medicine Grizzly Peak where the Flathead and Glacier Counties border follows the Continental Divide. No structures have been lost or damaged to date and no injuries have been reported.

A crew was flown into the Nyack drainage area Saturday evening and established a spike camp to operate from. They will provide additional structure protection measures for the Upper Nyack Backcountry Patrol Cabin, including helicopter water drops if needed. They are constructing a wet line along avalanche chutes to contain fire from further spread. This includes the use of helicopter water drops and pumps and hose lays on the ground. A helitack crew is positioned at the helibase along US Highway 2 to provide support to Glacier NP fire managers in the event of any new fire starts. Fire personnel in the Two Medicine and Cut Bank drainages are assessing structures for possible protection if the fire crosses the Continental Divide. They are also monitoring for any fire slopover across the Divide.

Although buffeted by winds on Friday, the fire remains west of the Divide and has not made any advance to the east. Without spread east of the Divide, the fire poses no threat to communities around East Glacier and St. Mary. Limited growth of the fire was seen on the west side in Nyack Creek.

Sunday’s weather will remain cool with temperatures on the fire in the lower to mid-50s. Humidity will remain higher around 50%. Wind will be lighter at 12-16 mph from the southwest on ridges. Decreasing winds are predicted for the area by morning with a slight chance for showers. Temperatures will slowly increase and humidity decrease over the next several days, with a return to seasonal conditions. There is a slight chance for isolated thunderstorms and rain later in the day on Sunday.

Cool weather, moisture help crews fighting Thompson Fire

Glacier National Park Thompson Fire 2015 at Sunset
A column of smoke from the Glacier National Park Thompson Fire could be seen rising over the Rocky Mountain Front at sunset Aug. 12, 2015. The remote backcountry fire has burned about 14,900 acres. (Photo by Jonathan Moor)

Here are the essentials from this morning’s Thompson Fire update from the InciWeb site.

Short version: Cooler weather and last night’s rain should cause the fire to lay down a bit. They still intend to fly in a couple of ground crews . . .

If weather and smoke conditions permit today, two crews will fly into the backcountry area near the fire to work on control measures. One crew will land near Cutbank Pass to suppress hot spots along the fire’s edge and direct helicopter water drops. The other crew will work in the Nyack Drainage area to provide additional structure protection measures for the Upper Nyack Backcountry Patrol Cabin; cool down hot spots along the fire perimeter; direct helicopter water drops; and use pumps and hoses on any hot spots along the perimeter.

Gusty winds are predicted for the area through the morning with a chance for showers. Cooler weather and higher humidity are expected today, with a return to seasonal conditions Sunday. With cooler weather and recent rains, the fire is expected to smolder within its perimeter today. West Glacier received about 0.06 inches of rain in the past 24 hours: St. Mary received 0.19 inches…

Crews may fly into backcountry to fight Thompson Fire

Thompson Fire burning on west side of Cut Bank Pass, Aug 12, 2015
Thompson Fire burning on west side of Cut Bank Pass, Aug 12, 2015

From this evening’s incident update on the Thompson Fire we learn that the fire’s size estimate has been trimmed slightly to 13,202 acres and that they hope to start flying fire crews into the backcountry to fight the blaze on the ground . . .

A small fire was detected today on the west side of Waterton Lake on the U.S. side in Glacier National Park. Fire personnel are responding.

The Thompson Fire was reported at approximately 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9. It is located in a remote south-central backcountry area of Glacier National Park about 15 miles east of the West Glacier entrance and 12 miles southwest of the Saint Mary entrance. The fire is burning in the Thompson Creek and Nyack Creek drainages west of Medicine Grizzly Peak where the Flathead and Glacier Counties border follows the Continental Divide.

If weather and smoke conditions permit, two crews will fly into the backcountry area near the fire to work on control measures. One crew will land near Cutbank Pass to suppress hot spots along the fire’s edge and direct helicopter water drops. The other crew will work in the Nyack Drainage area to provide additional structure protection measures for the Upper Nyack Backcountry Patrol Cabin; cool down hot spots along the fire perimeter; direct helicopter water drops; and use pumps and hoses on any hot spots along the perimeter.

No structures have been lost or damaged…

Thompson Fire daily fact sheet Aug. 14, 8:00 AM

Glacier National Park Thompson Fire 2015 at Sunset
A column of smoke from the Glacier National Park Thompson Fire could be seen rising over the Rocky Mountain Front at sunset Aug. 12, 2015. The remote backcountry fire has burned about 14,900 acres. (Photo by Jonathan Moor)

This morning’s press release on the Thompson Fire . . .

