9/09/2015 Kaniksu Complex Fire Update

The Kaniksu Complex, which includes the Tower Fire and six smaller fires, has a total acreage of 26,165 acres and containment of 43 percent as of 6 p.m. Sept. 8, 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 continued to accelerate Tuesday. Crews, hotshots, and engines worked diligently to protect valuable timber on the northwest end of the Tower Fire. Other crews mopped up, reinforced control lines, and put out hot spots along the control lines. Hotshots and other crews scouted for opportunities to do direct line construction on the far northeast portion of the Tower Fire.
Crews constructed direct line on the Grease Creek Fire. The Onata Fire is in patrol status. Suppression repair work continues on Baldy Fire; removing firefighting equipment and repairing disturbed areas.
The weather forecast is for much warmer and drier conditions over the next few days. This will lead to some increased fire behavior. The fire spread will be limited to creeping and pile burning because of the past wetting rains. There may be periods of smoke and isolated active burning.

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 and securing of control lines. Hotshots and crews scouted for direct line opportunities while controlling hot spots.

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

•  Grease Creek Fire: 628 acres, 17% containment. Located east of Sullivan Lake. Crew constructed direct line.

•  Hall Mountain Fire: 39 acres. Located on Hall Mountain. This fire is 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 continued suppression repair.

Current Resources: The number of personnel on the fire is 803. Resources include: 17 crews, 14 engines, 3 helicopters, 6 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