9,000 fire fighters assigned in western U.S.

There are currently 450 twenty-person crews (9,000 firefighters) assigned to fires throughout the western United States.

Firefighting resources are now very limited throughout the west. In addition, initial attack of numerous new fires is taking place each day. Residents and visitors alike are reminded to do everything possible to avoid human-caused fires which would only add to this problem. Please use extreme caution while traveling in the forest and when working around residences involved in any activities where a fire could possible start.

Nez Perce National Forest

The Meadow Fire, located 12 airline miles southeast of Elk City in the Red River area, is currently 6,140 acres. Reduction in acreage from Wednesday is due to more accurate mapping by helicopter late Wednesday afternoon after the smoke inversion lifted. Resources include 172 personnel (five 20-person crews including 2 hot shot crews), 2 feller bunchers, 1 dozer, 1 skidder, 3 engines and 2 water tenders.

Structure protection is complete along Forest Road 234 between Red River Corrals and Red River Hot Springs. Crews are working to construct fire line in the area where the fire has entered the Red River drainage. Additional construction of both hand and machine line tied into roads and old harvest units is being completed on the north side of the fire. Direct attack on the fire's edge will continue where it can be done safely.

For public safety, a new, larger area closure went into effect Sept. 5 which includes roads and trails in the vicinity of the Meadow Fire. Access to the forest will be closed at the following locations: Forest Road 234 (except to local residents) and the Magruder Corridor (Montana Road) at the Red River Ranger Station; Poet Creek on the east side of the Magruder Corridor; and Black Hawk Mountain.

Turman's Type 2 Incident Management Team is managing the Meadow Fire and the Incident Command Post is based out of the Red River Ranger Station. For more information on the Meadow Fire, please contact Information Officer Mike Cole at (208) 842-9225.

The Red River District reported one new fire south of Old Orogrande, it is contained. No new fires were reported on the Salmon River, Clearwater or Moose Creek Ranger Districts.

Clearwater National Forest

Powell District - The Crab Fire, located roughly 8 miles east of Powell, is 10 acres. Personnel are being demobilized today. District personnel are currently sizing up a new fire detected this morning in the vicinity of Wag Wag Meadows.

The Rabbit Fire, a remote Wildland Fire Use (WFU) fire that is being allowed to burn for its resource benefits, is now estimated at 1,000 acres. The fire is located approximately eight airline miles south of Powell (and roughly four miles north of Elk Summit).

A trail closure on the Powell Ranger District is in effect due to the Warm Springs WFU Fire (currently 80 acres): A segment of the Warm Springs Trail 49 is closed from the junction of Trail 213 to the junction of Trail 24.

Toboggan Unit 5, a prescribed fire on the Powell District is 500 acres. No new prescribed fires will be ignited until smoke dispersal improves.

North Fork District- Two new fires have been detected. One is being suppressed in Fix Creek. The other is located near Chateau Rock. It is being managed for resource benefits as part of the Pot Mountain Complex.

Sled Wildland Fire Use Fire (Sled + Tobbogan WFU Fires) is 1,000 acres and Hanson Meadows WFU is 400 acres.

Upper Meadow, a prescribed fire on the North Fork District, is 600 acres.

Lochsa District - One new fire was detected. It is .1 acre. There will be more details tomorrow if warranted.

The Milepost 128 Fire, located on the Lochsa Ranger District, is currently 97 acres and confined. It is located north of U.S. Highway 12 about 55 miles east of Kooskia. Flaggers continue to direct traffic on the highway.

Wildland Fire Use Fires are active: Corral Creek is 212 acres, Kettle 2 is 232 acres, and Kettle Lake is 324 acres (combination of fire growth and better mapping).

Flame Creek Unit (Weitas Creek Fuels Project), a prescribed fire on the Lochsa District, is 300 acres.

Several wildland fire use fires in the Clearwater National Forest's backcountry are being allowed to burn to improve forest conditions and big-game habitat. Information about these fires is posted on the Forest's website: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/clearwater.

For public safety, additional road and trail closures remain in effect. Specific information is posted at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/clearwater/VisitorInfo/Assets/travel_info.

The Heaven's Gate Complex is currently 27,000 acres. It is 50 percent contained with a new full containment date projected for Nov. 15. The Heaven's Gate Complex is currently made up of the following four fires: Black Butte Fire, located in the Gospel-Hump Wilderness is estimated at 23,289 acres (includes the Plummer Spot); Green Acres Fire, located on the Nez Perce National Forest and Hells Canyon National Recreation Area is estimated at 3,625 acres; Horse Heaven Fire, (south of Green Acres Fire) in Hells Canyon is estimated at 55 acres; and McCrea Creek Fire on the Nez Perce NF is estimated at 30 acres.

Current resources include: a Type 1 hotshot crew, two Type 2 crews, fifteen engines & water tenders, one dozer, five helicopters and 227 total personnel assigned to the fire.

Air patrol will resume on all fires as conditions allow. Crews will continue to provide structure protection as needed, as the fire progresses west along the Salmon River or north towards Florence. Helicopters are using water bucket drops to check the spot fire on the Green Acres Fire.

There are two area closures in effect due to the Black Butte Fire in the Gospel-Hump Wilderness and the Green Acres Fire in the Hells Canyon Wilderness. For detailed descriptions and maps, please call local Forest Service offices or visit our website below.

Grant's Northern Rockies Type 2 Incident Management Team is managing the complex with the Incident Command Post located in Riggins. Please contact Information Officer Ted Pettis at (208) 628-3589 for further information regarding the Heavens Gate Fire Complex.

Additional information regarding the current status of fires and related closures is available at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/nezperce/gvc or http://www.inciweb.org.