9/02/2015 Kaniksu Complex—Tower Fire Update

The Tower Fire, along with six smaller fires, is part of the Kaniksu Complex. The total acreage of all fires in the complex is 26,227 acres and total containment is 22 percent as of 6 p.m. on Sept. 1.
Cool, moist weather limited fire activity Tuesday to creeping and smoldering on the complex. Firefighters took advantage of the favorable weather to build direct firelines along the edge of the fires and mop up smoldering stumps and logs.

Though fire activity has decreased, fire and smoke will still be visible in the area as stumps, logs and deep litter continue to smolder. A return to warmer and drier weather would likely increase fire activity and could even bring new large fires. Weather records from past fire seasons suggest that the rain that fell on the fire this week was only a season-slowing event, and not necessarily a season-ending event.

Here is a roundup of fire activity:
Tower Fire: 24,345 acres, 12% containment. Located 6 miles northeast of Usk, Wash., and 6 miles west of Priest Lake, Idaho. firefighters continued securing existing fireline and extinguishing hot spots along the fire’s edge. Dozers began fireline construction around the northern perimeter of the fire and two nearby spot fires. Water scoopers dropped water on the spot fires to cool them in preparation for fireline construction.
Onata Creek Fire: 546 acres, 39% containment. Located about 8 eight miles east, southeast of Ione, Wash. Crews are nearly done mopping up a 15-acre slop-over on the northern edge of the fire and anticipate completing that work today.
Grease Creek Fire: 614 acres. Located east of Sulivan Lake. Firefighters prepared an anchor point to start construction of containment line. They continued improving road access and completed a helispot to support future operations.
Hall Mountain Fire: 39 acres. Located on Hall Mountain. Currently in monitor status.
Slate Creek and South Fork Slate Creek Trail fires: 1 acre and 167 acres respectively. Located near the northwest boundary of Salmo-Priest Wilderness. Currently in monitor status.
Baldy Fire: 515 acres, 100% containment. Located 6 miles north of Ione, Wash.

Current Resources
: The number of firefighters is 803. Equipment includes: 17 crews, 12 dozers, 25 engines, 9 water tenders, 1 Air Attack, 1 skidgen, 2 helicopters and 3 Blackhawks for medical transport and a variety of fire management and support personnel at the incident base.
Alert Status:

There are no mandatory evacuation orders for these fires. If an evacuation order were issued, it would be called a Level 3 Evacuation, which means it is time to go.

The Big Meadow/Squaw Valley is under a Level 1 Evacuation Alert. In Level 1, residents should be ready to leave and should monitor emergency services. Those with special needs, pets, livestock or those needing transportation assistance should take early precautionary movement to relocate.

　

 A  Level 1 Evacuation Alert is in place for the north Hwy 57 corridor that includes the Nordman area and the west side of Priest Lake.

A Level 1 Evacuation Alert remains for the Bear Paw area and the south Hwy 57 corridor from Priest River north to Dickensheet Road. The evacuation alert for Hwy 57 has been issued because fire managers are aware that this is the main route south from the Priest Lake community. It is not because of imminent fire danger to the area.

A Level 1 Evacuation Alert is in effect for two central Pend Oreille County, Wash, areas: the Best Chance residential area and a corridor on the east side of the Pend Oreille River, starting at the intersection of Le Clerc Creek Road and North Le Clerc Road south to a half mile south of the Usk bridge.

Closure updates:

The Priest Lake, Idaho, area and Hwy 57 are open to all traffic. All businesses along with federal and state campgrounds at Priest Lake are open.

Idaho Panhandle National Forests closure information: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/ipnf/learning/safety-ethics/?cid=stelprd3850265

Colville National Forest closure information:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/colville/alerts-notices

For more information and current maps check: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4508/