Month: September 2007 (Page 4 of 5)

InciWeb is reporting that the fire has calmed down considerably with the lower temperatures and higher humidity and that US14 is closed from Granite Pass to the mouth of Shell Canyon.

At this time, US Highway 14 is closed from Granite Pass to the mouth of Shell Canyon, about 5 miles east of Shell, WY. Medicine Wheel/Paintrock District Ranger Dave Sisk said, “It remains our priority to work with the Sheriff’s Office and Wyoming Highway Patrol in opening US 14 just as soon as it is safe for the public and firefighters.”

The weather last evening and early this morning cause a setback for firefighting efforts on the Bone Creek fire. The total involved acreage is now estimated at 12,000, and containment has gone from 60% down to 15%.

According to InciWeb:

Fire Behavior: The Bone Creek Fire jumped US Highway 14 in Shell Canyon between Post Creek Picnic Ground and a point 1 mile west of the Shell Falls Visitor Center in the early morning hours of September 5.

Significant Events: A strong cold front passed through the area Tuesday night which resulted in a wind shift that pushed the fire across Shell Creek and Highway 14.

Remarks: A Type II incident management team, a supervisory overhead group, has been ordered to help manage the fire. Additional firefighting resources have also been ordered.

Hopefully the cooler weather over the next few days will slow things down again.

[Edit: Highway 14 is closed between Burgess Junction and Shell, WY]

[PM Edit: I just checked back in with InciWeb and perhaps the 4,110 acre number this morning was incorrect, or had not been updated. The acreage involved is now listed at 8,052, but still at 60% contained.]

I just checked in and InciWeb has the following update:

Summary: The Bone Creek Fire continues to grow to the south and west and is burning in Shell Canyon below Copman’s Tomb. The fire is being fueled by warm, dry weather; steep canyon topography; and large amounts of dead timber. As of 8:00 am Tuesday morning, an overhead supervisory group, two engines, a 20 person handcrew and a helicopter are assigned to the incident.

Planned Actions: The Bone Creek fire has been under a suppression strategy since it started. The north and east perimeters of the fire have seen extensive suppression work including helicopter bucket drops and line construction. The lines were strengthened by firefighters burning out the unburned fuels between the main fire and the Hunt Mountain Road. Less suppression activity has taken place in the deep canyons on the southwest corner of the fire. The heavy fuels, combined with steep inaccessible topograhphy are unsafe for hand crews.

Projected Movement: On warm dry days, people should anticipate seeing sometimes significant amounts of smoke and fire activity until there is a significant snowfall. When temperatures rise and relative humidities drop to conducive levels, the fire will continue to burn.

It is still listed at 4,110 acres and 60% contained.

I had not seen any updates on the Bone Creek fire in some time, but today according to InciWeb (from a couple days ago) the fire was listed at 4,110 acres and 60% contained.

According to InciWeb:

The Bone Creek Fire has grown about one hundred acres in the past week to about 4110 acres. About 60% of the fire perimeter is ‘contained’, or has a fire line around it.

Medicine Wheel/Paintrock District Ranger Dave Sisk reports that, “Despite some recent rain that wetted down the lighter fuels, the Bone Creek fire area includes heavy amounts of standing and downed dead trees where we will continue to see individual tree torching and periodic fire runs within the existing fire perimeter.” Sisk continued, “Our objective is to keep the fire from crossing Forest Roads 10 (Hunt Mountain) and 216. We continue to maintain firefighters on this incident, which currently include an overhead, supervisory group; two engines and a 20-person handcrew.” Because of previous burnout operations along road 10 and the existing fire fighting force engaged, Sisk feels reasonably confident that this objective can be met.

A long term fire behavior analyst recently assessed forecast and historical weather conditions, fuels, topography, and other factors, and predicted that the fire is unlikely to continue to the south past Copman’s Tomb into Shell Canyon prior to September 4. “At this point in time, we are not actively engaging the fire in Cedar Creek”, stated Sisk. Cedar Creek is steep, with heavy fuels, and a large amount of bug-killed trees, and there are no escape routes or safety zones for firefighters. “We have established trigger points along Forest Trail 055, which is below Copman’s Tomb, where firefighters will engage in suppression activities,” continued District Ranger Sisk.

An area closure in the Bone Creek Fire remains in effect. Entry is prohibited into the Cedar Creek, Grouse Creek, Willey Creek, and Brindle Creek areas. Forest Roads 205, 216 and 220, as well as Forest Trail 055, are closed.

On warm, dry days, people should anticipate seeing sometimes significant amounts of smoke and fire activity until there is a significant snowfall. The Bone Creek fire burned in a patchy pattern in very heavy fuels in inaccessible canyons, and when temperatures rise and relative humidities drop to conducive levels, the fire will continue to burn.