Texas Fire – Update

July 18, 2024, 8:30 AM PT

Information Line: 208-901-7295                                Email:2024.texas@firenet.gov

Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idids-texas-fire

Date of Origin:  Monday, July 15, 2024, approx. 4:00 PM PT

Location: East of Kendrick, Idaho

Size: 1,543 acres                                     Containment: 0%                                    Personal: 150

Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 8 assumed command of the Texas Fire at 6:00 AM on July 18th.

Current Situation:

Yesterday, crews and heavy equipment constructed a combination of direct and indirect fire line around the fire perimeter, including the spot east of the main fire. Fireline construction has been completed with dozers, chainsaws, and handline. Early in the day, aviation resources aided fire suppression efforts near the intersection of Texas Ridge Road and Cedar Ridge Road as well as the northern-end of the fire. Later in the day, aviation focus shifted to the eastern spot. Engines patrolled the fire area overnight.

Today, firefighters will reinforce fireline by installing hose lays on the edge of the fire. Crews and heavy equipment will continue to reinforce constructed fireline by mitigating snags and rolling material and working directly along the fire’s edge where possible. Additional crews and equipment are expected to arrive today.

Weather forecast shows increased sun exposure to the fire today, with temperatures in the low 100s and relative humidity in the low teens. Winds will be light and mostly terrain driven. With increased hot and dry weather conditions, the likelihood for fire progression upslope and single to group tree torching is likely.

Evacuation Statuses:

As per the Latah County Sheriff's Department, the following are current evacuation status:

• Level 3 Evacuations:
  • Cedar Ridge from Highway 3 to Linden Rd.
  • Linden Rd. to S Park Rd.
  • Texas Ridge Rd and East Rd. to Sundstrom Rd.
• Level 2 Evacuations:
  • Texas Ridge and Sundstrom Rd to Highway 3
  • Cedar Ridge Rd. at Linden Rd. to Three Bear Rd.
  • All houses west of 1210 Cedar Ridge Rd.
• Level 1 Evacuation:
  • Any houses 2 miles outside of the listed Level 2 evacuation locations.

As per the Nez Perce County Sheriff's Department, the following areas should be prepared for evacuations:

• Residents who live on and to the north of Southwick Road should be prepared in case of a mandatory evacuation. This area includes Brothers Ln, Koepp Rd, North Rd, Wendt Rd, and Lohman Rd.

Current Closure Orders:

• P1 and Texas Ridge remain closed at this time.
• For those with livestock, Lewiston Roundup is offering space for those impacted by the fire.

INCIDENT MORNING UPDATE

Date: 7-18-2024 Time: 9:00 am

Size: 2936 acres                                                                           Start Date & Time: 7-7-24 9:51 am

Containment: 79%                                                                         Cause: Under Investigation

Total Personnel: 396                                                                     Location: Southside of Lytle Creek

Structures Threatened: 416 

Unified Command Agencies: California Incident Management Team 15, San Bernardino County Fire Dept. 

The Forest Service has an area closure in effect on the San Bernardino and the Angeles National Forests. The public is prohibited from recreating in the fire area and should not enter the Forest on Lytle Creek Road. The closure is in effect to protect life and safety of firefighter personnel, residents and visitors. 

AIR QUALITY: 

Visit AirNow.gov for information and actions you can take to protect yourself and loved ones.

ROAD CLOSURES:

Lytle Creek Road is closed to the general public including all recreation areas north of Glen Helen Parkway.

EVACUATIONS:

None.

Note: In an effort to quickly communicate information on impending dangers, the San Bernardino County Sheriff Department and San Bernardino County Fire Department send high-speed mass notifications via telephone and text messages. This system is known as the Telephone Emergency Notification System (TENS). To learn more about this service, visit the website for more information: https://sbcfire.org/alertwarning/.

