Chippy Creek Fire Update 9/5/2007
Incident: Chippy Creek Wildland Fire
Released: 9/5/2007
The Chippy Creek Fire is located 20 miles north of Plains and 12 miles north/northwest of Hot Springs, Montana. Jess Secrest's Type 2 Northern Rockies Incident Management Team is fighting the fire.
The Chippy Creek fire is 100% contained.
Yesterday's Activities: A cold front passed through the area yesterday. Partly sunny skies and warmer than forecasted temperatures allowed some group tree torching to occur in unburned islands within the fire perimeter. Rehabilitation efforts on the southern, western, and northern edges of the fire continued. Crews worked the hotspots along Alder Creek in the southeast portion of the fire. Fire managers estimate that 34 percent of the fireline rehabilitation effort was completed by the end of the day.
Today's Planned Activities: The general focus for the fire has shifted to patrol and rehabilitation efforts, although mop up of the firelines and hotspots will continue, especially in the Alder Creek drainage. Aerial resources will support crews where needed. Crews will continue to remove excess fire hose. Rehabilitation will continue on the fireline around the perimeter of the fire.
Resources assigned: 6 hand crews (20 people each), 21 engines, 3 dozers, 17 water tenders, and 4 helicopters for a total of 496 personnel.
Weather Forecast and Fire Behavior: Mostly sunny. Temperatures on ridgetops will be in the low 70's and humidity 26 to 32 percent. Ridgetops winds will be northwest 6 to 10 mph with guests to 20 mph. Fire behavior is expected to be moderate with the cooler temperatures. Smoke will be seen in most areas of the fire as it continues to smolder and creep throughout the interior.
Closures: Although previously evacuated residents along the Hubbart Dam Road have been allowed to return home, roads north of the fire and south of Hwy. 2 remain closed to the general public due to fire traffic. Closures will be re-assessed in the near future. The area and road closure order for National Forest System lands, within the fire area, remains in effect and includes, in part, the following roads: Bold Peak #5583, Big Rock Bassoo #5574, Big Rock Creek #881, Chippy Creek #882, Bear Creek #883, and Little Thompson River #519. For more details, visit the Lolo National Forest website at www.fs.fed.us/r1/lolo or call Chippy Creek fire information (406) 854-2187.
Public Meetings: A community meeting is scheduled at the Hot Springs Elementary School in Hot Springs tonight, September 5, 2007, at 7:00 PM, to inform the public of the current fire status and rehabilitation efforts. The public is invited to attend.
Temporary Flight Restrictions: The temporary flight restriction has been lifted.
Other information sources: Chippy Creek Fire information is posted on the Lolo National Forest website: www.fs.fed.us/r1/lolo, and on: http://www.inciweb.org/.
Cooperating Agencies: Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Sanders, Flathead and Lake Counties, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Lolo National Forest, and Plum Creek Timberlands.
