Minimal Fire Activity on Fool Creek
Incident: Fool Creek Wildland Fire Used for Resource Benefit
Released: 7/19/2007
Contact: Punky Moore Phone: 406-466-3560 or 406-466-2524
Mike Munoz Phone: 406-466-5341 (Rocky Mountain RD Office)
Current size: Approximately 6,214 acres (5,706 acres on the Lewis & Clark NF - 508 acres on the Flathead NF)Management and Status: The Fool Creek Fire is situated in the Upper North Fork Sun River near Sun River Pass burning on the Lewis & Clark and Flathead National Forests. The closure that encompasses the area between the Fool Creek Fire and the Ahorn Fire near Benchmark will continue until further notice. This closure addresses the District's commitment to public safety by making sure the public does not enter an unsafe area. Fire managers determined a closure of this size was necessary due to the extreme fire behavior observed in the last two weeks.
The Fool Creek Fire has reached predetermined areas that call for additional management actions to be taken at various sites. Yesterday these activities included installing hoses and sprinklers at structures at the Teton Pass ski area and initiating shelter protection at the West Fork administrative site. Today there are plans to start the pre-positioning of structure protection equipment at Gates Park and Beartop Lookouts. This equipment will be transported by the district pack string.
The Northern Rockies Management Team is nearing the end of their assignment on the Fool Creek Fire. A transition phase will begin on Friday as a Southwest Incident Management Team arrives in Choteau to continue the long term management of the incident. The incoming team will begin working with the current management team in order to assume command Saturday evening. Management of this long term event requires close coordination between the Incident Management Team, Lewis & Clark National Forest, Flathead National Forest, Teton County Sheriff's Office, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Teton County Rural Volunteer Department.
Personnel/Resources on the Fire: Resources assigned to the fire include 55 people, three helicopters and five engines. The helicopters are used to support the incident by transporting equipment, carrying fire behavior specialists to assess fire activity and dropping water on hot spots when necessary. Fire managers on the Fool Creek Fire are coordinating with Ahorn Fire personnel to identify operational priorities and share resources when possible.
Activity: Wednesday, fire activity moderated after approximately 0.3 inch of precipitation occurred overnight in the fire vicinity. This moisture reduced fire behavior to smoldering and creeping. However, there is a Red Flag Warning Friday for high temperatures and gusty winds. Fire activity is expected to increase.
Special Concerns: A great safety concern is abundant snags in areas that have already burned and extreme burning conditions exhibited on fires across the region. The extended weather forecast indicates hot dry conditions and strong winds. This will increase the potential for fire growth in the future.
Restrictions & Closures: Area closures are in place. The need for future closures will continue to be evaluated. There is a temporary flight restriction (TFR) in place in a 10 mile radius around the fire. For closure information and maps, refer tothe Flathead National Forest website (http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/flathead) or contact the Rocky Mountain Ranger District Office (406) 466-5341 or the Spotted Bear Ranger District Office (406) 758-5376.
