Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests evening update

Concerns about public safety due to the explosive growth of numerous large fires spread across the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests prompted a public closure of the Forests, with the exception of the Palouse Ranger District, late Saturday.  That closure remains in effect and is being evaluated daily.

To date, the Forests have detected nearly 280 fires which have burned across more than 130,000 acres.

The following is a summary of the major complexes and fires burning across the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests which are not assigned to incident management teams. 

South Zone (Salmon River and Red River Ranger Districts)

Name:  Red River Complex        

Location:  South of Elk City, Idaho

Started:  August 17, 2015                        Cause:  Lightning

Total Acreage:  31,800 acres                   Containment:  0% Contained

Fires Originally within Red River Complex:  6 fires

Active Fires within the Complex:  Slaughter 100 acres, Lone Park and Crown (combined) 26500 acres, Rattlesnake 1500 acres, Noble Fire 3200 acres, Little Green Fire 1375 acres.

Major Events:  the Lone Park/Crown Fires, Little Green Fire and Noble Fire were transitioned to the national incident management team managing the Selway Complex.  Future Forest updates will focus on the Slaughter Fire, west of Concord in the Gospel Hump Wilderness, (150-150 acres) which is being staffed, and the 1350-acre Rattlesnake Fire in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness which is slowly spreading toward the Sheep Hill Lookout. 

The Tepee Springs Fire crossed the Salmon River Saturday and has spread across an estimated 12,000 acres of land managed by the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests.  Updates regarding this fire are posted on www.inciweb.org.  Information can be obtained by calling 877-683-5560 or sending an email to payettefireinformation@gmail.com.

Central Zone (Lochsa-Powell and Moose Creek Ranger Districts)

Name:  Lochsa South Complex  

Location:  South of Lochsa River from Warm Springs Creek to the Selway River

Started:  August 15, 2015                        Cause:  Lightning

Total Acreage:  5535 acres                      Containment:  0% Contained

Fires Originally within Lochsa South Complex:  12

Active Fires within the Complex:  Sponge Fire 3000 acres, Grit Fire 400 acres, Lone Knob Fire 400 acres, Fire Creek 400 acres, Air Strip Fire 980 acres.

Major Events:  Fires received light, spotty precipitation.  Structure protection continues for Wilderness Gateway Campground and outfitter area, the Fish Lake airstrip and cabin, and Gold Meadows and Horsecamp cabins. 

Name:  Wilderness Complex      

Location:  Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness (much of the Moose Creek Ranger District)

Started:  August 4, 2015                          Cause:  Lightning

Total Acreage:  18115 acres                   

Fires Originally within the Wilderness Complex:  8

Active Fires within the Complex:  Roll Creek 7800 acres, Rock Point 250 acres, Meeker 2400 acres, Baily 1500 acres, Army Mule Fire 5400 acres, Wahoo 650 acres, Wahoo Fire 650 acres.

Major Events:  Fires received light, spotty precipitation.  Point protection continues for Wilderness cabins, pack bridges and lookouts.

North Zone (Palouse and North Fork Ranger Districts)

Name:  Larkin Complex                           Location:  Roughly 30 airline miles NE of Pierce

Started:  August 17, 2015                        Cause:  Lightning

Total Acreage:  7330 acres                      Containment:  0% Contained

Fires Originally within the Complex (including Wolf Pack Fires):  14

Active Fires within the Complex:  Snow Creek Fire 3270 acres, Wolf Pack Fire 1370 acres, and Heather Fire 2085 acres, Minnesaka 450, and Roaring 100.

Major Events:  Fire managers were able to fly over fires today for more accurate mapping and revised acreage figures.  Minimal fire activity was reported.

Name:  Scurvy Mountain            Fire                  Location: 28 miles ENE of Pierce, Idaho

Started:  August 21, 2015                        Cause:  Lightning

Total Acreage:  520 acres                                    Containment:  0% contained

Major Events:  Fire managers were able to fly over fires today for more accurate mapping and revised acreage figures.  Minimal fire activity was reported.  The Scurvy Lookout has been wrapped.

Three North Fork fires have been contained (Rock, Pot Lake and Little Wash).  Work continues to contain a new fire, Siwash, which is located near Elk Mountain.

Nez Perce-Clearwater closure and fire information is posted at:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/nezperceclearwater/home.  Click on the “Fire Information” icon at the top of the page.