ALDER CREEK/CHRISTENSEN, TRAIL CREEK & SAND LAKE FIRES

OCTOBER 7, 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: 329

ANNOUNCEMENTS: The current Northern Rockies Type 2 team will transition to a Type 3 team on Friday, October 8 at 6:00 a.m. with Paul Diaz Incident Commander. These daily updates will now be written every other day, with the next one on Saturday, October 9.

TRAIL CREEK FIRE | Start Date: July 8, 2021 | Cause: Lightning | 62,013 acres | 69% complete: Overall, the Trail Creek Fire is quieting down, with less smoke and fire activity. Suppression repair continues around all sides of the fire. Smoke in May Creek has decreased with slow, log-to-log burning occurring. Fire activity in Nez Perce Creek and Nugget Creek has also diminished with less visible smoke on Wednesday. The fire will continue to lose heat with longer nights, shorter burn periods, cooler temperatures, and higher humidity’s.

ALDER CREEK FIRE | Start Date: July 8, 2021 | Cause: Lightning | 36,968 acres | 48% complete: The most smoke on the Alder Creek Fire Wednesday was in the Christiansen Creek drainage as it flanked the old Pattengail burn scar. However, there wasn’t much active burning. Tucker Creek is holding, as well as the spot picked up in Sawlog Creek on Tuesday. Crews continue to monitor Calvert Creek and do suppression repair around the northwest and southwest sides of the Sawlog area. Suppression repair work is complete on the northeast perimeter.

SAND LAKE FIRE | Start Date: September 1, 2021 | Cause: Unknown | 228 acres: The Sand Lake Fire continues to be monitored.

WEATHER/FIRE BEHAVIOR:  Thursday brings increased cloud cover and chance of showers, although these storms are unlikely to bring any significant wetting rain over the fire areas. Temperatures will be in the mid-40’s to mid-50’s, with humidity’s 40-50 percent, and winds 6-11 mph with 15-20 mph gusts. With the change in weather, active fire is not expected today. However, fuel is critically dry so large fuels will continue to burn out.

EVACUATIONS & SAFETY:  The Lemhi County Sheriff lifted all stages of evacuations for Gibbonsville, Idaho and the Beaverhead County Sheriff 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. Please be careful of fire crews working in these areas. Hunters, watch for fire personnel as 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.

CLOSURES:

• The Big Hole National Battlefield visitor center has reopened.The lower parking lot, trails, and picnic area remain closed for public safety and resource protection.
• Gibbonsville Road is closed at FS Road 944 (Big Moosehorn Creek Road) coming from the east, all the way to Dahlonega. Big Hole Pass is also closed.
• Portions of the Continental Divide Trail remain closed. 
• May Creek Campground and Steel Creek Campground are closed.
• The BLM modified its closure order, and the East Bank Campground is now OPEN (See order on Inciweb).
• Closure orders remain in effect on the Salmon-Challis National Forest (www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/scnf/alerts-notices), the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest (www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/bdnf/alerts-notices), and the Bureau of Land Management.

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. 

• Trail Creek Fire Map 10.7.21 (pdf 1,910 kb)
• Daily Update 10.7.21 (pdf 227 kb)