Trinity Ridge Fire Update 8-20-12
Incident: Trinity Ridge Fire Wildfire
Released: 8/20/2012
Trinity Ridge Fire Update For Immediate Release: August 20, 2012 7:00 a.m.Fire Information: 208-653-2164, 208-653-2584, 208-384-3266 (Daily from 7:00a.m. to 9:00 p.m.) Trinityfire2012@gmail.com Website Info: www.inciweb.org Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/t1gbimtharveyCheck out photos at: www.flickr.com/photos/wildland-fires-2012Fire Facts:Date started: August 3, 2012 Location: Featherville, Idaho Size: 90,664 acres Percent Contained: 5% Estimated Containment: 10/01/12 Cause: HumanStructures Lost: 4 Outbuildings Lost: 4Number of Personnel: 1,126 Crews: 3 Type 1, 22 Type 2 Engines: 62 Dozers: 2 Water Tenders: 23 Helicopters: 3 Type 1, 2 Type 2 and 3 Type 3 Injuries to Date: 5Cost to Date: $11,824,185The Elmore County Sheriff has ordered an 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.Today's Events: There will be a community meeting today at 10:30 a.m. at the Senior Center in Pine. Crews will continue 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 rock and debris from the roads. Firefighters will continue to prepare defensible space and hand lines in the Featherville and Pine areas. No firing operations have been conducted in Featherville at this time due to unfavorable weather conditions. Thunderstorms are expected today which may cause gusty and shifting winds around the fire. An additional helicopter from the National Guard was added yesterday to support the fire for possible medical emergencies.The fire was active to the south yesterday moving into the area of Big Trinity Campground and Green Creek to the south. Crews made progress constructing handline along Dog Mountain Ridge southeast of the fire. A small burnout operation was conducted on the northwest flank of the fire to strengthen the section of fireline between the Middle and North Fork Boise Rivers near Barber Flat.Yesterday, thunderstorms moved over the fire area which created gusty and erratic winds. Lightning from the thunderstorm also sparked a small fire in Robert's Gulch east of Featherville. Firefighters staged nearby were able to quickly extinguish the flames that burned about a quarter of an acre.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 RdThe 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.###
