Complex to burn through fire season

THOMPSON FALLS –  A new fire has been found within the Thompson River Complex, the Marmot fire. The fire, a holdover fire from the Aug. 1 lightning storm, was found on Sunday Aug. 10 and is located approximately 2.5 miles north of the Spruce Creek fire.

Despite the new fire, the complex has 25 percent containment and was estimated to be slightly over 780 acres on Monday afternoon, down  40 acres from Friday.

A Type 2 Management team has moved into the area to give personnel a helping hand.

According to a press release, crews worked along Koo-Koo-Sint’s southern flank to provide protection measures and finished line construction on the southeastern corner, confining the eastern fire perimeter.

The Spruce Creek fire proved to be more difficult as flanking movements traveled up the drainage to the west and north. Despite the movement, crews were able to keep the main fire west of the West Fork Road. Two spot fires have also been active in the area, one east of the West Fork Road and one south of Big Spruce Creek.

Crew’s goal on Monday was to continue line improvement on the Koo-Koo-Sint fire and to also work on contingency line development and point protection where necessary.

“Crews on the Spruce fire and adjacent spot fires will continue using air support to help reduce spread rates and cool hot spots,” stated a press release. “Operations personnel will be assessing tactics and potential locations for managing the larger spot fire along Sundance Ridge and initiate direct attack on the spot fire south of Big Spruce Creek.”

Currently 280 personnel are on the fire, including six, 20-person hand crews.

Crews are utilizing seven helicopters, four single-engine air tankers, two dozers, six water tenders, two skidgines and nine engines.

On Thursday, Aug. 7, the four original fires had merged into two fires – the Koo-Koo-Sint fire and the Spruce Creek fire.

At the time a total of 12 private structures, and eight outbuildings were possibly affected. Crews created fire lines around the private structures to help with protection efforts.

The Type 2 Management team has given the crews more depth from a staffing standpoint and will allow local Forest Service personnel to focus on other fires that may arise in the area.

A meeting was held on Thursday, Aug. 7 in Thompson Falls to address public safety concerns and to provide the local community with an update.

According to Randy Hojem, district ranger for Plains/Thompson Falls area, the community should expect to see smoke and fire activity through the months of September and maybe even into October.

“What it’s going to take for both of these fires to go out is a season ending event,” Hojem explained. “We’re going to have smoke in the air here until September and October most likely.”

The goal, Hojem explained, was to get the fire boxed in, allowing the flames to consume all the available fuel in the area.

The steep, rugged terrain has made fighting the fires difficult. Due to safety concerns, Hojem said he did not feel comfortable putting firefighters into much of the country affected.

“If you are not aware, our first priority on any fire is firefighter and public safety,” Hojem said. “I’m not going to put anyone in a spot where they have to use propel ropes to hang on the cliff to try to get a fire out.”

Type 3 Incident Commander trainee Ryan Butler stated at the meeting that the Spruce Creek fire is in an area where if anyone got injured, their only way out would be to winch the firefighter up with a helicopter.

“As far as I’m concerned, that’s no way to do business,” Butler said.

The Koo-Koo-Sint fire is currently very visible from Highway 200 and is the one most people in the area are seeing. The Spruce Creek fire is located approximately eight miles north.

The crews did pick up a small spot fire near the Spruce Creek fire Wednesday, Aug 6; however, Butler assured the Chief Mountain Hot Shots went in and mopped up the area.

Currently the objective is to hold the Spruce Creek fire to the West Fork Road. Butler said engines are currently stationed in the area to make this possible.

As for the Koo-Koo-Sint fire, the objective is to keep the flames to the south side of Koo-Koo-Sint Ridge. The crews utilized helicopters and retardant on the ridge last week in order to keep the fire where they want it.

On Thursday, Aug. 7 three hotshot crews headed into the area to tie the fire down into the steep cliffs, hopefully confining it into a particular area.

“We think that’s doable. I think that’s the best bet to keep it as small as possible, but the concern which will be there for a while is the cliffs here at the bottom,” Butler explained. The cliffs are full of dead trees and the possibility for those to burnout and then fall down the steep sides is a concern.

At the time of the meeting six engines were stationed in the area during the day, while four were stationed there during the night.

“Anything that falls out they’ll hit with their engines,” Butler said. “We’re utilizing helicopters during the day to kind of stop anything that backs down towards the highway.”

According to Hojem, the amount of aircraft on the fire is unusual. Because of the lack of fire activity in the state of Montana, orders for both aircraft and crews were filled more readily than in a typical year.

Although the fire is burning through a lot of countryside, Hojem stated that it’s doing ok from a habitat standpoint.

“It’s going to be really good for the sheep up there following this,” Hojem said.

Stage 1 Fire Restrictions were enacted on Thursday, Aug. 7 and Hojem stated that if the weather patterns continue on as they have, Stage 2 Fire Restrictions might be in the not so distant future.

“My crystal ball isn’t very good on when we are going to get there, but if it stays like this it’s a pretty high likelihood that at some point this month we will (enact Stage 2 Fire Restrictions),” Hojem stated.

A major concern for the departments involved is Highway 200 and the potential of rolling debris from the Koo-Koo-Sint fire to interfere with traffic. Reader boards have been posted east and west of the fire and the public is urged to not stop along the highway, as stopping or slowing down could pose a hazard to motorists and fire traffic.

Lolo National Forest has an area closure and road closure in effect. The Koo-Koo-Sint fire area closure includes Trail #445, as well as the access road to the trailhead, #18765. Closures include Big Spruce Creek Trail #1102 and road #7669.

A temporary flight restriction is also in affect surrounding the area.  

Cooperating agencies include the Sanders County Sheriff’s Office, Sanders County Office of Emergency Management, Sanders County Commissioners, Montana Highway Patrol and Montana Department of Transportation.