South Yaak

Unit Information

Kootenai National Forest
U.S. Forest Service
31374 US Hwy 2 Libby Montana 59923
Libby, MT 59923

This incident is no longer being updated.

Image options: [ Full Size ]

The South Yaak Fire was detected on July 13, 2021. It is burning in timbered, steep terrain approximately 4 miles northwest of Troy, Montana.
The fire is likely to burn until significant moisture covers the fire area.

The USDA Forest Service Three Rivers Ranger District has several areas, roads, and trails closed or restricted for public safety due to fire management activities related to the Burnt Peak and South Yaak fires. Closure orders and maps may be viewed on the Kootenai National Forest webpage at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/kootenai/alerts-notices.

On September 9, the fire was returned to the Three Rivers Ranger District, Kootenai National Forest. The fire is being managed by a Type IV team and updates will be posted to Iniciweb and the Kootenai National Forest Facebook page as needed.

Basic Information

Current as of
Incident Type	Wildfire
Cause	Lightning
Date of Origin	Tuesday July 13th, 2021 approx. 01:00 PM
Location	4 Miles N of Troy, Mt
Incident Commander	John Thompson, NR Team 7
Coordinates	48.551 latitude, -115.93 longitude

Current Situation

Total Personnel	53
Size	12,489 Acres
Percent of Perimeter Contained	89%
Fuels Involved	Fuels located in the South Yaak are generally similar though logging units are located throughout the area with residual understory, light logging slash and scattered machine and hand piles.
Significant Events	Warm, dry and breezy conditions will continue to allow fire to become more active where isolated heat exists. Fire behavior and spread potential will remain low.

Outlook

Planned Actions	Suppression repair will take place on all divisions as operations allow. Communication will continue with local emergency management personal on fire behavior or conditions requiring a change in tactics or response posture.
Projected Incident Activity	Cooler temp and higher RH's will moderate any fire activity. Creeping and smoldering can be expected.
Remarks	Northern Rockies IMT 7 is managing both the Burnt Peak and South Yaak Fires.

Current Weather

Weather Concerns	Hot, dry, and gusty westerly winds will once again develop Thursday afternoon; however, cloud cover will increase, allowing for a minor increase in humidity. A pacific weather system with abundant atmospheric moisture will bring a return of wetting rainfall Friday. The forecast has quickly trended towards a wet solution. In fact there is a 40 to 60 percent chance for a half an inch or more of rainfall by Saturday morning across western Montana. A westerly flow will pattern will take shape Sunday into early next week, with seasonal temperatures expected.