Trestle Creek Complex fires continue to burn
A plane drops water on the Trestle Creek Complex fires in mid-July-2021. The fire was one of more than hundreds reported throughout the region, and was one of 10 that required the assistance of an incident management team.
(File photo/DYLAN GREENE)
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HOPE — Containment of the Trestle Creek Complex fires is back to 0% after the Trestle 6 fire burned around all the other fires in the complex, nullifying previous containment.
The fire has now burned 3,425 — with much of the growth over the weekend after winds pushed the fire past previous containment. All fires, with the exception of Trestle 6, had been contained.
Winds from the northeast reached 25 mph, impacting the fire overnight on Friday and into Saturday, causing wind-driven fire growth to the southwest and spot fires up to three-fourths of a mile ahead of the fire, Kary Maddox, U.S. Forest Service public information officer, said.
"Suppression efforts became extremely dangerous with rapid fire growth, visibility impacts, and crippled aviation support with fixed-wing aircraft grounded for a good portion of Saturday due to limited visibility," she said on Sunday. "Unsafe conditions caused firefighters to disengage from direct suppression and move to point protection and structure assessment."
However, Maddox noted the fire has not reached private property and no structures have been lost.
Tuesday, Maddox said crews still have fireline and contingency lines in the complex, but containment will increase only as fire reaches and holds at these lines.
"Firefighters continue to assess opportunities for direct and indirect suppression and line construction.
The latest acreage number reflects growth mostly from Saturday night to Sunday morning," she said. "The fire has not reached private property on any flank." Fires in the complex are currently being managed by a Type 3 organization from the Sandpoint Ranger District.
In the last 24 hours, the fire area received 0.3 inches of rain, which is good news for residents and crews on the ground, fire officials said. When looking at precipitation levels needed to change fire behavior conditions, "wetting rain" of 0.1" is the threshold for significance, they added.
Crews are working to open up Road 1082 between main fire and private residences in Trestle Creek. In addition, they will begin brushing and opening up the Trout Creek Road system on west side of Trestle Ridge to gain access to west side of the fire, Maddox said.
"[Crews will] continue to scout for opportunities to open up old road systems to create access areas as well as direct and indirect lines," she added.
Along with the Sam Owen Fire Department, crews are implementing a structure protection plan on structures in the Trestle Creek area. Those efforts include deploying pumps, hose, and sprinkler systems to protect private residences.
While there are no current evacuations in the vicinity of the Trestle Creek Complex fires, several areas are set to "ready" status. They include Rapid Lightning (from Wellington North), Wellington, Vandyke, Trapper Creek, Trapper Creek Spur, Stove, Box Canyon, High, and Rising Hawk Ridge roads, Dragon Drive, Moon Fire Road, Hidden Forest Way, Stellar Drive, Legacy Lane, Ice Creek Forest Lane, Early Breakfast Creek Road, Barbary Trail, Dads Garden Lane, Snowshoe Ridge Road, Laid Back Drive, and Cross Mountain, Holly Berry, Flume Creek, Little Flume Creek, Dunn Creek, and Out of the Woods roads.
Residents of residents of Slippery Slope Trail and Saddler Creek Road are at "set" status for pre-evacuation.
In other major fires in the region:
Character Complex
The Character Complex — comprised of the Deceitful and Prichard fires — has burned 7,260 acres and is 30% contained.
Cooler temps and higher relative humidity are expected to keep fire behavior reduced to primarily backing and flanking with isolated single and small group tree torching.
Officials said fire behavior moderated Tuesday due to the higher relative humidities, adding creeping and smoldering was observed in areas that received precipitation.
"More activity occurred along fire edges that dry out rapidly and under dense canopies where less moisture reaches the ground," they said on InciWeb, an online fire database.
South Yaak Fire
Detected on July 13, the South Yaak Fire has burned 9,290 acres and is 10% contained. Located 4 miles northwest of Troy, Mont., fire behavior was minimal to moderate Tuesday due to the relative humidity.
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office conducted mandatory evacuations for all residents on East Side and Kilbrennan Lake roads. At this time, no structure damage has been reported.
Burnt Peak Fire
Located 9 miles southwest of Troy, the fire is 46% contained and has burned 3,384 acres.
Lack of hand crews will force indirect fireline operations creating potential for large fire growth due to non-contained fire perimeter and continued risk exposure, fire officials said.
"This could increase the potential for large evacuations and area closures," they noted on InciWeb.