STANLEY, Idaho (CBS2) — With cloudy skies, higher humidity and lower temperatures, the West Mountain fires were less active on Tuesday. Wednesday will be warmer with temperatures around 21 degrees and a slightly lower humidity of about 30 percent. Light northwest winds will move stronger to the west.
Warming and dry conditions are expected throughout the week. Fire behavior today is expected to be similar to yesterday, with isolated and clustered fires and small fires possible. These fires will likely continue to burn until a weather event ends the season. The historical average suggests this will occur around mid-October.
Army crews from the 14th Brigade Engineer Battalion, based at Joint Base Lewis McChord, are assisting in fighting the West Mountain Fires and adjacent wildfires in the region.
The Boulder Fire crossed the Olson Creek watershed and entered the Brush Creek watershed. Type 1 helicopters helped slow the spread. Firefighters and Army crews improved direct and indirect containment lines between the fire and residential areas on Forest Service lands.
Construction of a containment line between the fire and residences continues with hand crews and heavy equipment. Crews are evaluating options to achieve containment in Brush Creek. Air resources will be deployed again today depending on fire and weather conditions and aircraft availability. Structural assessment continues in the Willow Creek neighborhood.
Firefighters and two Army crews assisted in firefighting efforts by holding and securing containment lines along the southwest boundary of the Dollar Fire. Fire spread was minimal. Crews will continue to clean up and conduct patrols today.
The Snag Fire was less active yesterday. Warm Lake Road is open today from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with one lane and an escort vehicle for people checked by the Valley County Sheriff’s Department. Drive slowly and carefully. Firefighters are working along the road.
The Snag Fire continued to slowly expand along its eastern flank yesterday in an area already burned. A response team of fire engine crews continues to assess construction needs for fuel mitigation and placement of sprinklers, hoses and pumps in the Warm Lake area.
Crews continue to clean up and patrol along Forest Road 409. Hoses and pumps have been installed along the road to secure the southern perimeter of the fire.
Firefighters and four army crews continue to secure and clean up the fire’s western flank, where it is already under control.
The Goat Fire spread north and south, crossing south into the Middle Fork Payette River basin. Crews continue to prepare Forest Service Trail 099 as a containment feature and will assess daily whether Trail 099 needs to be burned to protect at-risk assets if the fire spreads west.
