Single Publication

Special Notes: Rocky Mountain CIMT1 hosted a community meeting yesterday in Stanley. A recording of the meeting can be viewed on our Facebook page Wapiti Fire Information 2024. 

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. Highway 75 remains open. 

Current Situation: Thursday saw moderate fire behavior across the fire due to smoke shading and the successful efforts of firefighters. Today, any fire movement will likely be to the north and east as a result of prevailing winds. 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 scouting and assessing the placement of a contingency line from Stanley Ranger Station to Redfish Lake. The objective is to tie into the suppression work done for the Bench Lake Fire from earlier this year. 

Division HH: Crews will begin constructing indirect fireline around Goat Falls, Stanley and nearby communities while looking for opportunities to bring the fireline from Goat Falls to the Stanley Ranger Station.  

Division KK and Structure Group East: Crews will secure the fire’s edge on completed firelines and focus on keeping fire out of the Iron Creek area. Strategic firing operations may be implemented to remove unburned fuels between the fire and control lines. Crews are remaining in and around communities and other values at risk mopping up, reducing hazards, and maintaining defensible space. Mop-up continues on the large spot east of Highway 21 ensuring it is secure and poses no threat to the community. 

Division PP: Crews continued to secure the fire’s edge along National Forest Road 195, aiming to keep the fire south of this road. They are also continuing prep work to protect Bradley Boy Scout Camp and other surrounding structures in the event the fire crosses Highway 21. Work continues along Highway 21 near and east of the division break to keep the fire to the south side of the highway. 

Division MM: The use of strategic firing operations has established a blackline to Bull Trout Lake. Today, crews will strengthen this line and assess opportunities to tie the fireline into 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 patrolling within Hanging Valley and Bear Creek, along the 524 road, and the Grandjean area looking for hot spots and removing hazards. 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. Crews are securing the fire’s edge and preventing it from impacting Bonneville Campground and Warm Springs airstrip.  

Division VV:  Firefighters are assessing Division VV to identify locations for firelines that have a high probability for success as well as assessing the resources needed to implement suppression activities. An aerial recon of the division will occur when priorities allow. 

Weather, Fuels, and Fire Behavior:  

Very dry conditions will persist today, with afternoon humidity again dropping into the teens. Smoke will linger over the fire. Winds will be out of the west and southwest in the afternoon with gusts to 10-15 mph. A morning inversion will lift around 1:00 pm on the east side with the west side remaining smoky. Fire behavior will increase should sunlight reach the ground and winds pick up. Potential for group torching, moderate range runs, and long-distance spotting remains.  

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/. 

Red Cross has established a shelter at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at 24695 US-93, Challis, ID. 

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

To sign up for Boise County Alert Sense emergency notification enroll online at https://public.alertsense.com/SignUp/publicUser.aspx?regionid=1163  

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 92,141 acres    

Containment: 0% 

Total Personnel: 1178 

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