Fire Crews Prepare for Windy Conditions on Mustang Fire
Incident: 2012 Salmon-Challis General Fire Update Wildfire
Released: 8/2/2012
What: Mustang Wildland Fire and Filly Wildland Fire
Detected: July 31st and August 1- lightning caused
Location: Salmon-Challis National Forest - Mustang Fire is approximately 6 air miles north of Long Tom Lookout on the North Fork Ranger District
Current size: Mustang: Estimated at 181 acres Filly: ¼ acre
Containment: 0%
Fire Activity: The Filly fire was detected yesterday and is 2 miles north of the Mustang Fire. The Mustang fire growth was moderate yesterday, due to minimal winds over the fire area. There was some single tree torching.
Resources on Fire: Approximately 75 personnel. Fire crews include two type 1 'hotshot' crews and one type 2 crew.
Terrain and Vegetation Info: Fire is burning in extremely remote, steep and rugged terrain in subalpine fir and beetle killed lodgepole pine. Approximately 40% of the lodgepole pine trees in some areas have been killed by bark beetles. Fire location is approximately 5 miles south of last summer's Saddle Complex fire.
Special Concerns: Steep, rugged terrain and snags are a major safety concern. Due to the terrain limitations fire fighters are not able to perform direct suppression actions.
Todays Plan: Point protection actions are being taken. Crews will plumb a water system with pumps at Long Tom Lookout. Hazardous fuels, including beetle killed trees, will be removed around Longtom Lookout. Crews will also be working at the Gattin Ranch installing a water system with pumps. The crews will remove hazardous fuels around the Gattin Ranch structures. A heavy helicopter will assist by dropping water on the Filly fire, which is 2 miles southwest of the Gattin Ranch, in order to check this fire's growth.
Closures: Due to fire activity and to provide for public safety, the following roads and trails are closed:
·o Forest Road # 123 (Colson Creek Road) Forest Road #123 (Colson Creek Road) from the junction with #030 (Salmon River Road) to the junction with Forest Road #038. This closure includes Forest Road # 166 (Long Tom Road), #064 (Corn Lake Road), and #067 (Cayuse Point Road).
·o Sections of the following trails are currently closed - #163, #159, #164, #203, #165, #166, #167, #031.
Weather Info: Continued hot and dry with high temperatures in the high 80's. A red flag warning is in effect today for parts of SE Idaho including Salmon, Idaho, with dry air, and gusty, strong winds of up to 30 MPH possible on Thursday afternoon.
