BY MAX SILVERSON
The Star-News
Firefighters worked through the night on Wednesday to build containment lines around the Rock Fire perimeter and create defensible space around nearby homes.
Lightning started several small fires just south of Tamarack Resort on Tuesday night that were either put out or consumed by the Rock Fire, which had grown to about 1,900 acres as of Thursday.
“There were several long-range spot fires found within the ski runs of Tamarack Resort, but all were suppressed without further spread,” said Boise National Forest Public Information Officer Mike Williamson.
“This fire is being fought with a full suppression strategy,” Williamson said.
Firefighting resources currently on scene include three Hotshot crews, two 20-person initial attack hand crews, two 10-person hand crews, 11 fire engines, and two bulldozers.
Upwards of 20 aircraft are expected to work on the fire today, including four large air tankers, one very large air tanker capable of carrying 8,000 gallons of fire retardant, six single engine airtankers, four water scoopers and five helicopters.
More firefighters and a “complex incident management team” will arrive on the fire tomorrow, Williamson said.
“This team will bring the staffing and resources needed to support a large fire incident, including operations, logistics, planning, and community engagement,” he said.
A “ready” evacuation order from the Valley County Sheriff’s Office was still in effect as of Thursday for all residents along the west side of Lake Cascade from West Roseberry Road to Bear Trail.
“Ready” is the first of three evacuation orders, followed by “set,” and “go,” when residents are advised to leave immediately. Everyone under the ready order was advised to begin planning their evacuation.
For up-to-date evacuation orders, visit the new Valley County evacuation zone map www.co.valley.id.us/departments/Wildfire/wildfireevacuation.
Residents would be notified of upgraded evacuations through the county’s CodeRed emergency notification system. Visit the county’s website to sign up.
Mountain operations at Tamarack Resort were closed on Wednesday and have not reopened.
Other fires
The lightning-caused Quartz Fire about 13 miles north of McCall was about 70% contained as of Thursday, with firefighters expected to fully contain the fire by the end of the weekend, according to the Payette National Forest.
The Colter Fire near Eagle Nest Peak, about 7.5 miles northeast of Cascade had grown to about four acres as of Thursday, said Southern Idaho Timber Protective Association Chief Fire Warden Paul Wagner.
There were 32 people assigned to the Colter Fire with more on the way so that the local firefighters who first responded can be available for any new fire starts, Wagner said.
“I expect it to stay in it’s current footprint and we’ll hopefully call it controlled by Sunday morning,” he said.
The fire is threatening state owned timberlands as well as structures at the tow of the slope, but in the opposite direction of typical easterly spread, Wagner said.
The Big Bear Fire in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness was measured at about 15,000 acres as of Wednesday.
The fire, which has not seen significant growth in the past two weeks, has seen more active burning in the past few days due to warmer weather.
The Rush Fire along Big Creek in the wilderness was measured at about 7,400 acres as of Wednesday.
Both wilderness fires are being measured as a percentage of completion in a “point protection” strategy, not containment in a “full suppression” strategy like the Rock Fire, where the goal is to contain and control the fire as quickly as possible.
The Forest Service often allows wilderness fires ignited by lightning to burn as they would naturally, only intervening to protect important structures and valuable sites nearby under a point protection strategy.
The percentage of completion reflects the progress in protecting those structures and properties.
The Big Bear fire was listed as 70% complete and the Rush Fire as 90% complete as of Wednesday.
