Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
U.S. Forest Service
420 Barrett St
Dillon, MT 59725
Wisdom Ranger District
Phone: 406-689-3243
Hours: M-F 8:00 - 4:30
ALDER CREEK/CHRISTENSEN, TRAIL CREEK & SAND LAKE FIRES
OCTOBER 6, 2021
Public Information Line: 406-624-9452 (8 am to 8 pm) | Email: 2021.AlderCreek@firenet.gov
Facebook: @AlderCreekandTrailCreekFires
Alder Creek: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7641/ | Trail Creek: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7634/
Sand Lake: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7833/
Total Personnel: 357
ANNOUNCEMENTS: The current Northern Rockies Type 2 team will begin transitioning to a local Type 3 team over the next few days. The new team will shadow on Thursday and take control of the fire on Friday at 6:00 a.m. Hunters, please watch for fire personnel. There may be firefighters designated as lookouts working outside the closure areas. Don’t mistake them for the game you are hunting! Please obey all closure signs. Law enforcement is patrolling the closure areas.
TRAIL CREEK FIRE | Start Date: July 8, 2021 | Cause: Lightning | 61,992 acres | 69% complete: Overall, the Trail Creek Fire is quieting down, with less smoke and fire activity. May Creek continues to burn out, and fire in Smithy Creek is burning back into itself. Helicopters continue with water drops at the head of Nugget Creek to slowly bring it into the creek bottom. Longer nights and shorter burn periods are helping keep the fire in check. Crews continue to monitor the Morgan Jones Lake area and Nez Perce Creek. Suppression repair continues around all sides of the fire.
ALDER CREEK FIRE | Start Date: July 8, 2021 | Cause: Lightning | 36,968 acres | 45% complete: On Tuesday, firefighters worked on a 10-acre slop over in the head of Sawlog Creek. They were able to get in and anchor it, utilizing helicopter support to keep the fire in check. Firefighters have a good handle on it and conditions are favorable today. Some heat remains in Tucker Creek, but crews are using helicopter water drops to keep the humidity’s up until the weather changes. Crews are monitoring Calvert Creek and doing suppression repair around the northwest and southwest sides of the Sawlog area. Suppression repair work is complete on the northeast perimeter. On the southern perimeter, little smoke was observed yesterday and is looking good.
SAND LAKE FIRE | Start Date: September 1, 2021 | Cause: Unknown | 228 acres: Fire growth and activity on the Sand Lake Fire has been minimal and is being monitored by air. Despite the critical fire weather conditions Monday and Tuesday, no activity was observed.
WEATHER/FIRE BEHAVIOR: Another breezy day is in store, with humidity values on the rise. Temperatures will be in the mid-50’s to 60’s, with humidity’s in the upper-20’s to 30’s, and winds 7-13 mph with 20-25 mph gusts. Fire activity should be low. An unsettled weather pattern and cold front will move in starting this afternoon, and some precipitation is expected over the next several days.
EVACUATIONS & SAFETY: The Lemhi County Sheriff has lifted all stages of evacuations for Gibbonsville, Idaho. The Beaverhead County Sheriff has lifted all stages of evacuations in the Alder Creek Fire area. U.S. Route 93, Highway 43 (Chief Joseph Pass to Wise River), and the Pioneer Scenic Byway are open to through traffic. Please be careful of fire crews working in these areas.
CLOSURES:
FIRE RESTRICTIONS: Public lands in southwest Montana and central Idaho are in varying stages of fire restrictions. Check www.mtfireinfo.org and www.idahofireinfo.com for the latest information.