Mustang Complex Fire Update 9/29
Incident: Mustang Complex Wildfire
Released: 9/29/2012
Mustang Complex Update
September 29, 2012, 8:00 a.m.
Fire Information: 208-865-2170 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
Email: scnf.fire.info@gmail.com, Website: http://inciweb.org/incident/3100/
Location: N of Main Salmon River and W of
Number of Resources: 385 personnel including
the North Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho
5 hand crews, 20 engines, 6 water tenders,
Size: 338,787 acres
1 dozer, and 3 helicopters
Percent Contained: 30
Injuries to Date: 8
Heavy dead and downed fuels in the upper reaches of Hughes Creek were actively burning yesterday. Concern is that fire could spread from sparse fuels in the area to more of the unbroken stringers of trees in the drainage. Fire has reached the top of the ridge, looking over into the Montana Hughes Creek drainage. There are a few spots on the Montana side. The plan for today is to check any fire spread in the upper reaches of the Montana Hughes Creek drainage. Fire activity was observed in the northeastern portion of the fire, where sunshine provided an additional source for fuels drying and heating.
A wind storm rapidly progressed over the fire area last evening. Skull Gulch weather station north of the Salmon River reported a gust of 49 mph. Winds from evaporating virga also kicked up over fire camp, clocking in at 40 mph, spreading ash and dust from the nearby burned mountain sides. As the weak cold front moves through the area, winds will decrease for today, with gusts reaching 18 mph over the fire. Base camp, Scripps spike camp, and most of the fire area did receive light rain in the evening, however little precipitation is expected with the frontal passage. Recorded rain amounts were from .01 to .07. Sunshine should return this afternoon.
Mop up of the Chandral Fire was completed. A number of engines were involved in completing fire suppression repair and rehab efforts. The indirect fireline was completed on the northeast portion of the fire by crews. Hwy 93 and the Salmon River corridor road continue to be patrolled. The heavy equipment group is moving into areas requiring major repair work such as repairing damage to a bridge. Road grading work begins today on the many miles of road throughout the fire.
A local Burned Area Emergency Rehab (BAER) Team will spend this coming weekend assessing rehabilitation needs in the area along the Salmon River corridor. Within the next few days, a regional BAER Team begins the larger task of assessing rehabilitation needs over the entire fire area.
For more information on the Mustang Complex Fire, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/scnf fire info. Pictures and maps can be viewed and downloaded at www.flickr.com/salmonchallisnf
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