Single Publication

West Mountain Complex
Boulder, Snag, Goat, Wolf Creek, Dollar
August 25, 2024 

Fire Information Phone Line 208-462-0345 (8 a.m. - 8 p.m.) 
2024.Boulder.id@firenet.gov | 2024.WolfCreek@firenet.gov I 2024.Snag@firenet.gov I 2024.Dollar@firenet.gov

QUICK FACTS

Fire                      Location                                          Size                      Containment        Start Date

Boulder               9 miles SW of Cascade                  2,313 acres                    44%              7/24/2024

Wolf Creek          5 miles W of Donnelly                    1,154 acres                     95%              7/24/2024

Snag                     11 miles E of Cascade                    25,235 acres                    3%                 8/5/2024

Dollar                   18 miles NE of Cascade                 2,665 acres                      0%                8/5/2024

Goat                     11 miles SE of Cascade                  1,963 acres                      0%                 8/5/2024
 

Cause: Lightning (All Fires)

Total Incident Personnel: 1,073

Army crews from the 14th Brigade Engineer Battalion based at Joint Base Lewis McChord are currently assisting with suppression efforts on the West Mountain Complex.

Weather | Anticipated Fire Behavior: 

All fires experienced light precipitation yesterday as a low-pressure cold front moved from the southwest toward the northeast. Winds will shift and come from the northwest today. Scattered thunderstorms will linger in the area but are not expected to produce moisture. Fire behavior is expected to be reduced by the overcast skies today, but scarce moisture will have little to no impact on heavy fuels currently smoldering and burning. 

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

Firefighters with integrated Army crews continued to mop-up hot spots using hose lays along the southern boundary.  Chippers are being used to reduce the buildup of unburned vegetation on the unburned side of the control lines to mitigate any future possibility of new spot fires. Firefighters will continue to look for opportunities to use firing tactics to remove unburned islands of vegetation inside containment lines. Active fire is still persistent along the fire’s northern and smoldering is expected to last for days to come.

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

The progress of the Dollar Fire is limited to the west by rocky terrain and an area of previously burned vegetation is slowing the spread of the fire’s perimeter to the east. Crews prepped and plumbed contingency lines on the southwest side, in anticipation of firing operations, weather and conditions permitting. Firefighters worked to contain active fire in the northern reaches to limit any forward movement near the Payette National Forest boundary. 

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

The active fire to the north of Warm Lake Road was secured within control lines along with direct and indirect suppression tactics. Additionally, Army crews helped improve indirect fire line while patrolling and mopping up hot spots. Previously burned fuels to the west are helping to prevent westward growth. The spot fires to the south from a few days ago are all confined behind control lines developed along old logging roads. Firing operations to secure the boundary will be conducted in future days when weather permits. Today, crews expect to increase containment efforts along the southwest flank of the fire.

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

Crews will continue to complete suppression repair and rehabilitation on the Wolf Creek Fire over the next several days. Resource Advisors are on the fire ensuring that planned environmental rehabilitation measures are carried out effectively on the fire line after suppression efforts take place.                                                                                                                                                                          

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

Areas of previously burned fuels, such as the Cascade Complex to the north and the East Fire beyond the eastern boundary, continue to limit fire growth in either of these directions. Firefighters will continue to evaluate values at risk to the south of the fire to minimize impacts and develop long-term planning strategies.

Other regional 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 is planning to allow residents and vetted contractors (those providing services to residents in the Warm Lake, Yellow Pine, and Big Creek areas) to come and go as needed without an escort along the Warm Lake Highway, dependent on weather and fire activity. The highway remains closed to the public and will only be open to those approved in advance by the Sheriff’s Office. 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 modified or expanded their wildfire closures on 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.

Dollar Fire Closure: The Payette National Forest implemented an area closure on August 23, covering an area north of the Boise National Forest closure, to provide for public safety around the Dollar Fire. National Forest System trails #099, #100, #101, and #302 are impacted by the closure. 

Wolf Creek Fire Closures: On the Payette National Forest, a closure includes popular National Forest System roads around the Wolf Creek fire such as: sections of NFS Road #1763 (West Mountain Jeep Trail), #835, #206, and #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/