Parmenter Fire Update & Fact Sheet #1
Incident: Parmenter Wildland Fire
Released: 7/27/2008
USDA Forest Service Kootenai National Forest Libby, Montana
Parmenter Fire
Sunday, July 27, 2008 2:00 p.m.
Information Contact: 406-283-7675
LOCATION: One-half mile southwest of Libby, Montana
START DATE: July 26, 2008
SIZE: Estimated 150 acres
CAUSE: Under Investigation
CONTAINMENT 0%
RESOURCES:
Helicopters: 1 Aircraft: 1 Engines: 1 Hand Crews: 3 Dozers: 4 Water Tenders: 4 Personnel: 77
FUELS: Recent logging slash and open timber.
WEATHER:
Temperature: Maximum 85 to 90 degrees
Humidity: Minimum 19 to 29 %.
Winds: Out of the Southwest at 10 to 20 mph.
CLOSURES: The Hemp Hill road (#8837) is closed to public use to ensure their and fire firefighter safety. Lincoln County Sheriff's Office is providing security at the road closure point.
Yesterdays activity: The Parmenter fire was reported around 2:30 p.m. by the fire lookout stationed on Swede Mountain. The fire exhibited active torching fire behavior in areas of heavy timber. It grew from the approximate 7 acre initial size to the current estimate of 150 acres. One small spot fire was located down the hill from road 8837 in an area considered outside planned containment lines. The firefighters at the scene quickly attacked that small spot fire. Dozer and hand lines were constructed on a portion of the fire perimeter. Large and small air tankers dropped fire retardant and helicopters unloaded water by the buckets full. The initial attack forces remained on the fire through the night. A Kootenai National Forest Type 3 incident management team assumed command of the fire from the initial attack crew at 10:00 p.m. last night.
TODAYS ACTIONS: Fire crews will be completing hand line along the southeast side of the fire. They are also constructing hand line to connect the southwest side of the fire going north from the Parmenter Creek trail to the dozer line constructed yesterday. Fire fighters will be holding the east side of fire as a priority to prevent movement toward the town of Libby. Mopup will start along completed dozer lines. A Type 2 interagency incident management team is on order.
OTHER INFORMATION: Yesterday the Lincoln County Sherriff's office notified Libby residents in the areas closest to the fire that they may want to start preparation should a decision be made to ask for an evacuation. An evacuation order was not issued.
The fire danger is now VERY HIGH. Forest users are asked to use extreme caution while enjoying the outdoors.
For photos and updates of the Parmenter Fire please go to
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