Russian Flats Fire Update - 8-9-2008
Incident: Russian Flats Wildland Fire
Released: 8/9/2008
News Update
Russian Flats
Fire
August 9, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gary Hoshide
Fire Start: August 2, 2008
Cause: Lightning
Total Acres: 743 acres
Containment: 84 percent
Phone: 406-423-5457
Beginning Sunday, August 10th, the Russian Flats Fire Information phone number (above) will no longer be in service. For information related to this fire, please call the Judith Ranger District Office at 406-566-2292.
THIS WILL BE THE LAST DAILY NEWS UPDATE FOR THE RUSSIAN FLATS FIRE
Fire History: The Russian Flats Fire is located 10 miles southwest of Sapphire Village, and 27 miles southwest of Stanford, MT on the Judith Ranger District of the Lewis and Clark National Forest. The fire, which started by lightning on August 2, was mapped, using GPS, at 743 acres. Friday afternoon thunderstorms produced hail and a wetting rain over the fire area.
Today's Operations: Jess Secrest's team will begin transitioning to a smaller Type 4 organization to complete the final mop-up of the fire. The smaller Type 4 incident management team will assume management of the incident on Sunday and Secrest's team will demobilize. Crews will continue mopping up hot spots along the fire perimeter and spot fires outside the fire perimeter.
Personnel on Fire: There were 248 firefighters assigned to the incident as of Friday evening; however, many will be demobilized on Saturday.
Equipment on Fire: Fire operations are supported by one helicopter and three engines.
Closures: Closures will remain in effect through the weekend.
The South Fork Judith Road (County Road 1 and Forest Service Road 487) is closed from its junction with Forest Road 825 south to its junction with Corral Creek (Forest Road 274).
Those National Forest lands, roads, and trails within the area bounded by the following description: Beginning at the confluence of the Middle Fork and South Fork of the Judith River, continuing upstream along the Middle Fork of the Judith River in a generally westward direction to its confluence with the Lost Fork of the Judith River, then continuing along the Lost Fork of the Judith River upstream in a generally southwesterly direction to it's intersection with Burris Trail (Forest Trail # 433), then southward along the Burris trail to the trail's intersection with Forest Road # 821 in the vicinity of Holiday Camp, then continuing along Forest Road # 821 in a generally southward direction to the road's intersection with the South Fork of the Judith River, and then following the South Fork of the Judith River downstream in a generally northeast direction to the South Fork's confluence with the Middle Fork of the Judith River.
Fire Weather: Partly cloudy, with scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. The forecasted temperature is 77 to 82 degrees, with relative humidity of 25 to 30 percent. Winds will be from the southwest at 4 to 8 miles per hour and higher on ridgetops. Recent moisture will minimize fire activity.
Additional fire information, closure orders, and maps are available at http://www.inciweb.org/.
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