The Motorway
Complex is comprised of several fires on the Lochsa-Powell, North Fork, and
Moose Creek Ranger Districts including Woodrat, Big Hill, Wash, Slide, and a
group of fires located near the Lolo Motorway. The Woodrat fire has also
burned onto lands managed by the Maggie Creek Protection District. The
Motorway Complex, like many other fires in the area, is the result of recent
lightning storms. Rick Kusicko’s North Idaho Incident Management Team (IMT)
assumed command of the Complex at 7:00 a.m. today. The Motorway Complex,
Incident Command Post (ICP), is established at the Kooskia airstrip.
To aid the general public with the
large amount of fire information, Fire Information officers from all teams
within the Kamiah and Kooskia areas will be coordinating the dissemination of
information. Within the Motorway Complex, the Woodrat, Slide, and Wash fires
will be listed individually. The fires located near the Lolo Motorway,
approximately 7 miles east of Pierce and Weippe, will be identified as the Motorway
fires.
·
Woodrat - The Woodrat fire is actively
burning in steep, rugged ground 1 mile north and west of the community of
Syringa. Due to Wednesday’s fire movement the Idaho County Sheriff’s
Office issued a Level II evacuation warning for the Syringa and Smith Creek
road areas. The fire is also a threat to residences in the Suttler Creek
Drainage and along Highway 12.
Local crews have made good headway
on the west, northwest, and southwest flanks of the fire. Yesterday,
firefighters capitalized and continued to secure containment line. Crews
will continue structure assessments along Smith Creek road and the Syringa
area. Dozer line on the southwest end of the fire has been constructed
and tied into local roads in the area; however, much of that line is indirect
and will need further improvements to be secure containment line. Crews
made great progress on the southeast corner of the fire connecting roads and
dozer line towards Smith Creek road as well as structure protection and contingency
lines around Syringa.
Today, crews are working strenuously
to construct and reinforce existing line along the south and east flanks of the
fire. Constructed lines will be a combination of hand line and dozer
line. A structure protection specialist and structure protection engines
will be incorporated into efforts in Syringa and the surrounding area. As
new resources become available they will be mobilized where needed.
Syringa area residents should remain
vigilant to changing conditions, as a Red Flag Warning Friday could result in
extreme fire behavior and potential safety issues for both firefighters and the
public.
·
Slide – The Slide fire is burning in open
pine and Douglas fir stands on steep south facing slopes above the Selway
River. Fire spread has not been significant in the last 48 hours and is
primarily moving up-river. The fire is a potential threat to homes,
private holdings, and the Historic Fenn Ranger Station to the east.
Yesterday, crews continued
assessing and prepping homes for structure protection along the Selway road
from CCC trail down river to the Fenn Ranger Station. In addition, fire
personnel will also begin to evaluate the wooden bridges along the Selway River
that have the potential to be impacted by advancing fire.
Today, crews will continue to lay
hose and prepare structures for protection along the Selway River. Crews
are also building line on the west, to try to stop down-river
progression. The fire has stalled in its progression to the north in
brush fields along the upper ridges. Predicted strong winds throughout
the day could push the fire up slope in a northerly direction.
·
Wash – The Wash fire is actively burning 8
miles east of Lowell, Idaho and approximately 5 miles east of the homes located
south of the Selway River, just south and east of the Slide fire. The
fire is threatening grazing allotments and could be a potential threat to other
areas to the south and west. Fire activity is being assessed to notify
permittees and identify structures for protection. The Selway River Road #223
is closed from O'Hara Bridge, at the junction of O'Hara Road #651, to the
junction of Falls Point Road #443. Ten trails that access the closed
segment of Road 223 are also closed: Trails #702; 703; 704; 705; 707; 708;
709; 710; 725 and 734. The above restrictions are necessary for public
safety due to wildfire activity.
The fire is currently estimated at
5,000 acres, burning in heavy fir and cedar along the north facing slopes of
the Selway River, and dense contiguous fuels have limited fire manager’s
opportunities to check southerly spread. Fire behavior has been erratic
and the fire has grown rapidly up slope and up canyon. A Type 1 Incident
Management Team has been ordered for the Wash fire, but will continue to be
managed by Rick Kusicko’s team until they arrive.
·
Motorway – The Motorway fires are located in
the area referred to as the Lolo Motorway and include Lost Hat, 535, and
Musselshell Creek fires. Some of these fires are impacting local grazing
allotments and have the potential to affect the communities of Pierce and
Weippe. Currently crews are assessing and opening roads to access the
fire perimeter and construct line. On the Musselshell Creek fire, an
anchor point has been established along the 535 road, and crews are trying to
tie fire perimeter into that anchor point. Structures currently threatened by
the Motorway fires are Forest Service facilities and infrastructure.
Structure protection assessments and actions are currently underway in those
areas.
The
National Weather Service in Missoula has issued a Red Flag Warning, from 10:00
a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday for gusty winds and low relative humidity. These
conditions could result in significant fire growth on many fires in the
Motorway Complex, as well as create unsafe conditions for firefighters and the
public. Reducing risk to firefighters and the public is the first
priority in every fire management activity.
Evacuations: Level
II evacuations are in place for Syringa, Smith Creek road, and Suttler Creek
road, and residents should remain alert to rapidly changing conditions.
Level II evacuations indicate that residents need to be prepared to leave
their homes at a moment’s notice.
Road Closures & Special
Announcements: Significant Forest area
closures are in affect and additional closures in the Selway River may be
forthcoming due to wildfire activity. Closures can be located at http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/nezperceclearwater/alerts-notices.
Please check back regularly as conditions and closures
change frequently.
For more info: Please contact the fire information line, at 208-926-4170 or
motorwaycomplex@gmail.com if you have questions concerning the complex.
As always, check fire information and updates on http://inciweb.nwcg.gov. Once on the specific fire in the incident, you
can choose to follow the fire updates via Twitter, Facebook, and other social
media outlets.