CLOSURES:

Closure order in effect on the San Bernardino National Forest and the Angeles National Forest. Several roads, campgrounds, picnic areas, trailheads, and dispersed recreation areas are closed to the public to provide for firefighter, community and public safety. Recreation activities are prohibited within the closure area. More information about the closure order is available on the national forest websites at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sbnf/alerts-notices and https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/angeles/alerts-notices.

FIRE RESTRICTIONS:

The San Bernardino National Forest has implemented increased fire restrictions. Campfires are restricted to those developed areas listed in the Forest Order.

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Acorn Fire: 5 acres - 95% containment

Packsaddle Fire: 47 acres - 95% containment    

Long Fire: 4,069 acres - 0% containment

Trout Fire: 8,721 acres - 0% containment

Total Personnel: 390

Current Situation: The Bureau of Land Management is now a cooperating agency with lands under their jurisdiction directly impacted. Another management change is the addition of a second fire camp located at Troy Meadow. This change will accommodate the increased resources fighting the Trout Fire and decrease daily travel times. The Long Fire resources will continue to utilize Camp 9 in the Kern River Valley. Firefighters have made great progress on securing the Acorn and Packsaddle Fires and each will remain in patrol status until full containment has been reached. Much of the resources from these fires are being redirected to the Trout Fire and Long Fire.

Acorn Fire and Packsaddle Fire: The Acorn Fire and Packsaddle Fire remain in a patrol status after days of mopping up and securing control lines. Crews will monitor the fire perimeter ensuring there is no threat of flare-up or escape. 

Trout Fire: Fire behavior was low to moderate Wednesday and allowed for more direct line construction on the western side, along Boone Meadow Road. This resulted in reduced perimeter growth compared to previous days. Prevailing westerly winds and topography continue the trend of pushing the fire east. As direct line construction continues south along the western side, crews will look for opportunities to build control lines on the southern perimeter near Machine Creek. Crews continue to reinforce Sherman Pass Road, while also looking for opportunities of engagement closer to the fire’s edge. Aircraft are assisting in directing the fire towards the wilderness area where natural barriers can be utilized.

Long Fire: The Long Fire, burning in the Domeland Wilderness south of the Trout Fire, remains a high priority. Elevated temperatures and increased winds have pushed the fire east into the Chimney Peak Wilderness. Multiple hotshot crews have been shuttled via helicopter to the fire area. They are working to anchor the fire and build control lines.

Weather: Thursday will benefit from cloud and smoke shading over the fires due to an inversion layer over the area. This will cause temperatures to remain lower and relative humidity to rise. While the early part of the day will see weather that improves firefighters’ ability to fight fire, the afternoon is expected to make conditions more challenging once the inversion lifts. Thunderstorms are forecasted to flow through the area of the fires, bringing with it gusty and erratic winds. The warming and drying trend with critically low relative humidity is forecasted to return for the weekend.             

Forest Closures & Restrictions: Lands, roads, trails and recreation sites around the Trout, Long, and Packsaddle Fires are temporarily closed under Forest Order No. 0513-24-12. Fire restrictions are also in effect under Forest Order No. 0513-24-10. Both orders, along with accompanying appendices and maps, can be found on the Sequoia National Forest’s Forest Orders web page: tinyurl.com/2en2d36k.

Acres: 11,162 
Start Date: July 11, 2024 
Location: South of Roosevelt Lake on the edge of the Superstition Wilderness 
Cause: Lightning 
Personnel: 348
Fuels: Tall Grass and Brush 
Containment: 40%
Resources: 7 Crews | 4 Engines | 7 Helicopters | 3 Bulldozers | 6 Water Tenders

Highlights: Fire crews with the assistance of heavy equipment and aircraft have made significant progress in securing the fires edge just south of the Tonto National Monument; south and east just past Forest Road 449 to the boundary of the Superstition Wilderness. 

Southwest Incident Team 3 will host a virtual public meeting to share information regarding the Black Fire on Friday, July 19 at 7:00. The meeting will be available to be viewed live on Facebook @TontoNationalForest.

