Single Publication

Limepoint and Cliff Mountain Fires

Fire Information 208-992-3032

2024.limepoint@firenet.gov

Limepoint: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idpaf-limepoint-fire

Cliff Mountain: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idpaf-cliff-mountain

https://www.facebook.com/payettenationalforest/

Monday, August 5, 2024

The Limepoint and Cliff Mountain Fires are burning in the Hells Canyon area, located on the Payette National Forest in west-central Idaho, east of the Snake River bordering Oregon. 

Note: Tonight a community meeting about the Limepoint and Cliff Mountain Fires will be held 7:00 pm at the Adams County Recreation Center at 104 S. Galena Street, Council, Idaho 83612. An operational briefing about the fires at the meeting will be presented via Facebook Live on the Payette National Forest’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/payettenationalforest/).

Limepoint Fire

The Limepoint Fire is west of Cuprum and Bear communities to the Snake River in Adams County, Idaho and was started by lightning on July 24th, burning in tall grass, brush and timber. The southern part of the fire was once a smaller, separate fire named the Oxbow Fire, but both fires burned together and are now collectively known as the Limepoint Fire. It is now 25,295 acres (increase of 690 acres) with 5 percent containment. The fire threatens homes in several areas, including Cuprum, Bear, Wildhorse, Paradise Flat and Ditch Creek. Idaho Power transmission lines to the south of the fire are threatened. 

The fire remained active yesterday, but firefighters made good progress. Aircraft, including three helicopters, large air tankers, and single engine air tankers worked throughout the fire area to support ground crews and equipment. Agency drones are now assigned to the fire to help with reconnaissance and burning operations. Do not fly personal drones within the fires’ temporary flight restricted area. If you fly, we cannot fly! Structure protection specialists continued to work throughout the fire yesterday and will continue work today in Bear, Cuprum, Paradise Flat, Ditch Creek, Wildhorse, Mill Creek and OX Ranch. 

On the southeastern flank near Barber Flats, the fire burned in patchy fuels up to the edge of Wildhorse Canyon. A hotshot crew, supported by helicopters doing bucket drops, worked to keep fire out of Wildhorse Canyon. Firefighters constructed bulldozer line and conducted tactical burning last night along the rim of Bear Creek Canyon. A hotshot crew completed handlines around the fire down into Flat Creek Canyon. 

On the eastern flank, two hotshot crews completed a handline to Indian Creek from a bulldozer line paralleling Boulder Creek. Tactical burning was done last night along this fireline. Mop up continued along Forest Road 071 (Calf Pen Road). Firefighters also improved fireline from Forest Road 071 to the Indian Creek/Huntley Gulch confluence and improved a contingency line west of Bear with feller bunchers, skidgens (firefighting vehicles that are a cross between a skidder and a fire engine) and other heavy equipment. 

On the northern flank, the fire continued to back down into Kinney Creek west of the Horse Mountain Lookout. The fire is still within about a half mile of the lookout, which has been protected by a hotshot crew clearing burnable vegetation around the lookout and other infrastructure. Air tankers dropped retardant around the lookout yesterday to help protect it should fire reach that location. 

The southwestern flank near Oxbow and western flank along Forest Road 454 (Hells Canyon Road) south of Big Bar had minimal fire activity yesterday. Several areas along this flank are contained.

Ten hand crews, 21 engines, seven bulldozers, six helicopters and 519 people are working on the Limepoint Fire. 

Today crews will improve firelines and mop up the spot fire in Flat Creek on the southeastern flank. Crews will continue constructing and improving bulldozer line in Barber Flat. They will also work with ranchers to relocate cattle in the Paradise Flat area. 

On the eastern flank, a priority for two hotshot crews is improving firelines and burning out unburned vegetation along the fireline north of Boulder Creek. Crews will continue to improve a fireline between Forest Road 071 and Indian Creek/Huntley Gulch and a fireline west of Bear using bulldozers, a feller buncher (logging equipment) and other heavy equipment. 

On the northern flank, crews will continue assessing opportunities for indirect firelines along defensible ridges and natural barriers, and they will evaluate possible defensive firing opportunities, possibly with the use of drones, around the lookout. 

On the western flank, firefighters will continue to mop up and check for hot spots along the Snake River.

Cliff Mountain Fire

The Cliff Mountain Fire started by lightning on July 25th in Hells Canyon National Recreation Area in wilderness just below Hells Canyon Dam 25 miles east of Joseph, Oregon in Adams and Idaho Counties, Idaho. It also was once two fires, the Muddy Fire and the Cliff Mountain Fire, which burned into each other. It is 1,108 acres with 20 percent containment, burning mostly in wilderness, with growth slowed in some areas due to steep rocks. Hells Canyon Dam and associated powerlines are threatened by the fire. Minimal fire activity was observed on the fire yesterday. One ground personnel is assigned to the fire.

Weather/Fire Behavior: Last night some rain and lightning occurred near the western side of the fire temporarily increasing moisture and humidities. Today will have a chance of afternoon thunderstorms and some breezy winds. Clear skies this morning and afternoon will allow for rapid warming, with maximum temperatures reaching 94. Minimum relative humidity could drop to 20 percent. Winds will be from the southwest 6 to 10 mph with gust up to 20 mph.

Dead and down fuels will continue to dry, making all types of vegetation available to burn. In heavy grass, a new start could burn 122 acres in an hour if undetected. Unburned areas along the Snake River corridor could result in uphill runs where fuels are available. With southerly winds the fire could move into drainages to the northeast. Steep and rugged terrain in the Cliff Mountain Fire pose challenges for firefighter access if the fire spots outside of its current footprint.

Air quality information is available at www.airnow.gov and www.wildlandfiresmoke.net. 

Evacuations: Level 3 (Go Now!) evacuations are still in effect for Cuprum, Bear, Wildhorse and Barber Flats per Adams County Sheriff’s Office. A Level 2 (Get Set - Be prepared to leave) evacuation notice is in effect for Ditch Creek and Paradise Flat, and a Level 1 (Get Ready) is in effect for Mill Creek. If you have evacuated areas under Level 3 evacuations, please do not go back. Fire personnel work closely with the sheriff’s office with recommendations to reenter evacuated areas when safe to do so.

Closures and Restrictions: The Payette National Forest issued a Forest Closure to protect public safety during the Limepoint and Cliff Mountain wildfires. The closure includes, but is not limited to, the following recreation areas: Big Bar, Black Lake, Sheep Rock, Kinney Point and Horse Mountain Lookout. Huckleberry Campgrounds is also closed. For more information, see the full closure orderand map at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/payette/fire.

Kleinschmidt Grade (Forest Road 050), Calf Pen Road and Landore Roads are closed. The Council-Cuprum Road is closed at the Forest boundary at the snowmobile parking lot. Forest Road 454, which runs along the river, is open, but please drive with caution. You may see active fire, rolling debris, firefighting equipment and firefighters on and along the road. For your safety and the safety of firefighters, do not stop on the road.

A temporary flight restriction is in effect in and around the fire area. This includes use of personal drones. If you fly, we cannot fly.

Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are in effect for the Payette National Forest and all state, private and BLM lands in the fire area. Prohibited: Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire or stove fire except within a designated recreation site, or on your own land, and only within a permanent landowner-provided structure; and smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle, building, or designated recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.