Category: Wyoming Fires (Page 1 of 9)

Good news on the Bone Creek fire as of yesterday.

InciWeb is reporting:

The Bone Creek Fire was started by lightning on Monday, August 13, 2007. Active fire suppression began at once and crews continue to fight the fire. Firefighters have worked day shift only due to the safety concerns associated with the steep and rugged terrain found in Shell Canyon.

Firefighters engage the fire at points where it is safe to deploy crews. Their numbers fluctuate on the fire dependant upon the weather and burning conditions. In early September there were close to 250 firefighters engaged in the suppression effort. Due to recent moisture and cooler temperatures there are now only about 50 firefighters on the line.

The fire is presently 13,450 acres and is 95% contained. No structures or improvements are threatened by the fire. All designated forest roads are open to public access. You can expect to see smoke from the Bone Creek fire until there is sufficient snowfall to effectively put out the fire.

Current information on the Bone Creek Fire along with maps, photographs and press releases can be found at www.inciweb.org or the Bighorn National Forest web site, www.fs.fed.us/us/r2/bighorn.

The latest InciWeb news release reports:

Greybull, WY (Sunday, September 16, 2007) – The Bone Creek fire was turned back to the Bighorn National Forest this morning after firefighters gained 95% containment on Saturday, September 15, 2007.

The fire will continue to be suppressed until it is declared out. A Type III team will manage the suppression effort. The public can expect to see smoke, helicopter water bucket drops and firefighters on the line until a season ending weather event puts out the fire.

All designated forest roads in the area are open to the public use. Please follow the forests off road travel regulations.

The Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team would like to thank the communities of Bighorn County for helping to make our firefighting effort both productive and cost effective.

Big thanks to all those working – and who have worked – the fire.

More progress according to the latest InciWeb news release:

Firefighters Gain 70 Percent Containment
Friday, September 14, 2007

Bone Creek Fire Information Inquiries: Karl Brauneis, Information Officer

Greybull, WY – Firefighters continued to construct fire lines yesterday and attained 70% containment by late evening. Crews will continue to construct containment lines, suppress hot spots, and mop up today.

Firefighters will also utilize the findings from a fixed wing infra-red flight to help focus their suppression efforts on specific hot spots. Infra-red imaging is a tool designed to map the fires burned area and help assist firefighters in locating hot spots.

In addition, a hand held infra-red heat sensing device will also be used by firefighters to target specific spots. The operator sits airborne in a helicopter and flies over areas identified by either the fixed wing mapping flight or by field firefighters. The hand held infra-red can pick up heat buried below ground in stumps, logs and debris.

Current information, along with maps and photographs, can be viewed on line at www.inciweb.org

Fire Facts:

Size: 13, 670 acres
Containment: 70%
Personnel Assigned: 233
Crews: 3 Type I Hot Shot Crews
3 Regular Type II Crews
Air Resources: 1 Heavy Helicopter, 1 Medium Helicopter and 2 Light Helicopters
Engines: 2
Dozers: 0
Water Tenders: 3
Structures Threatened: 1 commercial property (Shell Falls Visitor Center) and 3 outbuildings (Horse Creek Cow Camp)
Costs to Date: Estimate $2,500,000
Land Ownership: Bighorn National Forest

The wind did not get as bad as expected and the fire lines held. This news release from InciWeb:

Fire Lines Hold

Thursday, September 13, 2007
Bone Creek Fire Information Inquiries: Karl Brauneis, Information Officer

Greybull, WY – Fire lines held through the high wind event associated with yesterdays passing cold front. Fortunately, wind speeds did not reach their forecasted intensity. Still, a remote weather station set up near the fire recorded winds from 15 to 20 mph with gusts to 30.

Firefighters were able to gain 60 % containment on the fire by late yesterday evening.

Crews will continue to construct containment lines, suppress hot spots, and mop up today.

Current information, along with maps and photographs, can be viewed on line at www.inciweb.org

Fire Facts:

Size: 13, 670 acres
Containment: 60%
Personnel Assigned: 232
Crews: 3 Type I Hot Shot Crews, 3 Regular Type II Crews
Air Resources: 1 Heavy Helicopter, 1 Medium Helicopter and 2 Light Helicopters
Engines: 2
Dozers: 0
Water Tenders: 3

Structures Threatened: 1 commercial property (Shell Falls Visitor Center) and 3 outbuildings (Horse Creek Cow Camp)

Costs to Date: Estimate $2,300,000

Land Ownership: Bighorn National Forest

Things must have rolled right along today for the firefighters on the Bone Creek fire. InciWeb is now reporting 45% containment, and none too soon with a cold front and wind moving into north central Wyoming tomorrow afternoon. Personnel is up to 227.

Projected Movement: A forecasted cold front with winds up to 40 miles per hour is expected to pass over the fire area on Wednesday (9/13/07) afternoon to evening. The high winds will test the containment efforts to date.

Total estimated cost to date for fighting this fire: $2,100,000.

[Edit: Oops, this was actually from the 10th, not the 9th as the title says. I lose track of days when I get to consultin’ at the speed of sound.]

I’ve been consulting all day and just got around to looking at InciWeb and they have the following to report on the Bone Creek fire since I last checked in:

Karl Brauneis, Information Officer: Snow began to accumulate on the upper elevations of the Bone Creek Fire this morning [9/9/07]. Weather forecasters expect the storm to leave up to 4 inches of snow on the fire.

Ron Klatt, Operations Section Chief with the Rocky Mountain Team stressed that the snow can be a mixed blessing. “The snow will limit our access and in turn our ability to do things we need to do. Unfortunately, there is not enough moisture in the storm to put the fire out.”

Weather forecasters expect a warm and drying trend to begin about mid week. This in turn will lead to an increase in fire behavior.

The Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team Bravo assumed command of the Bone Creek fire on Thursday evening at 8 PM on September 6, 2007. A recent cool and wet weather pattern has helped firefighters attain 35% containment. Additional resources have arrived to assist in the suppression effort. At least three crews will spike camp in the Cottonwood drainage on the fires west flank.

Firefighters will establish a spike out camp on the Bone Creek fire after the weather clears today. Spike camps are established close to the fire lines to increase effectiveness by reducing crew travel time. They are supported by the fire’s base camp. Up to three crews will “spike out” out in the Cottonwood Creek area on the fires west edge.

The Bone Creek Fire base camp is located at the rodeo grounds north west of Greybull.

Total personnel working the fire is now shown as 204 and total acreage is listed at 13,670.