Single Publication

Fire Location 

Wolf Creek: 5 miles W of Donnelly, ID 

Boulder: 9 miles SW of Cascade, ID 

Size 

Wolf Creek: 953 acres 

Boulder: 554 acres 

Containment 

Wolf Creek: 0% 

Boulder: 7% 

Personnel 

Wolf Creek: 195 

Boulder: 148 

Start Date 

Both Fires: 7/24/2024 

Cause 

Both Fires: lightning 

Incident Commander 

Mike Johnston, Great Basin Complex Incident Management Team #7 

Summary: The Boulder and Wolf Creek Fires started on the evening of Wednesday, July 24, 2024. On July 31st an incident management team was delegated the West Mountain Complex which includes: Boulder, Wapiti and Bulltrout Fires on the Boise National Forest and the Wolf Creek Fire on the Payette National Forest. All fires are using a full suppression strategy to manage these lightning-caused fires. For firefighter safety, please avoid high traffic fire areas and give the firefighters room to do their job. Please be aware of aerial resources while recreating on Cascade Lake as they are using the reservoir as their water source for suppression.  

Weather | Anticipated Fire Behavior:  A warming and drying trend began yesterday as temperatures reached the 70s and fuels continue to dry out. Temperatures will reach into the 80s, and terrain driven winds are expected under an incoming high-pressure ridge. Record highs are forecast for the fire area in the coming days which will impact the fires   

Fire Behavior: Yesterday the fires saw minimal growth due to the wetting rains on Tuesday. Torching and spotting in heavy dead and down fuels is expected today, and increased activity overnight is anticipated. 

Actions: From the time of initial attack, fire managers have been proactive in ordering additional resources to aid in suppression efforts. As well as prioritizing operational needs, crews are shipped from fire to fire to complete strategic objectives.  

Boulder Fire:  Burnout operations yesterday were hampered by uncooperative winds. Despite that, 7% containment has been accomplished. Further, firefighters have completed hand and dozer line on the southern end of the fire. This will provide a good anchor point for crews to work from. Burnout operations will continue through the end of the week. Increased smoke may be visible throughout the valley during this operation. As more resources become available there will be opportunities to attack the fire directly. Air resources will continue to support crews on the ground and will be used where appropriate as conditions permit. 

Wolf Creek Fire: There was minimal to no movement of the fire to the northeast yesterday. Crews will continue to construct line where possible and take advantage of opportunities to work directly along the fire’s edge when conditions permit. To the west, completed hand lines tie in with the existing road system. On the north flank of the fire along the Little Weiser River, crews work to cold-trail, a method of controlling a partly dead fire edge by carefully inspecting and feeling with the hand for heat to detect any fire that could rekindle. 

Important Information: The Boise National Forest has issued a closure order #0402-04-98 for Nation Forest System (NFS) roads, trails and lands encompassing the Boulder Fire, located 10 miles southwest of Cascade. 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. Near the Wolf Creek Fire, Forest Road #435 (Anderson Lake Road) was closed on August 1st.  For more information on closures on the Boise National Forest please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/boise/alerts-notices  

On the Payette National Forest, another closure including popular Nation Forest System roads such as: sections of NFS #1763 (West Mountain Jeep Trail), #835, #206 and #326 was issued on July 27, 2024. For a map and a more detailed description of the closure please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/payette/alerts-notices  

The Valley County Sheriff’s Office has issued a “ready” evacuation order for residents in Zone 7 and Zone 8. Valley County Sheriff Kevin Copperi said, “Our goal is to ensure that our impacted residents have the time they need to make arrangements to move large animals and agricultural assets as well as secure their homes in the case the fire moves quickly.” Maps and additional information on the evacuation status can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/5n7kbuy6  

Stage 1 Fire Restrictions have been issued for the Payette Fire Restrictions Area. To check your specific area or for more detailed guidelines: https://tinyurl.com/56rmf7p6.