Moose Fire Virtual Community Meeting set Tuesday
SALMON, Idaho (KIFI) - The human caused Moose Fire burning near North Fork has burned 72,710 acres and is 21% contained.
You can join a Virtual Community Meeting live on the Salmon‐Challis Facebook Page Tuesday, August 9 at 6:00 pm MST.
Public use is returning to the Salmon River corridor as firefighters conclude work on the northern edge of the Moose Fire. Effective 6:00 a.m. Tuesday, vehicles can travel unescorted on the Salmon River Road (Forest Road 030) Pilot car operations have ceased, unless fire situations require escorts to be re-instated. The main Salmon River is open to rafters and the Spring Creek Boat Launch is now open to public use. Please continue to drive with caution and do not enter burned areas. Loose rocks, hazard trees, and lingering hot spots can all be dangerous. Please note the Morgan Bar Campground is temporarily closed to public use to provide a flight pathway for firefighters to operate a mobile retardant base located in the area.
Fire activity is expected to increase today due to hot, dry weather. Firefighters continue to focus on areas east of the Diamond Line, including Jackass Ridge, Moose Creek, Haystack Mountain, Wagon Gulch, German Gulch, and Beaver Creek. Work also continues in the Highway 93 corridor to secure containment line and mop up hot spots. Structure protection work is on-going in the Pine Creek Ranch, Panther Creek, Spring Creek, Beaver Creek, Wallace Lake, and Highway 93 corridor areas. Heavy equipment finished work in the Leesburg area yesterday; today they are moving into Moose Creek. Masticators are working on Forest Road 300. Air operations’ recent efforts focused on the Moose Creek and Jackass Ridge areas.
The fire acreage and containment estimates increased as many small fingers and islands within the fire perimeter were incorporated into the acreage calculation, which reduced the length of the fire perimeter by 54 miles. So, while the length of containment line did not increase yesterday, the percent containment increased due to the reduction in overall perimeter length.
This evening southwest winds will bring increased humidity and cloud cover. The chance for light precipitation will increase on Wednesday, but so will the chance for lightning and thunderstorms.
EVACUATIONS
There have been no changes to evacuation status around the fire. Residents from Tower Creek to North Fork remain in a “SET” status. Residents from Squaw Creek to Pine Creek on Salmon Road are also in “SET” status. All other zones are in “Ready” status.The latest updates can be found at https://www.lemhicountyidaho.org/site-home/urgent-alerts/latest-updates-moose-creek-fire.
CLOSURES AND RESTRICTIONS
The Salmon-Challis National Forest has issued a closure order for the Moose Fire Emergency Area, Road, and Trail Closure, Order #04-13-22-506. Lands north of Salmon River Road are open, and the Salmon River Road is open to two-way traffic from North Fork to Spring Creek. Details and a closure map can be found at https://bit.ly/3BotHEf. Morgan Bar Campground is temporarily closed to public use; see on.doi.gov/3bCSeLx. PLEASE STAY OUT OF THE FIRE AREA NORTH OF THE SALMON RIVER FOR YOUR SAFETY.
Stage 1 Fire restrictions are in effect on the Salmon-Challis National Forest, BLM, and State of Idaho lands in Custer and Lemhi Counties, excluding wilderness areas. There is a temporary flight restriction over the fire area; see https://tfr.faa.gov.
