08/15/2008 Daily Fire Update
Incident: Snow Hole Wildland Fire
Released: 8/15/2008
(Cottonwood, ID) Thursday hand crews, with assistance from aerial resources, made excellent progress and have completed fireline construction around the Snow Hole Fire. However, Operations Section Chief Randy McKenzie feels that "those lines will be tested with windy conditions and high temperatures the next few days."
Crews expanded and strengthened containment lines along the western flank of the fire, west of Ruggles Gulch, between Billy Point and the Salmon River. In order to widen containment lines, firefighters used a technique called "blacklining", by burning strips of unburned fuels just inside the containment lines.
Containment lines along the eastern flank of the fire in the Burnt Creek drainage continued to hold, and Operations Section Chief Sam Gibbons felt that portion of line was secure enough to increase containment percentages on the fire to 50%. T
oday, crews and engines will continue burnout operations of unburned fuels near the southern and western containment lines to further secure those lines. As a result of burnout operations and the natural interior burning of fuels, smoke from the fire will likely be visible from the surrounding area for several days.
Due to the remote location of the fire, crews and equipment will continue to be "spiked" out south of the fire on Joseph Plains near containment lines.
Heavy smoke along the Salmon River and active helicopter operations may impact recreational rafting in the area; however, river closures are not anticipated. BLM River Rangers will remain stationed at White House Bar to provide rafters current fire information.