Operations: Crews along with heavy equipment, where feasible, continue to secure the fires edge outside of the Superstition Wilderness. Smoldering and creeping fire behavior is expected to continue in the interior of the fire; as weather conditions are expected to be both hot and windy. The Black Fire was active Wednesday evening as thunderstorms with outflow and gusty erratic winds burned through Pinyon Juniper in the Cottonwood Canyon. Night crews monitored the fire’s activity in the wilderness as they patrolled the eastern edge of the fire. Today, crews will continue direct attack on the fire’s perimeter with ground and aerial resources, mainly on the northwest and southeast edge of the fire. Structure protection efforts continue south of State Route 188 at Quail Run, Spring Creek Ranch and residences.     

Weather: Hot and dry conditions persist across the area with afternoon highs ranging from 100 to 105 degrees with afternoon relative humidity dropping to around 15-20 percent. There will be a slight chance of thunderstorms late this afternoon and early evening, but the main concern will be gusty outflow winds up to 30 mph that could impact the fire. Mostly clear skies overnight with mainly drainage winds of 2-5 mph. Humidity recoveries expected to be around 35-40 percent.   

Smoke: There is moderate to heavy smoke present from the Black Fire as well as other fires in the area.  Individuals who are sensitive to smoke or have conditions aggravated by smoke are encouraged to take precautionary measures. An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions. 

Closures: The Tonto National Forest has issued a closure for land surrounding the Black Fire. 03-12-00-24-31_Black Fire_Closure_Order. Additionally, the Tonto National Monument is closed. National Park Service Alerts.

Evacuations: For current evacuation information please call Gila County Emergency Management at 928-910-4009 EXT 1 or visit the Gila County Government Facebook page at -  https://www.facebook.com/gilacountygovernment/

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the highest priority. Please avoid the area while crews conduct fire suppression operations. Citizens are urged to sign up for the Gila and Maricopa County Emergency Notification System. To learn more about the Arizona Emergency Information Network visit: https://ein.az.gov/ready-set-go.  

Cow Valley Fire Update for Thursday, July 18, 2024

541-208-4371, staffed 7a.m. to 7 p.m. MDT

2024.cowvalley@firenet.gov

Start date: July 11, 2024

Location: 9 miles east of Ironside, OR

Total personnel: 378

Fire size: 133,408 acres

Cause: Human caused, under investigation

Containment: 77%

Vale, OR— Yesterday, thunderstorms occurred over and near the Cow Valley Fire area. No growth was detected, and fire activity has minimized significantly due to successful strategic firefighting operations. Firefighters continued suppression efforts connecting fire lines and extinguishing hot spots. Some Cow Valley resources aided in finding and suppressing new starts from lightning. Firefighters were able to douse one strike area with 1400 gallons of water and are confident it will not grow. 

Today, at 6am, Northwest Team 6 took command of the lightning caused Durkee Fire. It is estimated to be about 3,000 acres, located in Baker County south of the town of Durkee, West of Cottonwood Gulch near Burnt River. Surplus resources from the Cow Valley Fire are being used to help assess and suppress the Durkee fire. 

COW VALLEY FIRE: Firefighters working on the Cow Valley are continuing to patrol and find pockets of heat to extinguish. No fire spread is expected, and fire behavior is characterized as smoldering. 

BONITA FIRE: The Bonita Fire is 2,727 acres and 90% contained. Minimal fire behavior has been observed due to suppression efforts, containment features and fuel consumption. 

WEATHER AND SMOKE: It will be hot and dry today with temperatures ranging between 99-105 and low humidity around 10%. Winds will be north, northwest 5-9 MPH. The current smoke information and the air quality index, visit airnow.gov. 

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES: All evacuation order related to the Cow Valley Fire have been lifted. Check below for updates or on the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page. The Baker County Sheriff’s Office has issued evacuations for the area around Durkee Fire. Visit the Baker County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page for more information. Baker County Sheriff's Office has closed Burnt River Canyon road to non-local, non-emergency traffic due to the Durkee Fire.

