Single Publication

Special Notes: Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1 (RM CIMT1) will be hosting a community meeting at 6:00 pm today at the Stanley Community Building in Stanley, ID. The meeting will be live streamed on Facebook (see link above). In the event Custer County Evacuation Zone 2, which includes Stanley, goes into “GO” evacuation status, the meeting will be held by live stream only and the in-person meeting will be cancelled. 

State Highway 21 is closed from east of Lowman to Stanley (MP84 to MP130) due to wildfire activity. The closure is necessary for public safety and to provide safe conditions for firefighters working along the highway. Currently, Highway 75 remains open. 

Current Situation: Wednesday afternoon, fire activity increased in Divisions MM and PP, as was expected. The smoke from the active north side of the fire shaded the east side of the fire, which minimized fire activity in Divisions KK and HH. Firefighters’ focus continues to be on the protection of structures and communities while establishing control features around the fire’s perimeter. All activities are being coordinated on the ground with natural and cultural resource specialists to protect known values. 

Division DD: Fire managers are conducting assessments for work around values at risk and scouting for fireline placement should the fire progress in this direction. 

Division HH: Crews will continue establishing indirect line around Goat Falls, Stanley and nearby communities and suppressing any spot fires that may arise. They will look for opportunities to tie lines into the Bench Lake Fire from earlier this year. 

Division KK and Structure Group East: Smoke from Divisions PP and MM shaded the fire, reducing fire activity in this division. The night shift continued firing operations in the Iron Creek area, working to tie black line into the wilderness. Today, crews will work to keep the fire in check in that area and continue preparation for a potential strategic firing operation in the future as conditions allow. Crews are remaining in and around communities and other values at risk mopping up and maintaining defensible space. Fire managers are confident in the progress made on the large spot east of Highway 21 and crews will continue work today to make that area even more secure. 

Division PP: The fire was most active in this division as it burned south of Highway 21. Crews continued to evaluate fire activity along National Forest Road 195, aiming to keep the fire south of this road. They also continue prep work to protect Bradley Boy Scout Camp and other structures in the area in the event the fire crosses Highway 21. However, work along Highway 21 near and east of the division break is being done to keep the fire to the south side of the highway. 

Division MM: Crews completed a successful firing operation northwest of the Bull Trout Lake area. This tied the fireline into Highway 21 and an old fire perimeter. The actions are designed to protect the campground and prevent the fire from moving further north. Crews will continue to work in the area strengthening the line and watching for spots.  

Division WW and Structure Group West:  Crews are finishing mopping up around structures in Hanging Valley and Bear Creek, along the 524 road, and the Grandjean area. These areas will soon go into patrol status. Crews will also continue prepping around the subdivisions of Two Ravens, Ten Ax, and Seven Peaks, establishing firelines and supporting them with hose lays to protect values at risk. Fire managers are continuing to work with the Lowman Fire Chief to assess values at risk, point protection needs, and containment opportunities in the area between Warm Springs and Lowman along the Highway 21 corridor.  

Division VV:  Firefighters are assessing the situation in Division VV to identify locations for fire lines that have a high probability for success as well as the firefighting resources needed to construct those. 

Weather, Fuels, and Fire Behavior:  Clear skies and very dry conditions will persist today, with afternoon humidity dropping into the teens. Winds will be upslope in the morning, becoming W to SW in the afternoon at 5-10 mph. A morning inversion will lift about noon on the west side and 2:00 pm on the east side. Fire behavior will increase as sunlight reaches the ground and winds pick up. Potential for group torching, moderate range runs, and long-distance spotting remain.  

Evacuations: 

For evacuation information on the Wapiti Fire, please see the Custer County Sheriff’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/p/Custer-County-Sheriff-Idaho-61558947312289/  and the Boise County Sheriff’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/boisecountysheriff/. 

To sign up for Evacuation Alerts in Boise County visit this site: https://public.alertsense.com/SignUp/publicUser.aspx?regionid=1163 

Red Cross is prepared to establish a shelter in Challis, ID if necessary. 

To sign up for Custer County CodeRED emergency notifications, text CUSTER to 99411 or enroll online at https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/BF28E45537FF . 

Closures and Fire Restrictions: 

State Highway 21 is closed from MP84 to MP130 for public and firefighter safety. 

A Wapiti Fire Area Closure / Forest Order: 0414-04-151 for portions of the Boise, Sawtooth, and Salmon-Challis National Forests can be found at this site:  

https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sawtooth/alerts-notices. 

Boise National Forest Stage 1 Fire Restrictions / Forest Order: 0402-00-63 can be found at this site: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/boise/alerts-notices. 

Sawtooth National Forest Stage 1 Fire Restrictions / Forest Order 0414-00-044 can be found at this site: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sawtooth/alerts-notices. 

Fire restrictions on state and private lands may be found at this site: https://www.idl.idaho.gov/fire-management/fire-restrictions-finder/. 

A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the Wapiti Fire. Wildfires are a no-fly zone for unauthorized aircraft, including drones. If you fly, we can’t.  For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org. 

Wapiti Fire Statistics: 

Size: over 89,714 acres    

Containment: 0% 

Total Personnel: 978 

Location: Grandjean, ID 

Reported: July 24, 2024 

Cause: lightning 

For More Information: 

  Information Phone: 208-593-7132 

  Email:  2024.wapiti@firenet.gov 

  InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idbof-wapiti-fire  

  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/wapitifireinfo2024/ 

  Linktree:  https://linktr.ee/WapitiFireInfo2024 

  Interactive Map:  https://tinyurl.com/WapitiFireInfoMap