Start date: August 19th
Location: Welcome Creek Wilderness, Missoula Ranger District, Lolo National Forest, Granite County
Cause: Lightning
Total Personnel: 186
Current Size: 2,000 acres
Containment: 0%
Resources Assigned: Northern Rockies Team Seven, a Type II Incident Management Team is currently managing the incident. Resources assigned to the incident include: 1 hotshot crew, 2 initial attack crews, 1 engine, 5 helicopters and several pieces of heavy equipment. Additional resources have been ordered and will arrive over the coming days.
Current Status: Yesterday afternoon fire activity at the head of Carron Creek, on the west edge of the fire, produced visible smoke in the Bitterroot Valley, Missoula and Rock Creek communities. Ground fire made short upslope runs with some single tree torching and most of the smoke came from pockets of heavy dead and down fuels. Helicopters helped check the fire spread with water bucket drops. Crews on the ground worked to construct and improve indirect lines.
Planned Actions: Additional crews have arrived to increase efforts constructing and improving line from Cleveland Mountain towards Eightmile Saddle. Operations in the south/southwest area of the fire will continue clearing routes with the masticator.
Weather: An incoming cold front will bring strong winds to the fire area this afternoon, with a Red Flag warning in effect. Winds will be out of the west at 15 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. Fire activity is likely to increase and smoke will likely be visible in the surrounding communities.
Closures: The closure area has been increased to include portions of Ambrose Rock Creek Road #428, see the revised closure order on Inciweb. An emergency closure is in place for National Forest System lands on the Missoula Ranger District, Lolo National Forest, and Stevensville Ranger District, Bitterroot National Forest. The closure includes the entire Welcome Creek Wilderness and additional roads and trails adjacent to the Wilderness for public and firefighter safety. The Rock Creek Road #102 corridor and recreation access remains open.
Fire Information Line: 406-356-6235
Fire Email: 2020.cinnabar@firenet.gov
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7063/
Facebook: Lolo National Forest
Twitter: @LoloNF