BURN BAN: A burn ban is currently in effect for all of Malheur County, including all BLM lands.  For more information, visit https://www.malheurco.org/category/public-notices/. 

Operations Video

Video Update: https://fb.watch/to-u2m51pN/ 

Deadman, McGhee, Prairie, and Four Mile Fires 

Bureau of Land Management Montana-Dakotas State Office 

Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation 

Fire Information 406-924-3831  2024.Deadman@firenet.gov 

https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/mtmts-deadman-fire www.facebook.com/RosebudCountyDisasterAndEmergencyServices 

Thursday, July 18, 2024 

Northern Rockies Team 3, Incident Commander Mike Behrens  

Location:  South of Birney, Montana and north of Tongue River Reservoir in Rosebud and Big Horn Counties 

Start Date: 7/12 and 7/13/2024 

Cause: Lightning    

Size:   Deadman: 19,130   McGhee: 11,409   Prairie: 6,540   Four Mile: 2,082  

Completion/Containment:   Deadman: 20%   McGhee: 9%   Prairie: 50%   Four Mile: 39%   

KEY MESSAGE:  Burnout operations yesterday on the southwest edge of the McGhee Fire were very successful, and firefighters working cooperatively with local ranchers held the line along the Wall Creek Road.  Aviation assets assisted firefighters with an area of fire that pushed over the line above the Lacey Gulch Road on Wednesday evening. A Hotshot crew carried on with burnout operations west along Wall Creek Road toward the Tongue River Road. On the southern part of the west side of the Deadman Fire, the smokejumper module tended the areas where the fire is backing down to the Tongue River, taking advantage of the river as a natural barrier to fire spread. The north, east and southern perimeters of the Deadman are not exhibiting active fire behavior. An Unmanned Aerial System (drone) was used overnight to assist firefighters with small burnout operations on the east side of the McGhee Fire. 

CURRENT STATUS: On McGhee, helicopters will continue to work on hot areas on the west side down into the south portion as needed, supporting the crews holding the fireline near the junction of the Tongue River Road and Wall Creek Road. A Hotshot crew will burn out areas along the Tongue River Road on the southwest edge towards Battle Butte, about four miles southwest of Birney. On the Deadman Fire, the smokejumper module will continue to secure the southwest edge as it back down to the Tongue River. On the Four Mile Fire, firefighters are cooling the remaining hot spots and patrolling the edges. The Prairie Fire is showing little heat and is being monitored. 

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR: Temperatures will approach 100 degrees F today with relative humidity in the teens and a chance of thunderstorms tonight. Winds will generally be light and easterly, with gusts to 15 mph. Active fire behavior with increases in flame length, rates of spread, and spotting distances are expected. Near critical fire conditions exist across the area. Burn periods of 16 hours are being observed.  

CLOSURES AND SPECIAL MESSAGES: In Big Horn County, an evacuation warning is in place for residents from the intersection of Dale Creek Road and East Fork Canyon Road, east to the county line; from the intersection of Dale Creek Road and East Fork Canyon Road south to the intersection of Birney Road and Highway 314; from the intersection of Highway 314 and Birney Road east to the county line. In Rosebud County, an evacuation warning is in place for residents along the Tongue River Road from the Tongue River Bridge at Wall Creek to the southern Rosebud County line. Look for specific closure information and maps on the Rosebud and Big Horn County Sheriff Facebook pages. An evacuation warning means people should be aware of and monitor the situation closely, being prepared to evacuate if needed as the status could change quickly. 

Start Date & Location: July 9, 2024,    5 miles south of York, MT 

Cause: Human, under investigation     Size: 14,250 acres Containment: 32% 

CURRENT STATUS AND PLANNED ACTIONS 

Yesterday, fire growth was minimal as crews successfully maintained control and containment lines along the fire’s edge. The primary concern continues to be islands of unburned fuel within the perimeter, which could produce embers capable of sparking spot fires outside established containment lines. The southwest portion of the fire saw an increase in fire activity with a flare-up occurring. Overnight crews patrolled and secured lines, with the focus on mopping up residual heat to hold the fire within the perimeter. 

