Morning Update: The Rice Ridge Fire is 160,181 acres, 71% completed* and has cost $45.9 million. There are currently 366 personnel assigned to the fire.
YESTERDAY: Periodic rain showers yesterday brought moisture over the fire area averaging 0.10 inches. Firefighters continued mop up and patrol from the northwest side of the fire south and east to Monture Cabin. Focus areas for mop up remained in Sawyer Creek where heat was still present and sprinklers were still running in the bog area between Blind Canyon Creek and Swamp Creek. Fire suppression repair continued east of the town of Seeley Lake and on the Morrell Lookout Road. Slash was being moved off of private lands along the indirect fire line between Forest Road 89 and Coopers Lake to designated sites on state land to be burned later. Fire areas in McCabe Creek and McDermott Creek were being monitored. The increase in acreage is due to more accurate mapping.
TODAY: Temperatures will remain cool, with a better chance of rain today and snow above 5,000 feet elevation.
Patrol and mop up will continue on the west and south sides of the fire. Mop up will remain focused on Sawyer Creek and the Swamp Creek areas. Sprinkler systems will remain at the bog area near Swamp Creek. Slash removal will continue on the southeast side of the fire. Most efforts are now becoming focused on fire suppression repair work.
Completed*: The suppression strategy for Rice Ridge fire is full suppression on 23% of the fire perimeter and confinement on 12% of the fire perimeter for a total of 35%. The remaining 65% of the fire is burning in remote backcountry and wilderness and will be monitored. Action will be taken as necessary to keep the fire from coming out into areas where values at risk would be impacted. Today's "Completed" percentage in the summary table on page 1 indicates that 72% of the full suppression/confinement actions taken on the fire have been completed.
Closures: Multiple closures related to Rice Ridge Fire suppression efforts are in effect for public lands managed by the Lolo and Flathead National Forests, Bureau of Land Management, Montana DNRC, and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Visit the Lolo and Flathead NF webpages or fwp.mt.gov or call 406-542-5500 for up-to-date information on closures.
Jurisdiction: The Lolo National Forest and Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.
Reader Comments(0)