Single Publication

The West Mountain Complex includes five fires- Boulder, Snag, Wolf Creek, Dollar, and Goat Fires. Read our daily update for more information. Scroll to the bottom of the page for PDF versions of the daily update, the daily map, and the daily smoke report.

QUICK FACTS
Fire  |  Location  |  Size  |  Containment  |  Start Date
Boulder  |  9 miles SW of Cascade  |  2,301 acres  |  38%  |  7/24/2024
Wolf Creek  |  5 miles W of Donnelly  |  1,154 acres  |  95%  |  7/24/2024
Snag  |  11 miles E of Cascade  |  22,016 acres  |  1%  |  8/5/2024
Dollar  |  18 miles NE of Cascade  |  2,041 acres  |  0%   |  8/5/2024
Goat  |  11 miles SE of Cascade  |  1,405 acres  |  0%   |  8/5/2024
Gabe | 9 miles SW of Cascade | 5 acres | 100% | 8/15/2024

Cause: Lightning (All Fires)
Total Incident Personnel: 1,189

Soldiers of the 14th Brigade Engineer Battalion, based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington, were strategically embedded with firefighting crews on the Snag, Boulder, and Dollar Fires. Soldiers supported suppression operations by assisting wildland fire crews with mop-up, holding and maintaining control of fireline, and installing hose-lays and other equipment needed.

Weather | Anticipated Fire Behavior: 

Yesterday began with southwest winds and gusts up to 25 mph and poor humidity recoveries. Smoke from the nearby Middle Fork Complex impacted the West Mountain Complex area throughout the morning. However, skies cleared by midafternoon. Hot, dry, and windy conditions over the past several days have led to increased fire activity. Starting today, conditions will moderate slightly with cooler temperatures and precipitation predicted later in the week.

Boulder Fire: https://tinyurl.com/ycdfv3tv

Crews will continue to mop-up the south end and east flank of the fire. Fire crews are using a combination of indirect and direct suppression tactics on the most active portion of the fire which includes the northwest perimeter. Fire spread has slowed on the western perimeter due to previous burned areas and rock outcroppings. Fire crews are also monitoring interior pockets of heat. 

Dollar Fire: https://tinyurl.com/bef6r3tz

The Dollar Fire activity was moderate today. Fire managers are expecting to continue to see the most active fire behavior on the northern perimeter. Fire crews will continue direct and indirect suppression tactics. They are also finalizing plumbing along the southern perimeter of the fire. Plumbing includes setting up hoses, pumps, and water sources to control and contain the fire. 

Snag Fire: https://tinyurl.com/4k9dk3mu

Yesterday, fire crews successfully completed firing operations in the north and southwest of the Snag Fire. Firefighters have held control lines near Warm Lake Highway and have reported no new spots. They will continue to monitor the highway securing control lines. There may be opportunities for continued firing operations at the southwest area of the fire today, if weather conditions align. 

The Valley County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with Great Basin Incident Management Team 2, have established one-way escorts for residents and contractors through the Snag Fire affected areas. This escort will be provided for reasons of necessity and not for recreation purposes. For more information visit: https://tinyurl.com/mtartvas

Wolf Creek Fire: https://tinyurl.com/mcksrfvh

Firefighters will continue repair work on control lines on the northeast corner of the fire. Repair work includes strategic procedures to minimize impact to the environment caused by firefighting and suppression activities. Firefighting crews will continue to monitor for any interior flare-ups, which is when there is a sudden rate in spread or intensification of the fire. 

Goat Fire: https://tinyurl.com/2h4a3dvr

Crews are improving and holding the southwest control lines and looking for potential firing operations on the southern perimeter of the fire. The western flank of the fire is burning near a previously burned area, which has helped slow fire spread. Firefighting crews will begin chipping operations to reduce fuel along contingency lines. Chipping is the method used to reduce vegetative material making it less flammable. 

Gabe Fire:

Firefighters will monitor the fire to ensure no further fire activity occurs and there are no lingering pockets of heat. 

Other fire information: 

Middle Fork Complex (Nellie, Anderson, and Bulldog Fire): https://tinyurl.com/3rhawr5y 

Wapiti Fire: https://tinyurl.com/yf7reydj Bulltrout Fire: https://tinyurl.com/tatwwk5t 

SNAG FIRE EVACUATION INFORMATION

The Valley County Sheriff’s Office issued a “ready” evacuation order for Warm Lake residents and the North Shore Lodge at Warm Lake on August 7. The map can be found on Inciweb: https://tinyurl.com/42auxnk8.  A second “ready” evacuation order was issued on August 8 for the Horsethief area, including the YMCA Camp, and areas of Scott Valley. This map can also be found on Inciweb, with the relevant areas outlined in purple:  https://tinyurl.com/4vfj657x

Review the READY, SET, GO evacuation procedure for Valley County: https://www.co.valley.id.us/ReadySetGo

For timely information on evacuations, check out your county’s emergency alert system. 

• Valley County: https://www.co.valley.id.us/CompleteEmergencyNotificationandAlerting
• Adams County: https://public.alertsense.com/SignUp/PublicUser.aspx?regionid=1077

ROAD CLOSURES

Warm Lake Highway Closure: The Valley County Sheriff’s Office has closed Warm Lake Highway due to the Snag Fire. The Warm Lake Highway is closed at the Horsethief Road intersection east toward Warm Lake and from the Johnson Creek Road intersection west toward Warm Lake. Scott Valley residents will be allowed access. For updates on county closures visit: https://www.co.valley.id.us/departments/SheriffsOffice.

FOREST CLOSURES

Hunting Closures: Prior to entering the backcountry, Idaho Fish and Game advises hunters to check with their local Forest Service ranger district offices or county sheriffs’ offices for fire closures in their hunt areas. For more information visit: https://tinyurl.com/4td8hwzc

The Boise National Forest has modified or expanded their wildfire closures August 12, 2024 to address public and firefighter safety and respond to increased wildfire growth. This closure area begins at the south end of the Dollar/Oro (Snag) fire closure area and continues south to Crouch and the Banks-Lowman Hwy, and east to the 579, 563 and 582 roads.

Wolf Creek Fire Closures: On the Payette National Forest, a closure including popular National Forest System roads around the Wolf Creek fire such as: sections of NFS #1763 (West Mountain Jeep Trail), #835, #206, #326. On the Boise National Forest, Forest Road #435 (Anderson Lake Road) was closed on August 1. 

Boulder Fire Closures: The Boise National Forest has issued a closure order #0402-04-98 for National Forest System (NFS) roads, trails and lands encompassing the Boulder Fire. The closure was enacted to protect public safety and support fire suppression activities. The closure includes Blue Lake and Snowbank Mountain Road (#446) along with all #404 and #421 system roads. 

For maps and more detailed descriptions of the closures on the Payette National Forest, please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/payette/alerts-notices

For maps and more detailed descriptions of the closures on the Boise National Forest, please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/boise/alerts-notices 

Fire Restrictions: Stage 1 Fire Restrictions have been issued for the Payette Fire Restrictions Area on the Payette National Forest and the West Central Mountains Fire Restrictions Area on the Boise National Forest. For more information on the restrictions and a very helpful interactive map, visit https://www.idl.idaho.gov/fire-management/fire-restrictions-finder/

Important Links

• Payette National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/payette
• Payette National Forest Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PayetteNationalForest
• Boise National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/boise
• Boise National Forest Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BoiseNationalForest
• Idaho Department of Lands: https://www.idl.idaho.gov/fire-management/