Today, burning interior fuel pockets remain a significant concern due to the potential for embers to ignite spot fires outside established containment lines. Crews will patrol and secure line along Jimtown Road on the west portion of the fire. To the north, firefighters will continue with tactical firing operations in the Bar Gulch area. Crews will construct and improve hand line along the fire’s edge in the Hellgate Gulch area on the east flank of the fire. To the south, crews will continue to patrol and conduct mop-up operations within the fire perimeter, and identify areas needing suppression repair. Winds are expected to shift from the west-northwest to the northeast over the coming days, providing crews with favorable conditions to reinforce and secure control lines.  

The structure protection group will continue to work in Magpie gulch, assessing homes for defensible space and improving control lines making it harder for fire to reach structures.  

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR 

A chance of thunderstorms is forecasted, with the possibility of gusty and erratic winds. Temperatures will be in the 90's. Predominant W-NW winds today are forecasted at 15 mph with gusts up to 20-25 mph. 

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES 

Evacuations: Effective 7/15/24, all evacuation orders transitioned to evacuation warnings,  

allowing residents of homes and RVs back into their properties. Under evacuation warning, residents should be prepared to leave if conditions change. Sheriff - Lewis & Clark County (lccountymt.gov) 

Road Closure: Canyon Ferry Road remains closed to non-residents from Canyon Ferry Village to the Broadwater County line.  

Campground Closure: Campground closures include Hellgate, Court Sheriff, Chinamen’s Gulch, and Riverside. 

Forest Closure: The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest updated their forest closure. It can be found at Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest - Home (usda.gov)  

BLM Closure: The Butte Field Office has issued a closure on BLM lands near the fire area. https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-publication/mthlf-horse-gulch-fire/signed-blm-area-closure-07-14-2024  

Falls Fire Update for July 18, 2024   

Quick Facts: 

Size: 110,674 Start Date: July 10, 2024 Location: 13.5 Miles NW of Burns, Oregon 

Containment: 5% Total Personnel: 1,559 Cause: Human-caused, under investigation 

Resources Assigned: 48 hand crews, 79 engines, 17 bulldozers, and 24 water tenders 

The Falls Fire became very active yesterday afternoon in the northwest and northeast corners of the fire. The fire acreage is now estimated to be 110,674 with 5% containment. The fire is burning approximately 13.5 miles north of Burns, 11 miles southwest of Seneca, 7.5 miles south of Izee, and 3 miles west of Highway (Hwy) 395.  

Yesterday, there was significant fire growth in the northwest and northeast areas of the fire.  In the northwest corner, the fire crossed primary control lines and moved northerly down the Corral Creek drainage onto the ridge east of Donivan Mountain. Fire resources working in the area responded by building dozer line on the western flank of the fire and shifted engines and crews to protect values on private land. In the northeast corner, two spot fires started in an area north of Burnt Mountain and south of Myrtle Park Meadows just east of Forest Service Road (FSR) 31. Fire crews in the area responded and worked to line fire with dozers. Fire crews and equipment, both ground and air, continued to establish control line along the northern flank of the fire where conditions allowed for safe operations. At the southeastern area of the fire, firefighters tied in the dozer line that now connects the 3110 and 3120 roads from the Mosquito Flats area at Lone Pine Road in the south to the FSR 31 to the north near Van Zandt Meadows.   Firefighters continued to be successful at keeping the fire from coming out of the Lake Creek drainage. Control lines along much of the south and west portions of the fire, along FSR 43, continue to hold firm as mop-up operations continue.   

Aerial resources, including five helicopters, six single-engine air tankers (SEATs), two large air tankers (LATs), and two very large air tankers (VLATs) helped to slow the fires growth, and supported efforts to construct flanking control lines. 

