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.”

Here’s this morning’s report on the Northeast Kootenai Complex fore. Of greatest interest to North Forkers is the Marston Fire.

Note this item from the “Special Messages/Closures” section: “A new Area Closure for the Hungry Horse Ranger District, Flathead National Forest is being developed in anticipation of the Marston Fire moving into the area and will be posted on InciWeb when finalized today.” It now appears that Whale Creek Road will, in fact, be closed.

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 is issued for today due to a break in the valley inversion and smoke cover, continued hot (80s), dry (relative humidity 16-21%) conditions and wind gusts out of the southwest up to 20 mph in the late afternoon. Fire behavior will be active today with short crown runs.

MARSTON FIRE:
The Marston Fire is estimated at 4,790 acres with 5% containment. The fire increased in size yesterday, but an infrared flight was not available to provide accurate mapping of the current fire perimeter. Fire growth was primarily to the east towards the Flathead National Forest and the Stillwater State Forest. On the north end of the fire, Hotshot crews worked on checking fire spread as it backed downhill, and feller bunchers continued to work on indirect line construction along Deep Creek. These operations will continue today as conditions permit. On the fire’s west side, crews will continue to blacken and secure fireline to the south and check fire spread as it moves downhill. Heavy equipment work constructing fuel breaks south of the fire and east towards the Stillwater State Forest will continue.

SUNDAY FIRE:
The Sunday Fire located about four miles southeast of Stryker, MT, is 60 acres with 100% containment. A Palm IR (Infrared) unit will be used today to check for any remaining hot spots on the fireline. There is no longer a threat of evacuation for local residents in the vicinity of the Sunday Fire and the Population Protection Plan has been removed from Inciweb.

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 with bucket drops from helicopters when possible. Strong valley inversions and smoke cover have prevented aerial observation and bucket drops on the fire for the last several days. The fire remains 50 acres with 0% containment.

PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES: 348 personnel including 3 Type -1 crews, 5 Type – 2 crews, 12 engines,
3 helicopters (2 Type – 1 Chinooks, 1 Type – 2), 6 dozers, 9 water tenders, and 4 skidgines.

SPECIAL MESSAGES/CLOSURES: There is an area closure for both the Martson and Barnaby Fires. The Marston Fire Area 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 Martson Fire. See Inciweb for maps and explanations of these closures. A new Area Closure for the Hungry Horse Ranger District, Flathead National Forest is being developed in anticipation of the Marston Fire moving into the area and will be posted on InciWeb when finalized today.

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”

Here is the official morning report on the wildfires in the Northeast Kootenai Complex, including the Barnaby, Marston, Sunday and Weigel blazes.

Although the Marston Fire is a potential threat if things go seriously awry, the only impact these fires presently have on the North Fork is the closure of the Trail Creek Road at the Kootenai Forest boundary . . .

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, Sunday, and Weigel 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: Warm, sunny and dry day with light winds will increase fire activity in the afternoon today. A warm and dry trend will continue through the week; a Fire Weather Watch has been issued for Monday.

MARSTON FIRE:

The Marston Fire is estimated at 3,200 acres with 5% contained and is located about three miles southeast of Fortine, MT. Dozer and hand line have been completed along the fire’s western edge and north to Deep Creek drainage. Crews are now working on opening roads for access to the fire’s northeast side near the mouth of Deep Creek. Dozer line has been completed from Laughing Water Creek to Sink Creek and crews will work on laying hose to supply water to the line. Indirect line is being scouted for the east side of the fire adjacent to the Stillwater State Forest. Helicopters will drop water on the southeast and northwest corners of the fire again. The fire may become more active throughout the week with warmer temps and low humidity, residents are asked to stay informed of changing fire conditions. The population protection plan is still in place for residents living near Laughing Water, Deep and Grave Creeks. This determines when evacuations would take place in the vicinity of the Marston Fire. A copy of the plan can be found on the Northeast Kootenai Complex Inciweb page (link listed below). No evacuations are currently in effect.

