News Release

NezPerceNational Forest / / ClearwaterNational Forest
104 Airport Road
Grangeville, ID 83530
(208)983-5143 / 12730 Highway 12
Orofino, Idaho 83544
(208)476-8200
Contact: Laura Smith / Contact: Elayne Murphy
for immediate release / Date: August 6, 2009

Spectacular Storm Brings Rain – Firefighting Efforts Continue

Grangeville, Idaho–Most of the Clear/Nez Fire Zone received precipitation along with Wednesday night’s spectacular lightning storm. Agencies are continuing firefighting efforts on several fires.

NezPerceNational Forest:

Salmon River Ranger District: The district reported 16 fires, 10 of those fires are staffed. The Lightning Creek Fire, located 2 miles north of Riggins and near the TimeZoneBridge, is 300 acres. The fire is burning on steep, grassy slopes. Fire staff is advising the public to use caution when driving through the fire area due to heavy air and ground traffic.

The Rough Creek Fire, approximately four air miles northeast of Heaven’s Gate Lookout, is 30+ acres. A Zone Type III Incident Team continues to manage the fire.

The Sherwin Creek Fire, located on the west side of the Salmon River north of Lucile, is 50 acres and is staffed.

The White Bird Ridge Fire, located near the RapidRiversubdivision, is contained and is 6-10 acres.

Red River Ranger District: The district reported 16 confirmed fires – 2 fires are out. Fourteen fires are staffed. The Big Creek Fire, located due west of Dixie, is ¼ acre with multiple spots, and is staffed. Smokejumpers were dispatched to the Sandy and Crooked Fires, located west of Dixie, and they are ¼ acre each. Rappellers are staffing the Elkhorn Fire, located 5 miles east of Dixie, and it is also ¼ acre. There are 3 resource benefits fires in the Gospel-Hump Wilderness: Quartzite, Beargrass and Ten Mile. The Spook Fire is 200 acres, and the Warm Springs Fire is 400 acres (they are both located in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, and the Red River District is managing the fires for resource benefits).

Clearwater Ranger District: no fire activity.

Moose Creek Ranger District: no new fires.

ClearwaterNational Forest:

North Fork Ranger District: No new fires – possibly will demobilize the Bar and Placer resource benefit fires on Friday.

Powell Ranger District: 14 confirmed fires – one suppression and 13 resource benefits fires. Largest fire is the LakeFire at 10 acres.

Lochsa Ranger District: 16 confirmed fires – 9 suppression and 7 resource benefit fires.

Palouse Ranger District: no report.

Idaho Department of Lands:

CraigMountain: 7 fires reported yesterday, three fires reported smoke today.

MaggieCreek: 4 new fires reported.

Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protection Agency: no report.

Unattended campfires and wildfires can be reported directly to the GrangevilleInteragencyDispatchCenter at 208-983-6800 or to the Idaho County Sheriff's office at 983-1100 or 911.

For more information, please contact the following websites. Interagency Dispatch website at: the NationalInteragencyCoordinationCenter website at: and the best source of information for large fires around the country at:

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