Smoke fills area around complex fire

SANDERS COUNTY – Both the Seepay Fire and the Thompson River Complex fires remain above 1,000 acres.

The Thompson River Complex was at approximately 1,650 acres on Monday and was 50 percent contained, while the fire near Seepay Creek was at approximately 1,050 acres and still uncontained.

The Koo-Koo-Sint Fire within the complex is now 100 percent contained, stated a press release from the Northern Rockies Incident Management Team.

“Fireline rehabilitation, including waterbars to reduce the potential for run-off and erosion, has been completed,” stated the press release.

Crews will continually patrol the fire, as interior hot spots are likely to continue.

The Spruce Fire is now considered approximately 35 contained. Resources plan to continue to engage in constructing direct fire line where terrain allows and hazards can be mitigated. Since the beginning of the fire, the rugged terrain has posed problems for responders.

The Spruce Fire will likely continue to burn for quite some time, stated the press release. Working under a forecast of potential hot, dry weather, the crews will continue contingency fuel breaks and some line construction will continue to be implement along the east side of the fire by Sundance Ridge.

“At present, crews still need to extend a fuel break from Priscilla Lookout to bark Table Road, and firefighters are working on line construction north of Priscilla Lookout eastward onto mixed ownership lands,” stated the press release.

The Marmot Fire, a fire spotted later on, is now 100 percent contained. Crews continue to camp out in the area and were performing mop up operations throughout Monday, Aug. 18.  

A Temporary Flight Restriction is still in effect surrounding the fire area and Koo-Koo-Sint Trail #445, access road #18765, Big Spruce Creek Trail #1102, Sundance Ridge Trail #443 and the West Fork Thompson River Road #603 remains closed.

In all, 464 personnel are currently on the complex and have access to six helicopters, four single-engine air tankers, three dozers, 20 water tenders, three engines, three feller bunchers and one skidgine.

The Seepay Fire was also caused by lightening and is located approximately 20 miles west of Dixon. The fire started on July 17 and recently gained ground.

Heavy fuel loads are involved.

On Monday, Aug. 18, the “fire behavior consisted of smoldering, creeping with some backing with heavy fuels throughout the burned area, concentrated on the southwest corner on either side of West Seepay Creek,” states inciweb.gov.

Both single tree torching with heavy fuels burning and stump holes could be seen the night of Aug. 16. Some creeping flame was also present in the drainage bottom of Seepay Creek.

On Aug. 12 Hutton’s Wildland Fire Management Team took over command from a Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe Type 3 team. Much like the complex, rugged terrain has presented challenges for crews.

Crews continued contingency line construction with heavy equipment followed by crew cleanup.

Mop-up of spot fires and slop-overs while gridding will continue as will the continued construction of contingency lines with heavy equipment, followed by crew cleanup.