SUNDAY FIRE:

The Sunday Fire located about four miles southeast of Stryker, MT, is at 60 acres with 90% contained. Fireline has been constructed around the fire perimeter, and crews are working on mopping up and cooling hot spots within the fire’s perimeter. The population protection plan is still in place and determines when evacuations would take place in the vicinity of the Sunday Fire. A copy this plan can be found on the Northeast Kootenai Complex Inciweb page (link listed below). No evacuations are currently in effect.

BARNABY FIRE:

The fire is located about four miles northeast of Eureka in very steep and rugged terrain. Fire activity has been minimal in the last two days with the cooler weather and has stayed at about 40 acres with 0% containment. A Type 1 helicopter will be available to drop water as needed.

PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES: 320 personnel including 1 Type 1 crew, 5 Type 2 crews, 16 engines,

Helicopters: 2 Type 1, 1 Type 2, and 1 Type 3, 6 dozers, 8 water tenders, 4 skidgines, and .

SPECIAL MESSAGES/CLOSURES: There is an area closure for the Barnaby Fire as well as for the Marston Fire. See Inciweb for maps and explanations of these closures. There will be a public meeting in Trego at the Civic Center on Monday August 24th at 7:00PM.

Residents in Lincoln County interested in signing up for reverse 911 or “Code Red” can visit this website for further information: http://www.lincolncountymt.us/

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

Here is the official morning report on the wildfires in the Northeast Kootenai Complex, including the Barnaby, Marston, Sunday and Weigel blazes . . .

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, Sunday, and Weigel 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 is in effect for today due to windy conditions and the possibility of thunderstorms. A cold front will move into the area around 2pm, bringing wind and possible lightning. This evening around 8 or 9pm, a second cold front will move into the area with shifting winds from the north to northeast and up to 1/10th of an inch of rain. Weekend weather will be dry with cooler temperatures.

MARSTON & BARNABY FIRES:
The Marston Fire is estimated at 3,200 acres and the Barnaby fire at 40 acres. Both fires are located near Eureka, MT on the Fortine Ranger District, Kootenai National Forest. Today on the Marston Fire, crews will begin to secure the line along the eastern edge of the fire. They will also begin to put dozer line near the southeast edge of the perimeter to prevent the fire’s spread into the Stillwater State Forest. The structure group will finish their structure assessment of properties in the Laughing Water Creek and Graves Creek areas. A population protection plan has been established to determine when evacuations would take place in the vicinity of the Marston Fire if the need arises. A copy of the plan can be found on the Northeast Kootenai Complex Inciweb page (link listed below). No evacuations are currently in effect. The Barnaby Fire will continue to be monitored with the National Guard Chinooks available for water drops when needed.

WEIGEL FIRE:
The Weigel Fire is 100% contained and has been returned to Montana DNRC management.

SUNDAY FIRE:
The Sunday Fire is estimated at 60 acres. The Sunday fire is located on the Fortine Ranger District, Kootenai National Forest. Fireline has been constructed around the majority of the fire perimeter. Crews will complete fireline today and continue to wet hotspots. A population protection plan has been established to determine when evacuations would take place in the vicinity of the Sunday Fire. A copy of the plan can be found on the Northeast Kootenai Complex Inciweb page (link listed below). No evacuations are currently in effect.

General Quinn and staff of the Montana National Guard, as well as a staffer from Governor Bullock’s office, visited Helibase yesterday to see how the 2 National Guard chinooks were assisting with firefighting efforts. They have been dropping water on the Marston and Barnaby Fires and will continue these efforts today.

PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES: 331 personnel, including 3 – Type 1 crews, 4 – Type 2 crews, 16 engines, 2 Type 1 helicopters, 1 Type 3 helicopter, 6 dozers, 2 excavators, 3 feller-bunchers, and 8 water tenders.

SPECIAL MESSAGES/CLOSURES: A new area closure is in effect for the Barnaby Fire in addition to the closure for the Marston Fire. See Inciweb for maps and explanations of the closures. A community meeting will be held tonight, August 21, at the Eureka High School at 7:00 p.m.

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