Moose Fire 53% contained

SALMON, Idaho (KIFI) - The human caused Moose Fire burning west and south of North Fork has burned 130,112 acres and is 53% contained.

At 6:00 p.m. Thursday evening, officials will host a community meeting at the Idaho Fish & Game Office located at 99 US Highway 93, Salmon, ID 83467. The meeting will be filmed and posted to the Salmon-Challis National Forest Facebook page for those who prefer to view the meeting virtually.

Multiple nocturnal heat bursts were experienced, producing 52 miles per hour winds resulting in temperatures from 60-75 degrees. Firefighters will be assessing the fire for any areas of changes in conditions. Although some smoke was visible from Salmon yesterday, fire behavior was minimal. Fuels continue to creep and smolder with isolated torching. Firefighters are identifying and repairing handlines, repairing roads and dozer lines, and continuing to backhaul road closure signs, fire hose, and related support equipment. They are constructing water bars, moving and hauling logging slash, chipping, and scattering slash to prevent water run-off and erosion from fall rain events.   

EVACUATIONS

Evacuation zones 1, 12, 13, and 15 remain in “READY” status. Beartrack Mine and Leesburg also remain in “READY” status. Evacuation status has been rescinded for Zones 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9a, 9b, 10, and 14. The Incident Management Team will continue to work closely with the Sheriff’s Office to consider changes to the evacuation status. Additional details are available at Moose Fire Evacuation Zones.

CLOSURES AND RESTRICTIONS

A Salmon-Challis National Forest closure order was updated on September 19. It reduces the closure area lands north of Williams Creek and Deep Creek Roads, east of Panther Creek Road, and south of North Fork Ranger District/Salmon-Cobalt Ranger District. The closure includes national forest service lands pertaining to certain roads, trails, and a defined geographic area around the fire. See Moose Fire Emergency Area, Road, and Trail Closure, Order #04-13-22-512, for a complete description. This closure applies to hunting access, firewood cutting and gathering, fishing, hiking, camping, and other recreational activities.   

• The temporary closure of Morgan Bar Campground administered by the Salmon Field Office; Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is terminated. This termination applies to all BLM-managed lands in the closure area east of the Fairgrounds/Diamond Creek Road. This partial Closure termination will be in effect starting at 2:00 pm on September 28, 2022 
• Public Lands north of the town of Salmon, south of Wallace Creek, and west of the Fairgrounds/Diamond Creek Road administered by the Salmon Field Office, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will remain Temporarily Closed to entry by members of the public.  
• Currently, 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. These restrictions will end immediately after midnight (00:01) on Thursday, September 29, 2022.  
• For more information about area hunting units, please visit the Idaho Fish and Game fire map: https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/ifwis/maps/realtime/fire/ or the Idaho Fish and Game Salmon Region Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/IDFG.salmon.