Trinity Ridge Update, August 19, 2012 Pm
Incident: Trinity Ridge Fire Wildfire
Released: 8/19/2012
For Immediate Release: August 19, 2012 8:00 p.m.
Fire Information: 208-653-2164, 208-653-2584, 208-384-3266
(Daily from 7:00a.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
Website Info: http://www.inciweb.org/
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Check out photos at: www.flickr.com/photos/wildland-fires-2012
Fire Facts:
Date started: August 3, 2012
Number of Personnel: 1,126
Location: Featherville, Idaho
Crews: 3 Type 1, 22 Type 2
Size: 88,467 acres
Engines: 62 Dozers: 2
Percent Contained: 5%
Water Tenders: 23
Estimated Containment: 10/01/12
Helicopters: 3 Type 1, 2 Type 2 and 3 Type 3
Cause: Human
Injuries to Date: 5
Structures Lost: 4 Outbuildings Lost: 4
Cost to Date: $11,824,185
The Elmore County Sheriff has ordered an immediate evacuation of the Featherville area from Featherville to the Paradise area because of thick smoke and reduced visibility due to the Trinity Ridge Fire. Pine Featherville Road is now closed to all but Fire and emergency traffic. An Evacuation Center has been set up by the Red Cross at the Pine Senior Center and the Pines Resort.
There will be a community meeting tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. at the Senior Center in Pine.
Today's Events: Thunderstorms moved over the fire area today as predicted. These storms resulted in gusty and erratic winds and produced multiple lightning strikes. One of these strikes sparked a small fire in Robert's Gulch east of Featherville. Firefighters staged nearby were able to quickly extinguish the flames.
The fire was active to the south today moving into the area of Big Trinity Campground and Green Creek to the south. Crews constructing handline along Dog Mountain Ridge continued making progress to the northwest. Additional handline construction continued near Barber Flat over the ridgeline between the Middle and North Fork Boise Rivers. A small burnout operation was conducted to strengthen that section of fireline. No firing operations have been conducted in Featherville at this time.
Tomorrow, crews will continue with building handline ahead of the fire in the northwest and southwest areas of the fire. A small group of firefighters will remain in Rocky Bar to monitor fire activity and work on clearing the roads so fire resources can better move around the fire.
Closures and Public Safety:
Evacuations: Dutch Creek, Swanholm, Weatherby and Queen River Campground have all been evacuated. Many roads are currently closed as outlined in the Boise National Forest Trinity Ridge Fire Road Closure Order Number 0402-00-22 signed by Boise and Sawtooth Forest Supervisors on August 16th, 2012.
The road closure is in effect at the following locations:
-Road 227 at the county line east of Baumgartner Campground (Campground is closed)
-Intersection of Highway 20 and FH 61 (Pine-Featherville Rd)
-Intersection of Lester Creek Rd and Lake Creek Rd
The roads, as described above, enter into areas with ongoing wildfire activity. The area is closed for public safety and protection from hazards associated with wildfire.
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