Hayden Fire 84% contained
LEADORE, Idaho (KIFI) - The Hayden Fire has been mapped at 24,447 acres acres and is burning in steep and difficult terrain with spruce/subalpine fir containing a heavy dead/down timber component.
The fire started on July 19 and is located in the Lemhi Range, 18 miles west of Leadore, Idaho.
The fire is 84% contained, and the cause is undetermined.
Fire managers continued to make progress on the Hayden Fire over the weekend. Much of the infrastructure that supported initial attack and sustained suppression operations is being removed. Crews are dismantling the remote camp up Hayden Creek that allowed some firefighters to camp closer to the fire. They are also removing pumps and hoses from streams. In some areas where firefighters thinned trees near roads, crews have finished cutting and stacking logs. The Salmon-Challis National Forest will communicate about firewood opportunities in these areas when closure orders are no longer required.
Heavy equipment has been instrumental in fireline suppression repair work and in de-compacting soil in areas that served as staging areas. Fire managers expect the fleet of six excavators to be finished with their work on Tuesday.
Only one helicopter remains on the Hayden Fire. Chad Walker, Air Operations Branch Director for Great Basin Incident Management Team 4, quantified the support air power provided from the incident’s start – a total of 37,489 gallons of retardant and 566,324 gallons of water assisted firefighters as they worked to keep the blaze in check.
Engine crews continue to patrol and monitor the west side of the fire in the Morse Creek area, where some active fire remains. Monday’s fire weather is predicted to be mild, with temperatures in the lower elevations of the fire in the low to mid 80s and light breezes.
Evacuations: All evacuation zones are currently in the ready status. The Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with the local agencies and Incident Management Team, has identified evacuation zones. Please visit Lemhi County at www.lemhicountyidaho.org for a map and explanation of the zones.
For the safety of firefighters and the public, the Salmon-Challis National Forest has enacted an area closure around the Hayden Fire. A map and description of the closure area can be found HERE.
Fire Restrictions: Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are in effect on the Salmon-Challis National Forest, Idaho Department of Lands, and Bureau of Land Management jurisdiction. For more information, please visit the Salmon-Challis National Forest’s Alerts and Notices HERE.