Northern Rockies Type II Incident Management Team
Irv Leach Incident Commander
Daily Fact Sheet Aug. 14, 8:00 a.m.
Link to http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4468/ Fire Information: (406) 314-1669 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Approximate Size: 14,900 acres
Containment: 0%
Latitude 48.551, Longitude -113.613

Resources – Total Personnel: 83 Injuries: None

Hand Crews: 1 Wildland Fire Management Module

Air Support: Helicopters (1 Type-1 & 1 Type-3) 1 Helitack Crew

Fire Update: The Thompson Fire was reported at approximately 1:30pm on Sunday, August 9. It is located in a remote south-central backcountry area of Glacier National Park about 15 miles east of the West Glacier entrance and 12 miles southwest of the Saint Mary entrance. The fire is burning in the Thompson Creek and Nyack Creek drainages west of Medicine Grizzly Peak where the Flathead and Glacier Counties border follows the Continental Divide.

The safety of public and incident personnel is the highest priority on all incidents. Aerial resources are being used on the Thompson Fire to control fire spread. Helicopters dropped water on hot spots in the Nyack Creek drainage.

No structures have been lost or damaged. Structure protection is in place at the Lower Nyack Backcountry Patrol Cabin. The threat to the Upper Nyack Cabin was reduced when the fire burned around it.

The majority of Glacier National Park is unaffected by this wildfire and is available for recreational use. For more specific visitor information, please see official websites http://www.nps.gov/glac/index.htm, https://twitter.com/glaciernps, and https://www.flickr.com/photos/glaciernps/. Additionally you can view park webcams at http://www.nps.gov/glac/learn/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm.

A cold front is expected this afternoon with increasing winds and possible strong thunderstorms. A Red Flag Warning for fire behavior is in effect from noon to midnight. Strong winds will first come from a southerly direction,
turning westerly behind the front. Strong thunderstorms capable of gusty winds and hail are also expected. Cooler weather and higher humidity are expected Saturday, with a return to seasonal conditions Sunday.

Some of the smoke to the east is from the Thompson Fire. However, much of the smoke in the region is from fires west of Glacier in California, Washington, Oregon and Idaho. There are 188 fires burning nationally, including 66 in the Northern Rockies.

Call (406) 314-1669 for updated fire information.

Glacier National Park is under Stage I Fire Restrictions. Campfires are not allowed in the backcountry of Glacier National Park. Campfires are still allowed in developed campgrounds that have park-provided concrete or metal fire rings.

Closures: The Thompson Fire has prompted closure of the Nyack and Coal Creek areas, including trails and backcountry campsites. There may be additional trail closures in the area due to increased fire activity. For updated information on trail status, visit http://home.nps.gov/applications/glac/infobull/closures.cfm.

Trail Closures:

Siyeh Pass Trail, from Siyeh Pass to Sun Rift Gorge
Sunrift Gorge, Saint Mary Falls, and Virginia Falls
Red Eagle Trail, towards Saint Mary Falls
Otokomi Trail
Coal Creek Trail
Nyack Creek Trail
Cutbank Pass Trail, in the Nyack drainage
Park Creek to Coal Creek cutoff trail
Dry Fork Trail, from Pitamakan Pass to Two Medicine Campground trailhead and Two Medicine Entrance
Morning Star Trail, from Cutbank Auto Campground to Pitamakan Pass
Atlantic Creek Trail, from Cutbank Auto Campground to Triple Divide Pass
Medicine Grizzly Lake Trail
Dawson Pass Trail / North Shore of Two Medicine Lake
North Shore Two Medicine Junction to Dawson / Pitamakan
Upper Two Medicine Lake Trail

Campground Closures:

Cutbank Frontcountry Campground
Rising Sun Frontcountry Campground
Otokomi Backcountry Campground
Reynolds Backcountry Campground
Lower Nyack Backcountry Campground
Upper Nyack Backcountry Campground
Beaver Woman Lake Backcountry Campground
Nyack/Coal Creek Camping Zone
Coal Creek Backcountry Campground
Atlantic Creek Backcountry Campground
Morning Star Backcountry Campground
Oldman Lake Backcountry Campground
No Name Backcountry Campground
Upper Two Medicine Lake Backcountry Campground

More Information: Visit Inciweb at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4468/.

The Reynolds Creek Fire continues to burn within the fire perimeter on the east side of the park. For information on fires within Glacier National Park, please visit http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/state/27/.

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

Thompson Fire spreads east; now 14,900 acres

Thompson Fire burning on west side of Continental Divide, Aug 12, 2015
Thompson Fire burning on west side of Continental Divide, Aug 12, 2015

The Thompson Fire grew to 14,900 acres (over 23 square miles) today and a Type II management team takes over tomorrow. Here’s the official news release . . .

