Quiet Day, But Critical Day Coming
Incident: Fool Creek Wildland Fire Used for Resource Benefit
Released: 8/11/2007
The fire didn't grow on Saturday. Helicopters focused their retardant drops on the Nesbit Creek area and water drops on the area where Porcupine Creek meets the West Fork of the Teton River. Only a few smokes were seen in the Nesbit Creek basin.
Pumps were run at several backcountry cabins and at the Massey Tract.
Sunday will be a critical weather day. A red-flag warning is posted from noon to 9 p.m. Relative humidity could fall below 10 percent and temperatures at the fire will be in the mid 80s. Winds will blow from the southwest 12 to 18 mph with gusts to 30 mph at the higher ridges.
We expect active burning at the fire Sunday. Trees could torch and large smoke columns could rise in the Porcupine Creek area. The fire could move north from there across the West Fork or start spot fires to the east in Waldron Creek.
On Sunday, firefighters will continue running pumps at Sabido, Wrong Creek, and Massey Tract cabins. Helicopters will continue making water drops in critical areas.
Special Notices, Alerts & Restrictions: The Sun River, Ear Mountain and Blackleaf state wildlife management areas are closed. All of the Rocky Mountain Ranger District is closed except for the southeastern part of the Scapegoat Wilderness. Other adjacent areas of the Flathead National Forest are closed. The land managed by the BLM adjacent to the national forest boundary including the Blind Horse Outstanding Natural Area is closed.
Stage II fire restrictions are in effect on the Rocky Mountain Ranger District outside of the wilderness. Stage I restrictions remain in effect within the wilderness.
