Crews battle forest fire near Graves Creek

SANDERS COUNTY – On the evening of Monday, July 6 a suspected human-caused fire started above Graves Creek near the base of Cougar Peak in Sanders County near Thompson Falls and Forest Service firefighters from Mineral County were on hand to help deal with the sitaution.

It was reported by the Forest Service that the fire reached about five acres and was near the top of a ridge. Two helicopters were called in to do preliminary water drops Monday evening.

Tuesday morning the fire continued to burn slowly on top of the ridge, but due to heavy smoke and rain conditions the helicopters were grounded that day. Local Forest Service crews traveled up the mountain and worked to set up a perimeter around the fire until sundown.

Around noon Wednesday a hotshot crew, Globe Hotshots, from Arizona arrived to fight the fire on the ridge alongside the local Forest Service crews. It was noted by the Globe Hotshot Superintendent, Dean Whitney, that the fire was difficult to fight due to the steep terrain and falling hot rocks and burning pine cones.

The weather cleared and the bright sunny skies allowed for helicopter water-drops to continue throughout the week.

From Wednesday onward to Friday the crews fought to contain the fire, which hit 12.5 acres. Saturday the fire was determined to be contained and the site is being monitored.