Porcupine Fire Complex Daily Update
Incident: Porcupine Complex Wildfire
Released: 9/26/2012
Information Officer: Brian Harris
Info Phone @ (208) 842-2725
Office hours: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
G-mail account: mcguirecomplex@gmail.com
Incident: The Porcupine Complex was started by lightning on 8/9.
Location: The Porcupine Complex is 25 miles east of Elk City, ID.
Agency Jurisdiction: USDA Forest Service, Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests
Cooperating Agencies: Idaho County Sheriff's Department
Incident Command Post: (ICP) is located at the old Red River Ranger Station.
Current Size: 30,993 acres Containment: 0% Structures Threatened: 5
Yesterday: Partly cloudy conditions with lower temperatures and higher relative humidity kept fire behavior low for the majority of the complex. Observed fire behavior included smoldering and creeping and infrequent single tree torching with short range spotting. Crews performed mop up along the north of Forest Road 285. Hazardous tree removal continued along Forest Road 468.
Today: As the low pressure system exits the area, temperatures will increase and relative humidity will decrease resulting in an increasing potential of fire spread. Fire behavior for all branches will be mostly creeping and smoldering with occasional single and group tree torching. Any spread will most likely occur on the southeast portion, in Shovel Creek and on the northwest side near the 285 Road. Protection efforts will continue for recreational sites and administrative facilities. Crews will patrol for and remove hazardous trees near roads, monitor fire activity and provide point protection for values at risk.
Road Closures: The Magruder Corridor Road (Forest Road 468) is closed from its junction with the Green Mountain Road (Forest Road 285) to Observation Point for public safety due to fire activity. Through traffic to and from Montana to Idaho is closed!
Area Closures: Special Area Closures are in effect for the 581 and 575 trails. The spur road going up to Burnt Knob lookout has also been closed. On the Nez Perce National Forest, Forest Road 285 is open with possible delays; Forest Road 357 is open; Forest Road 468 is open from its junction with Forest Road 222 to its junction with Forest Road 285. The remainder of Forest Road 468 is closed; Forest Trail 501 is open from 14-Mile Trailhead to Bargamin Creek; the 14-Mile Trailhead and Granite Springs Campgrounds are open. On the Bitterroot National Forest, Forest Road 468 is open from the West Fork Guard Station to Observation point, but is closed from Observation Point for the remainder of the Magruder corridor.
Special Notice: For Porcupine Fire photos visit: http://www.photobucket.com/porcupinefire
For further information, including specific details regarding the Area Closure, visit the InciWeb website: http://inciweb.org/incident/3171/
