Clearwater-Municipal-Motorway North Complex Monday August 31, 2015

Size:  82,956  total acres      Date Started:  08/10/2015        Percent Containment:  75%                 Personnel Assigned: 544    Equipment:  38 engines                               Cause: Lightning                 Aircraft Assigned: 1 helicopter             Cooler temperatures and light rain on Sunday slowed the spread of fire and no new fire starts were reported. The rain was helpful, but a significant rainfall will be needed to end the fire season. Before the winds increased late morning, a helicopter was used to drop water on the Lost Hat Fire in the Motorway North Complex. The Lost Hat Fire is located five miles southeast of Pierce and continues to burn slowly to the east. As part of the contingency plan, crews widened and cleared a trail near Orofino Creek to be used as a firebreak in the event of a wind shift. Other fires farther east of Pierce (Musselshell Creek, Snowy Summit, Pete Forks, and Yoosa fires) continue to burn slowly to the east in remote, rugged terrain. To most efficiently use the available resources, firefighters are concentrating on structures such as guard shacks, historic sites and fire towers in the area. Yesterday, they wrapped the Weitus Guard station with fire-resistant material and set up a sprinkler system. As a result of the gusty winds, firefighters found a few hot spots and burning snags off Woodland Road in Kamiah. They also cleared fallen trees from roadways and strengthened firelines. Later in the afternoon, fire crews responded to a flare-up within a burned area of the Municipal Fire along Highway 12 near Orofino. Due to the progress made on the Clearwater Complex fires, the two local engine crews on the evening shift did not need to respond to fire activity. Dayshift will continue to patrol and mop up within 100 feet of the firelines. Suppression repair is finished on the Old Greer Fire and will start on the Clearwater Complex soon. As fires wind down, construction equipment is used to rehabilitate firelines and create water bars to reduce erosion. Graders will also be working on the gravel roads. The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest has been closed, except for the Palouse Ranger District. The closures are listed athttp://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/nezperceclearwater/alerts-notices. Information on the upcoming hunting seasons and areas with limited access may be found on the Idaho Fish and Game site: https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/content/fire. The phone number is 208-344-3700. School has started in Central Idaho. With the increased traffic associated with the fires, drivers should use caution, especially when visibility is limited by smoke. The Southern Area Blue Team continues to manage the Clearwater-Municipal-Motorway North Complex. Fire information updates will be issued under this name. Visit www.facebook.com/centralidahofires for information on Central Idaho fires or http://inciweb.nwcg.gov.