Fire burning north of Salmon at 320 acres
Fire crews are working to contain a wildfire that started Tuesday afternoon north of Salmon.
The US Forest Service says the Comet Fire, is approximated to be 320 acres in size and located within the same drainage as last year’s Bobcat fire. The fire was ignitedyesterdayafternoon following lightning storms that moved through the area.
The fire started burning in grass and lighter fuels and is currently moving up fingers of trees on steep slopes leading to timbered upper slopes and ridge-lines.
The Forest Service says, Firefighters are currently on the ground, 17 personnel including four smoke-jumpers , four heli-rappellers. They have effectively secured the southern edge of the fire, where it is was burning on more open grassy slopes, having constructed a line to act as a fire break halting any further fire growth in that direction. They also have conducted burn out operations where the eastern fire edge abuts the Salmon River to prevent fire spreading to the eastern side of the river corridor
Five structures on private land north of the fire and west of the fire are threatened. Additional firefighting crews and resources en-route to the fire at this time include two twenty person firefighting hand crews.
Continued hot and dry weather is predicted for the remainder of the week, with a slight chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms in the fire areatonight.
An emergency area closure is in effect for the area surrounding and north of the fire, yet all the main roads in the area remain open. The complete area closure can be viewed on InciWeb,http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/under the Comet Fire.
Travelers are asked to drive through the fire activity area on Highway 93 without stopping to ensure public safety as well as aid in the flow and efficiency of ongoing fire operations.
