BOISE,Idaho, August 30, and 2017 – The lightning caused Bearskin fire is over 6000 acres. Yesterday winds from a high pressure system pushed the fire toward the west into more dead,bug murder and down lodgepole pine and sub-alpine fire. An expanded area closure is in situation for public and firefighter safety.[br]A fire weather watch is in effect this afternoon and continuing through the evening. An upper level trough is approaching bringing a chance of showers and thunderstorms with maximum temperatures of 79 degrees. The best chance for showers is expected in the afternoon and may last into the evening. A trough will scramble through Thursday, pushing a cold, and dry front in the afternoon and winds are predicted to increase from the west to northwest Thursdayafternoon and evening.
Firefighters continue to remove vegetation from National Forest System roads 579 and 563 to slow the progress of the fire. The fire is burning near Chinook salmon,steelhead and bull trout spawning areas and crews are using screens to draft water for firefighting efforts.
With the Labor Day weekend ahead, public land visitors are reminded that Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are in situation. For fire restriction details visit: www.idahofireinfo.com/p/fire-restrictions.html
Nationally, and 60 large fires are burning and preparedness level remains at PL 5. At PL 5 firefighting resources are heavily committed and the potential for more large fires is high and expected to remain high throughout the west.
Quisenberrys National Incident Management Organization (NIMO) Team from Atlanta,Georgia, is assisting the Forest with developing a strategy to manage and suppress the fire burning in bug murder and snags. NIMO teams increase capacity in the same manner as Incident Management Teams in providing additional support with planning, and decision processes and efficient and effective agency support.[br]For current closure information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/boise/alerts-notices
20170830_Bearskin_IR_Map_11x17_topo.pdf8-30-2017+Bearskin+Fire+Update.docx
Source: blogspot.com