Monday Update 9-10
Incident: Powell Sbw Complex Wildfire
Released: 9/10/2012
POWELL SBW FIRE COMPLEX
Monday, September 10, 2012
Nez Perce - Clearwater National Forests
Contact: Bob MacGregor Note New Phone # (208)942-0333
Date Started: 7/20/2012 Total Personnel: 177
Cause: Multiple Lightning Strikes Size: 41,732 Acres
Percent Contained: 0% Injuries to Date: 0
Resources: 1 Type 1 Helicopter, 6 engines, 1 Type 1 crew, 1 Type 2 IA crews, 1 Type 2 crew, 2 feller-bunchers, 1 skidder, 2 skidgines, and 2 water tenders.
Location: The complex consists of three main and numerous small fires situated in an arc running southeast to southwest of the town of Powell, Idaho, straddling the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness boundary. The three main fires are named from east to west as: Fern, Cedar and Freeze Out Queen.
Yesterday' Activities: Smoke from blow-ups on the Sheep fire near Riggins, Idaho and the McGuire Complex near Dixie, Idaho was deposited over the Powell SBW Complex by strong winds. This smoke combined with high humidity to limit fire growth on Sunday. On Sunday evening a new start was discovered in Section 11, T36N, R13E, Boise Meridian, approximately 2 miles east of Hot Springs Point and 2 miles south of Wendover Campground. This new fire is closer to Powell Jct. than the Freeze Out Queen fire and although separated from town by three ridges that are not aligned with the prevailing wind direction is a concern to fire managers and will provoke a suppression response. Operations on Sunday continued to prepare for Monday's forecasted wind event. Firefighters in the Beaver Ridge area have done a great job of mopping up the hot spots remaining in the burnout. Smoke conditions on Highway 12 between mileposts 147 and 155 caused fire vehicles to drive through the area with their light-bars activated to slow down traffic. Lookouts are manning the Diablo Mountain tower to keep an eye on the Cedar fire. Both of the helicopters assigned to the Complex were used for initial attack on other Ranger Districts that had less smoky and therefore better flying conditions.
Today's Activities: RED FLAG WARNING FOR TODAY FROM 11:00 AM TO 11:00 PM DUE TO HIGH WINDS! A strong cold front will push through the area today bringing strong winds from the west/southwest. The winds will be higher on the ridge tops than in the valleys with gusts up to 35 miles per hour. These winds will be negated somewhat by higher relative humidity but there is an opportunity for the fire to spot ahead of itself up to ½ to ¾ miles. The new start from yesterday evening will be aggressively hit with water drops by the heavy helicopter and as a precaution sprinklers will be set up in the Powell area. Fire managers feel they have positioned their resources in the optimum locations to weather this wind event but today will be a good test of where these fires are headed.
For Updates follow this incident at: http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3226/
For Tips on Keeping Your House Firewise: http://www.idahofirewise.org/