The Thompson Fire expanded east yesterday and today into the higher elevations of the upper Nyack Creek area, located in the south-central region of Glacier National Park. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The Thompson Fire is now estimated to be 14,900 acres. Dry vegetation coupled with high temperatures and low humidity resulted in extreme fire behavior and fire growth yesterday and today. The smoke plume has been visible from many locations on both sides of the Continental Divide.

A Type III Interagency Incident Command Team has been working with Glacier National Park to manage the fire using a contain and confine strategy. A Type II Incident Management Team has been ordered and will assume command of the fire tomorrow morning.

The safety of public and incident personnel is the highest priority on all incidents. At this time, ground resources cannot be safely used due to the remote, rugged terrain and the lack of safety zones in the area. The National Park Service’s Upper and Lower Nyack Backcountry Patrol Cabins remain threatened by the fire.

Yesterday’s fire activity has prompted expansion of the trail and campground closure order. For the most up-to-date information on the expanded trail and area closure statuses, visit http://home.nps.gov/applications/glac/infobull/closures.cfm.

As of Wednesday, August 12, campfires will not be allowed in the backcountry of Glacier National Park. Campfires will continue to be allowed only in designated sites in frontcountry campgrounds. Stage 1 fire restrictions remain in effect for Northwest Montana. For further information visit: http://www.nps.gov/glac/learn/news/fire-restrictions-for-back-country-of-park.htm.

The Reynolds Creek Fire continues to burn within the fire perimeter on the east side of the park. For information on fires within Glacier National Park, please visit http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/state/27/.

Thompson Fire Perimeter, Aug 12, 2015 PM
Thompson Fire Perimeter, Aug 12, 2015 PM

Glacier’s Thompson Fire explodes to 11,400 acres

Thompson Fire from Baptiste LO, Aug 11, 2015, 405pm
Thompson Fire from Baptiste LO, Aug 11, 2015, 405pm – courtesy Debo Powers

Woof! The Thompson Fire is now estimated at 11,400 acres, almost 18 square miles. A type II team has been called in.

The Missoulian has a good write-up. Also check out the map below to see the area covered by the blaze . . .

The Thompson fire in southeastern Glacier National Park exploded from 1,900 acres to about 11,400 acres between Monday and Tuesday afternoons, as western Montana recovered from a line of thunderstorms Monday night.

“The lack of moisture, high temperatures, low humidity and dry vegetation have resulted in extreme fire behavior and fire growth,” Glacier spokeswoman Katelyn Liming said in an email Tuesday. “The smoke plume is visible from areas on both the west and east sides of the Continental Divide.”

Given the fire’s remote location, the National Park Service is using a “contain and confine” strategy to manage it, Liming said. Helicopters are using bucket drops to cool its hot spots, while natural rock outcrops are blocking some of the spread.

Read more . . .

Thompson Fire Boundaries, Aug 11, 2015, PM
Thompson Fire Boundaries, Aug 11, 2015, PM

Thompson Fire creates widely visible smoke column; size now 5500 acres

Thompson Fire from Baptiste LO, Aug 11, 2015, 405pm
Thompson Fire from Baptiste LO, Aug 11, 2015, 405pm – courtesy Debo Powers

The Thompson Fire is now five times as big as it was at the end of the day yesterday. Here is this afternoon’s official press release . . .

The Thompson Fire started on August 9th and continues burning in the remote Nyack area, located in the south-central region of the Glacier National Park. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The lack of moisture, high temperatures, low humidity, and dry vegetation have resulted in extreme fire behavior and fire growth. The Thompson Fire is now estimated to be 5,500 acres this afternoon. The smoke plume is visible from areas on both the west and east sides of the Continental Divide.

A Type III Interagency Incident Command Team is working with Glacier National Park to respond to the fire. There are currently 35 fire personnel and two helicopters assigned, with additional air resources available. A Type II Incident Management Team has been ordered. The Team is using contain and confine strategy to manage the fire. This is being accomplished by using aerial resources with water bucket drops to cool hotspots. Fire managers are using natural (rocky) barriers to confine the fire. The National Park Service Upper and Lower Nyack Backcountry Patrol Cabins remain threatened by the fire. Containment actions are being taken to protect the lower cabin. These actions include fuel mitigation actions around the site and structure wrap of the cabin.

The safety of public and incident personnel is the highest priority on all incidents. At this time, ground resources cannot be safely used due to the remote, rugged terrain and the lack of safety zones in the area.

The Thompson Fire has prompted closure of the Nyack and Coal Creek areas, including trails and backcountry campsites. There will be additional trail closures in the area due to increased fire activity. For updated information on trail status, visit http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/trailstatusreports.htm.

The Reynolds Creek Fire continues to burn within the fire perimeter on the east side of the park. For information on fires within Glacier National Park, please visit http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/state/27/.