Rabbit Foot fire grows 8,000 acres

Update: 11:55 a.m.

The Great Basin Incident Management Team has scheduled a community meeting Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Salmon High School Gymnasium at 401 S. Warpath.

Representatives of the team, U.S. Forest Service, Idaho Department of Lands, Bureau of Land Management, and Lemhi County will be on hand to answer questions about the Rabbit Foot fire.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Firefighters are still working to gain ground on the lightning-caused Rabbit Foot Fire 22 miles north of Challis on the Salmon-Challis National Forest, which grew by 8,000 acres in the past day.

The fire is now estimated at 23,008 acres and is still zero percent contained.

According to the incident management team, the fire burned aggressively and extreme enough that firefighters could not do much to fight it in the North Fork Hat Creek drainage. Structure protection groups worked to provide suppression plans in the event the fire moves to the northeast.

Roads, natural features, and existing fire scars are all being used to help anchor fire lines and create opportunities for greater success in engaging the fire. 524 personnel are on the fire. Fire command said there have been two firefighter injuries.

The injuries were non-fire related. One involved a cut finger and the other a fall from trailer stairs, both of which required stitches.

There are 9 crews, 29 engines, 5 dozers, 8 tenders, and 6 helicopters assigned to the fire.

The team does predict that as the fire begins to burn into lighter sagebrush fuels crews will have more favorable conditions for successful fire suppression.

Some closures may expand with new fire growth, but prior restrictions and closures remain in place.

You can find specific details here.