Single Publication

CURRENT STATUS

There is minimal active fire behavior on the Hog Trough fire. Crews monitored the edge of the fire, holding fireline and looking for hot spots and signs for increasing fire behavior as the area starts to dry out with a high-pressure system persisting this week. Today, crews will continue to look for any remaining hot spots that need to be extinguished and continue chipping operations along Forest Service road 5070 and 5071.

Yesterday to the southeast, crews chipped and cleared flammable woody materials along the 5070 road and moved east toward the 8013 trail towards Medicine Lake. Today crews will continue eastward with the chipping operation to clean and clear the road and trail. Road, trail and area closures are still in effect.

Crews have successfully directed the fire into previously burned areas to the south where fire intensity will be lower. On the north and northwest flanks of the fire, the fire is contained and is now in patrol status.

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR

Temperatures will range from 79-84 degrees on Wednesday. Light southwest winds will develop this afternoon. Daytime humidity will dry fuels and overnight recovery will be poor. Fire behavior will be minimal with creeping and smoldering.

CLOSURES AND SPECIAL MESSAGES

Specific closure information can be found at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8258/. 

Road Closures:

·       Skalkaho Highway (Highway 38) is open.

·       Forest Service road 711 is closed at the junction of Skalkaho Highway, including the ancillary roads leading from the 711 Road.

·       Skalkaho road (Forest Service road 75) is closed at its junction with Hwy 38 to Mile Marker 5 (Skalkaho Creek-Jerry Lake Trailhead #503).

·       The last two miles of Sand Basin Creek Road (Forest Service road 5070) is closed. Also Forest Service road 5071 is closed from Bowles Creek south to  the end of the road. This is due to crews completing fire suppression repair work. 

Trail Closures:

·       Railroad Creek, National Forest System Trail #77 to Trail #313 at the gate.

·       Weasel Creek, National Forest System Trail #156 from milepost 0.00 at its junction with NFSR #461.

·       A section of the Bitterroot Rock Creek Divide Trail #313, National Forest System Trail #313 where it intersects Trail #77 Railroad Creek, Weasel Creek  Trail #156.

·       Skalkaho Creek – Jerry Lake Trail #503, National Forest System Trail #503.

Fire Restrictions: