Little Joe Fire changed to patrol status

MINERAL COUNTY – According to the United States Forest Service, the Little Joe Fire is almost completely contained and has been placed on patrol status; the West Fork Fish Creek Fire, though, is still active.

The West Fork Fish Creek Fire saw a rise in activity over the last few weeks due to high winds. According to Jim Ward, fire management officer for the Superior Ranger District, the fire recently experienced some growth into the North Fork Fish Creek drainage.

“It’s burning anywhere from 20 to 50 acres per day,” he said. “[However], there’s no real threat to private structures or anything.”

This is not the only fire going in the area, though it is the most active at this time. Fire fighters are still patrolling the area of the Little Joe Fire, near St. Regis, for hot spots; however, Ward said there have been no active fires bigger than a quarter acre, in the area, for the past week.

Due to the intensity of the drought, the Forest Service is also placing extra precautions on the area’s burning privileges.

Open burning usually begins on October 1; however the Forest Service still has the area placed on high fire danger alert. There are no new fire restrictions in place, but residents are not allowed to burn debris at this time. Ward noted they had hoped weather conditions would change and bring more moisture to the area before October, but dry weather persisted throughout the late summer.

“We’re going to keep it closed until we get significant precipitation,” he said.

There are also no plans to conduct prescribed burns, to clear out dead brush, in the area.