Trinity Ridge Fire Update August 23, 2012 Am
Incident: Trinity Ridge Fire Wildfire
Released: 8/23/2012
For Immediate Release: August 23, 2012 8:00 a.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: 1,141
Location: Featherville, Idaho
Crews: 4 Type 1, 20 Type 2
Size: 105,210 acres, (Yesterday's growth 7,472 acres)
Engines: 63 Dozers: 2
Percent Contained: 5%
Water Tenders: 21
Estimated Containment: 10/01/12
Helicopters: 4 Type 1, 2 Type 2 and 3 Type 3
Cause: Human
Injuries to Date: 5
Structures Lost: 4 Outbuildings Lost: 4
Cost to Date: $15,610,248
There will be a community meeting in Pine today at the Senior Center at 10:30 a.m.
Quesinberry's Southern Area Type I Incident Management Team is now managing the northern area of the fire. This area is north of a line drawn from Sheep Mountain on the west side of the fire to the confluence of the Middle Fork and the Queen's River on the east side of the fire.
Management of the Trinity Ridge Fire (south of the line described above) will transition from Rich Harvey's Type 1 Incident Management Team (IMT) to Beth Lund's Great Basin IMT at 6 a.m. on Saturday, August 25, 2012.
Current Situation:
Firing operations along the northwest ridge and behind the community of Featherville began last evening. This decreased the amount of fuel between residences and the main fire, buffering the community from the approaching fire. The operation was very successful and firefighters will continue this tactic later this afternoon to further protect Featherville. Firefighters are now working in the Featherville/Pine corridor 24 hours a day, performing structure protection and managing the burnout operation. Weather conditions for today are expected to be similar to yesterday's. Drier conditions with gusty, northwest winds will be moving into the area tomorrow which could affect suppression efforts.
In the northwest, between the Middle and North Forks of the Boise River, the fire burned actively towards the west, compromising the line. Firefighters will look for other locations to construct containment lines. Aerial firing continued on the north section of the fire to draw it into the 1994 Rabbit Creek Burn. This area of the fire is now under the management of Quesinberry's Southern Area Type I Incident Management Team.
Closures and Public Safety:
The Elmore County Sheriff has ordered an evacuation 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.
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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