Single Publication

Updates on the Kootenai River Complex will be provided with less frequency or as operations change.

Incident Command: Bonners Ferry District Type 3, Brian Hicks/Mitch Prophet(t) Incident Commanders  

Estimated Size: 22,910 acres                Completion: 85%                    Personnel: 86

Highlights: The Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over the Katka Fire was removed on October 6. The TFR over the Russell Mountain Fire remains in place.  

The Forest Closure Order for FS Trails 182 and 143 remains in place, as does the closure around the main Complex that runs from Long Canyon Trail No. 16 on the north down to Cascade Creek Road No. 2411 on the south. These closures are for public and firefighter safety and will be reassessed throughout the duration of the fires and into winter and spring. Fire and post-fire hazards may remain, and the USFS will make notifications as status changes occur. View the closure order and map at https://tinyurl.com/BFClosure.

As anticipated, fire activity has picked up the last few days with warmer and drier conditions. A season-ending event has not yet occurred, and fire remains on the landscape. Expect to see continued smoke until the snow falls or significant rain occurs. Still, with decreased fire behavior, the threat is significantly reduced from earlier in the season.

Planned Actions: Fire personnel continue to check the fires from the air and ground. Pumps, hoses, sprinklers, and water tanks remain around properties on the west of Westside Road that could still be impacted. Crews will communicate with property owners as it becomes time to take this equipment down. Firefighters continue strengthening firelines, testing pumps and hoses still set up, and cooling the fire's edge where they can access it. Helicopters will drop water to cool the fire's edge if necessary. Rehabilitation work has begun on some equipment lines, including reseeding, installing water bars for erosion control, and using an excavator to pull the lines back in places. Crews are working with homeowners for those that want to leave the line in place on their property. The Long Canyon Fire has shown a slight uptick in fire behavior while the Katka Fire has shown little activity the past few days. Both fires remain unstaffed, and firefighters continue to monitor them from the air and lookout points.

Weather: Persistent high pressure will keep conditions unusually warm and dry. Through the weekend, temperatures will be in the 60’s and 70’s with low relative humidity in the 30’s. On Friday, winds will be north to northeast at 3-6 mph.

Closures: The following National Forest Trails and Roads are closed: Ball Creek Road (FR 432), Trout Creek Road (FR 634), Cascade Creek Road (FS 2411), Russell Mountain (No. 12), Russell Ridge (No. 92), Ball and Pyramid Lakes (No. 43), Pyramid Pass (No. 13), Pyramid Peak (No. 7), Fisher Peak (No. 27), Trout Lake (No. 41), McGinty Ridge (No. 143), Clifty Mountain and Clifty/Burrow (No. 182), Myrtle Peak Trail (No. 286), Burton Peak Trail (No. 9), Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail (No. 221) and Long Canyon Trail (No. 16).

Evacuations: There are NO evacuations currently in place. Those living on the Westside Road closest to Ball Creek, Burton Creek, and Clark Creek are in READY fire pre-evacuation status. Residents of Boundary County, Idaho, can visit https://www.nixle.com or text their home zip code to 888777 to sign up for emergency alerts. To learn more about READY SET GO, visit https://bit.ly/3wi0jMu.

Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR): There is a TFR in place for air space over the Russell Mountain Fire (2-5373) for aviation safety. Remember that temporary flight restrictions apply to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones. If you fly, we can't!