Today, fire behavior is predicted to be heavily influenced by very active, erratic, multi-directional winds similar to yesterday. In response to yesterday’s fire growth in the northwest and northeast corners of the fire, available resources will be shifted to these areas in an effort to protect the community of Izee and homes and ranches to the north of the fire. Fire crews and heavy equipment will be constructing control lines around where the fire grew near Donivan Mountain.  In the northeast, crews and equipment will be constructing control lines around two spot fires that spotted over FSR 31 north of Burnt Mountain. Mop-up operations will continue on portions of the southern and western areas of the fire along FSR 43. Firefighters will continue to scout for future control lines.  

Two Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSMF) task forces are assigned to the north and northeastern corner of the fire today. This includes the community of Izee, the Silvies Ranch area, and the City of Seneca. Two task forces will work along the 395 and 31 roads prepping structures.  Structure protection is a priority for OSFM crews.  Crews will continue triage assessment and fire protection efforts on the northern flank.  One crew will continue to support wildland suppression efforts improving control line while moving forward with triaging efforts along the southern flanks of the fire in the Lodge Pine area. Community members with questions can contact the Non-Emergency County Information Line at 541-589-5579.  

Today’s predicted weather includes very active, erratic, and shifting wind conditions. Temperature highs will be 90 – 98 degrees and with very low relative humidity levels.    

Evacuation notices remain in effect in Grant and Harney Counties. For the most accurate evacuation information, please visit the Harney County Sheriff’s evacuation map here: https://tinyurl.com/3zst4sjy, or the Grant County Emergency Management Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068819321423.  

The Malheur National Forest issued a fire area closure. A detailed map and additional information about the fire area closure are available at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/malheur/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD1188914. A temporary flight restriction (TFR) remains in place over the fire area. 

Falls Fire 2024 | Facebook 

Falls Fire 2024 | InciWeb 

Malhuer National Forest 

Fire Information Line: 541-208-4370 Staffed 8 am to 8 pm 

Email: 2024.Falls@firenet.gov 

Non-emergency evacuation questions: 541-589-5579 

Air quality questions: 541-573-2271  

Buckhorn Fire: 697 acres 

Start Date: July 10, 2024

Cause: Suspected lightning

Fuels:  Timber, Brush, Understory

Containment:  22%

Resources: 145

Location: Maylay Gap Area, San Carlos Reservation 

Weather Cooperates for Successful Day on the Buckhorn Fire 

Overview: Yesterday, crews on the Buckhorn Fire completed removing vegetation along the 2034 Road. Work along the 2030 Road is roughly two-thirds complete. Firefighters also did defensive burning operations along the 2035 Road and made good progress due to warm, dry weather conditions and favorable winds. Firefighters were also scouting along the ridges for a “backup” fire line, known as an “contingency line” to the northeast. Today, as weather permits, crews will continue defensive burning to the east and south along the 2030 Road and complete defensive burns along the 2035 Road. Dozers will work to bring the containment line north near Bull Ridge toward the Black River.

Weather: Yesterday, storm cells began to develop around the Buckhorn Fire, but did not bring any outflow winds. Today temperatures will remain between 80-85 degrees with light west/northwest winds. The storms may also bring outflow winds from the south. 

Safety: Please do not fly drones anywhere near the fire. Drones may endanger firefighting aircraft. If you fly, we can’t.

Reminder: Stage 1 Fire Restrictions remain in place on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. Due to extreme drought, increasing temperatures and no rain predicted soon, the potential of catastrophic wildfire remains high. This restriction is for the protection of public health, safety, property, and natural resources. No burn permits will be issued at this time. For more information call Fire Prevention (928) 475-2326 Ext: 352, 321 or (928) 961-0515 or email asteele@forestry.scatnsn.gov or wsteele@forestry.scatnsn.gov. 

Closures:  There is an area closure in place around the Buckhorn Fire. Closures are being adjusted based on fire activity for public and firefighter safety. Please monitor the San Carlos Apache Tribe Facebook Page for updated information. (Link Below)

Smoke: Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. (Link Below) 

Nowhi ni’nlt’eego anlsih