Goat rock Complex wildfire update – August 24
Numerous fires burning in the Kootenai Wilderness and Berray Mountain Area south of Libby
by Kootenai National Forest
August 24, 2015
What: Goat Rock Complex (numerous fires)
Cause: Lightning
Location: Numerous fires located in the Kootenai Wilderness and Berray Mountain Area south of Libby, MT
Jurisdiction: Kootenai National Forest (KNF) Cabinet and Libby Ranger District
A Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team has assumed command of several fires on the Kootenai National Forest and will manage them as the Goat Rock Complex under the command of Chuck Russell.
The Goat Rock Complex is a collection of the following fires:
Klatawa (KNF): 327 acres Vimy (KNF): 15 acres
Berray Mtn (KNF): 180 acres Berray Mtn 2 (KNF): 130 acres Berray Mtn 3 (KNF): .25 acres Chippewa (KNF): 80 acres
Pine Ridge (KNF): .10 acres Poplar Point (KNF): 330 acres
Yesterday’s Activities: The Rocky Mountain Incident Management team arrived in Libby, MT and received information to begin management of the Goat Rock Complex. The following fires are included in the complex; Klatawa, Vimy, Berray Mt, Berray Mtn 2, Berray Mtn 3, Chippewa, Pine Ridge and Poplar point totaling an estimated 1062 acres. The Incident Command Post is located in J. Neils Park and the park is still open for public use.
Today's Planned Actions: The Incident Management team continues to gather information and monitor all fires in the Goat Rock Complex using both air and ground resources. Information about the size, fire behavior and fuels will continue to be gathered to establish tactics for the upcoming days. The team is establishing trigger points to guide further actions and developing a long term fire management plan for the complex. Evaluations are being done on the Klatawa fire in the Flower Creek drainage to ensure protection of the watershed.
Forecasted Weather: A fire weather watch is in effect this afternoon and evening. Warmer temperatures and rising humidity are expected over the next few days. Southwesterly winds are expected to increase creating the potential for critical fire weather conditions during the day and decreasing during the evening hours.
Closures:
Montana:
National Forest Service lands and trails in the vicinity of the Scotchman Peak Recommend Wilderness Area and Ross Creek area. This closure affects the following trails.
Berray Mountain Trail 967
Berray Mountain West Trail 1028
Big Eddy Trail 998
Blacktail Trail 997
Dad Peak Trail 987
Devils Club Trail 966
Dry Creek Trail 1020 & 1021
Granite Lake Trail 136
Hamilton Gulch Trail 1019
Napoleon Gulch Trail 1035
Pillick Ridge Trail 1036
Ross Creek Trail 142
South Fork Trail 321
Star Gulch Trail 1016
The following National Forest System Roads are also closed.
Dry Creek Road 1118
Pillick Flat Road 2702
Goat Rocks Road 2289
Berray Mountain Road 2272
Jacks Gulch Road 430 (above private land)
Fire Restrictions:
Stage II fire restrictions are in effect for the Libby area. Stage II restrictions include:
Building maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire.
Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.
The following acts are prohibited from 1:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.:
Operating any internal combustion engine.
Welding, or operating acetylene or other torch with open flame.
Using an explosive.
A one hour foot patrol in the work area is required following cessation of all activities as identified in #3 above.
Operating motorized vehicles off designated roads and trails.
Additional information at http://firerestrictions.us/mt/.
For more information on closures, including closed Forest Service Lands listed by Township and Range, please visit the Kootenai National Forest website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/kootenai/home or visit Goat Rock Complex on InciWeb at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4564/.
Contact: Public Information Officer: Carmen Thomason goatrocks2015@gmail.com phone lines are being installed and will be available soon. Please email any questions.
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