9/08/2015 Kaniksu Complex Fire Update

For Immediate Release
Pete Buist, 907-750-1639
towerfireinfo@gmail.com


The Kaniksu Complex, which includes the Tower Fire and six smaller fires, has a total acreage of 26,162 acres and containment of 41 percent as of 6 p.m. Sept. 7, 2015.
Hunters and other recreationalists should be aware that there are still restrictions and closures in place on both the Colville and Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Please check with local ranger districts for more information.
Kaniksu Complex activity ramped up significantly on Monday. Crews, including hotshots, worked to reinforce control lines, open up roads (some are blocked due to fallen snags), and mop up previously burned line on the Tower Fire. There were also patrols conducted to locate hot spots and possible latent spot fires. Hoselays were improved on the northeast portion of the Tower Fire. Other crews worked in conjunction with chippers to reduce brush and trees that had been cut during line construction.
The Onata Fire is completely in patrol status. The Baldy Fire is seeing suppression repair work on its perimeter. This involves removing firefighting equipment and repairing disturbed areas. The Grease Creek Fire received quite a bit of rain in the morning, which left it inaccessible. No additional work was done on the Grease Creek Fire Monday.
The weather forecast is for a warming and drying trend over the next few days. The changing condition will allow a good test for the work that has been done on all fires within the Kaniksu Complex. Warmer temperatures and wind tends to expose smokes and lingering hotspots.
Here is a roundup of fire activity:

•  Tower Fire: 24,296 acres, 35% containment. Located 6 miles northeast of Usk, Wash., and 6 miles west of Priest Lake, Idaho. Crews continued mop up of hot spots and reinforce the fireline. Hotshots were used in the northern edges to create fireline.

•  Onata Creek Fire: 546 acres, 100% containment. Located 8 miles east/southeast of Ione, Wash. This fire is now in patrol status.

• Grease Creek Fire: 598 acres, 17% containment. Located east of Sullivan Lake.

•  Hall Mountain Fire: 39 acres. Located on Hall Mountain. Currently in patrol 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.

• Baldy Fire: 515 acres, 100% containment. Located 6 miles north of Ione, Wash. Crews repaired fireline on hand lines.

Current Resources: The number of personnel on the fire is 757. Resources include: 16 crews, 15 engines, 3 helicopters, 11 dozers, 4 water tenders, 1 Air Attack, 1 skidgen and a variety of fire management and support personnel at the incident base.

Closure and restrictions updates:

•  Idaho Burn Restrictions: http://idahofireinfo.blogspot.com/ or http://firerestrictions.us/

•  Washington burn restrictions: https://waburnbans.net/

•  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