Fire Update - September 6, 2007
Yesterday's Activities: Mop up and patrol continued on all divisions. Resource Advisors from both the Flathead and Lewis & Clark National Forests and Blackfeet... more
Summary
Yesterday's Activities:
Quick Fire Facts | |
Location | 32 miles ESE of Kalispell, MT-Skyland Road, 3 miles south of Marias Pass |
Approximate Size | 45,760 acres |
Increase since last update | None |
Fire Containment | 75% |
Start Date | July 23, 2007 - 4:30 pm |
Cause | Lightning |
Branch Director | Dave Jandt |
Resources on the Fire | 1 crews 5 engines
|
Total Personnel | 60 |
Est. Containment Date | unknown |
Cooperating Agencies | USFS NPS BIA Blackfeet Tribe Montana DNRC |
Land Owners | Lewis & Clark NF (30,974 acres), Flathead NF (3523 acres), Blackfeet Tribe (9679 acres), Private (1584 acres) |
Mop up and patrol continued on all divisions. Resource Advisors from both the Flathead and Lewis & Clark National Forests and Blackfeet Reservation worked with crews to rehab affected fire lines. Reseeding continued in several areas
Weather and Fire Behavior Forecast for Today:
A more seasonal weather pattern sets in today as the cold front continues to move across Montana. Temperatures are predicted in the high 60's and the humidity is expected to be between 25-35%. There will be cloudy conditions and a possible chance of rain.
Today's Planned Actions:
There is little change planned for operations today. All divisions will continue working with Resource Advisors in rehabbing identified areas. The helicopter will be leaving today and the remaining helicopter crew will assist with ground activities. Work needed on this incident is winding down and we expect the fire to be in patrol status by the weekend.
Restrictions and Closures: Open areas include Skyland Road 569, Morrison Creek Trail 154, Granite Trail 156 Lodgepole Mountain Trail 337, Big River Trail 155 from its junction with Trail 337 west one mile to Schafer Meadows Work Center, re-opens on Friday 8/31. This re-opening is due to the hazard tree removal from Skyland Road 569 in the Skyland Fire area, and less fire activity on the Calbick Fire. Calbick Trail 391 and Lodgepole Creek Trail 179 remain closed to use. The rest of the upper Middle Fork Flathead River and most of the Rocky Mountain Ranger District remains closed.
U.S. Hwy 2 remains open. All entrances to the Glacier National Park are open. Visit www.nps.gov/glac for more information.
Stage 2 fire restrictions are in effect for the area. For fire restrictions, visit www.mt.blm.gov/fire/restrictions. Much of the Rocky Mountain Ranger District is closed to public use. There are closures in the Hungry Horse Ranger District as well.
Visit http://www.inciweb.org/ and click on Skyland Fire for details, or call the ranger districts - Hungry Horse (406) 387-3800; Rocky Mountain (406) 466-5341.
Basic Information
| Incident Type | Wildland Fire |
|---|---|
| Cause | Lightning |
| Date of Origin | 07/23/2007 at 1630 hrs. |
| Location | 32 miles ESE of Kalispell, MT. Skyland Road, 3 miles south of Marias Pass |
| Incident Commander | Curtis Stanley |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 258 |
|---|---|
| Size | 45,760 acres |
| Percent Contained | 75% |
| Fuels Involved | Fuel Models 1, 8, 10 and 11 (grass, litter & understory,timber & old burn) |
| Fire Behavior | • Moderate, smoldering and creeping surface fire with isolated single tree torching. Fuels are being consumed with no change in the fire perimeter. |
| Significant Events | •Many of the Division Breakdowns on the fire have been aggregated for simplicity. Crews are mopping up along the Highway 2 corridor and constructing direct line on the Southeast flank of the fire. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Continue patrol, mop up, and preparation of the active fire area for possible wind events forecasted for this coming weekend. |
|---|---|
| Projected Movement | 12 hours: Limited movement can be expected on the southern flank 24 hours: Predicted cold front passage this weekend could initiate movement. 48 hours: Potential for winds from the cold front could promote fire movement on the southern, eastern, and northern flanks. |
| Growth Potential | High |
| Terrain Difficulty | High |
| Remarks | • Control lines will not be constructed on the remaining 25% of the fire. • Structure Protection Plan includes 3 Tactical Areas (TA). Backhaul and demobilization of equipment continues to the levels required for the Type 3 organization. - Acres burned by landowner are as follows. - Blackfeet Tribal Land: 9,679 (+0) - Private land Great Falls Dispatch 1,584 - Flathead National Forest: 3,523 - Lewis and Clark National Forest: 30,974 Total: 45,760 |
Weather
| Current Wind Conditions | 10 G 24 mph W |
|---|---|
| Current Temperature | 72 degrees |
| Current Humidity | 22 % |
