8:00 AM / Sapphire Complex
August 14, 2017 /
Fire Information Line: 406-540-3589Follow Fire Information onFacebook:Lolo National Forest
Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest
Email: Inciweb:
Location: Approximately 25 miles south-southeast of Missoula, MT in the Rock Creek drainage
Cause: Lightning
Total Personnel: 580Sapphire Complex: 30,034 acresContainment: 42%
Pearson’s Type II IMT is managing the Sapphire Complex (Little Hogback, Goat Creek, Sliderock Fires).Acreage and containment figures are updated daily when new infrared flight information is available.
Little Hogback Fire: 21,100 acres, 16% contained.
Yesterday the crews built indirect dozer line east ofRam Mountainon the southeast side of the fire, monitoring and patrolling the fire along the southern portion of Rock Creek Road. Today firefighters will hold and improve firelines along the Upper Willow Creek Road to Mineral Springs, east of the fire area. In the southwest, operations willcontinue to hold and monitor the fire along theRock Creek corridor and provide structure protection.
Goat Creek Fire: 8,066 acres, 86% contained.
Fire crews continued to secure the fireline along the south, west and north sides of the fire. Today heavy equipment and a handcrew will improve fireline on the east side of the fire preparing for firing operations to remove unburned vegetation in an effort to secure the eastern fire edge.
Sliderock Fire: 868acres, 30% contained.
Given the weather conditions yesterday, firefighters patrolled and secured existing firelines. Today, a handcrew of 20 people will continue line constructionon the northern boundary in preparation of firing operations should conditions allow.
Resources Threatened:Private property and structures in the Rock Creek and Upper Willow Creek drainage remain threatened. Other resources threatened include a Bonneville Power Administration powerline and acommunication site.
Evacuations:For the Sapphire Complex, the Granite County Sheriff issued the following evacuation orders: Red Evacuation Order (mandatory evacuation) from Hogback Homestead south to Stony Creek and the Sliderock Mountain area;Yellow Evacuation Orders (pre-evacuation) for the northern portion of Rock Creek drainage from approximately Babcock Creek south to Bobcat Creek, from Butte Cabin south to Hogback Homestead, from Stony Creek south to the Kyle G. Bohrnsen Memorial Bridge, and from the Kyle G. Bohrnsen Memorial Bridge north to McDermott Gulch in the Upper Willow Creek.
Closures: The RockCreek Road from I-90 south to Harry’s Flat (MP 17.5) reopened last Wednesday.The Rock Creek Road IS CLOSED from Harrys Flat south to Kyle G. Bohrnsen Memorial Bridge, and non-fire traffic is NOT allowed.Upper Willow Creek Road is closed to the public. All other closures remain the same. The Lolo National Forest, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management have issued closure orders. Closure orders and maps can be found under the closures tab on Inciweb.
Weather: Today’s weather will begin a transition back to warmer, drier conditions.
Fire Restrictions: Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are in place on the Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest (Forest Service land east of Sandstone Ridge). Stage 2 Fire Restrictions are in place (BLM), private and state lands in Granite County and the Lolo National Forest (Forest Service land west of Sandstone Ridge).
For information on fire restrictions, please visit firerestrictions.us.
Important – Drones are prohibited in the fire vicinity & have the potential to shut down all operations.