Bill Walker – Page 13

Quartz Fire Area Closure in effect Aug 18

No more hiking the Quartz Lake Loop for a while. Here’s the text of the official press release . . .

AREA CLOSURE ORDER for the Quartz Fire

Quartz Fire Closure Map, August 18, 2022

Effective at 1600, Thursday, August 18th, 2022, pursuant to 36 CFR 1.5 (a), the following acts are prohibited within Glacier National Park:

PROHIBITIONS:

All visitor use, use for research, concession use, commercial use authorizations, and special use permits are prohibited in the areas below. 36 CFR 1.5 (a)

AREA DESCRIBED: (See Map: QuartzFire2022_Closure dated 08/18/2022)

The areas, campgrounds, and trails within Quartz Lake drainage from the Continental Divide to the Inside North Fork Road.

The Quartz Lake Loop trails starting from just south of Bowman Lake towards Quartz Lake.

These areas are all within Glacier National Park.

PURPOSE:

The closure is in order to protect the safety of park visitors and employees, and for the protection of the park’s natural resources due to wildland fire activity caused by lightning.

IMPLEMENTATION:

1. 1. This Order shall be in effect at 1600 on Thursday, August 18th, 2022 and shall remain in effect until further notice.
  2. This Order supersedes, rescinds, and replaces any previous orders prohibiting the same acts covered by this order.
  3. Any violation of these prohibitions is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000.00 for individuals and/or imprisonment for not more than six (6) months.

The Quartz Fire so far…

The Quartz Fire, about 14 miles northeast of Polebridge in Glacier Park, way up against the Continental Divide above Quartz Lake, made a pretty good run yesterday, filling the valley full of smoke. It’s estimated size is 150 acres, although it is likely a little bigger by now.

Here’s the official word as of yesterday evening from the fire’s InciWeb site . . .

Quartz Fire – Evening Update August 17, 2022

…Fire activity increased on the Quartz Fire this afternoon with east northeast winds moving it to the west and southwest within the Quartz drainage. The fire is currently estimated to be 150 acres. Fire growth caused an increase in smoke visibility from both sides of the Continental Divide, but there has not been any fire movement to the east.

Glacier National Park fire managers have ordered additional resources including firefighters who will begin structure protection measures for the historic Quartz Lake Patrol Cabin at the foot of Quartz Lake. Standard structure protection for small historic buildings includes laying hoses with pumps and sprinklers as well as wrapping the structure with fire-resistant structure wrap.

Glacier National Park will be enacting a closure order for trails and backcountry campsites in and around the Quartz drainage on Thursday. Details will follow when the closure order is finalized.

Weasel Fire update for the morning of August 18th

An airtanker making a run on the Weasel Creek wildfire, August 12, 2022 - BC Wildlife Service (Canada) — An airtanker making a run on the Weasel Creek wildfire, August 12, 2022 – BC Wildlife Service (Canada)

Summary: The weasel Fire added 215 acres yesterday. All the action was within Canada. In the U.S., it is 20% contained…

According to this morning’s IR (heat mapping) pass, the Weasel Fire gained 215 acres yesterday and is now estimated at 3952 acres. Better than half of this area — and essentially all of the fire growth — is in Canada. The largest expansion was along Couldrey Creek on the northern flank where a hotspot grew of about 125 acres. The fire is now 20% contained within the U.S. section; Canadian personnel have been establishing containment lines along the fire’s northeastern/eastern flank to block spread into the Flathead Valley. The blaze is currently burning in the Kootenai National Forest, the far northwest corner of the North Fork in the Flathead Forest’s Glacier View district, and in Canada. See the attached map for fire location and extent.

The US and Canada are working together to control the Weasel Fire. From the InciWeb site: Jurisdictional collaboration is occurring between the Incident Management Team (IMT) in the United States located in Eureka, Montana and the BC Wildfire Service Incident Management Team in Canada, located in Cranbrook. The two IMT’s are closely coordinating on wildfire management and are sharing resources as required.

The area closure associated with the fire was finalized August 9 and includes segments of both the Kootenai and Flathead Forests. For the North Fork, this affects an area above Trail Creek Road north to the border and from the Whitefish Divide east to the Frozen Lake Road vicinity. Trail Creek Road remains open. See the attached map and closure order document. Also note that, beginning August 22, major work will be in progress in the Glacier View Ranger District on Trail Creek Road (NFS 114) that will restrict travel for about a month.

Monitor the Weasel Fire InciWeb site for additional information (https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8290/); in Canada, visit the British Columbia Wildlife Service “Weasel Creek Fire” site (http://bcfireinfo.for.gov.bc.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/OneFire.asp?ID=883). Also keep an eye on the NFLA website for fire-related postings.

Trail Creek Road will be closed for much needed maintenance

From the official press release. Note: It appears from the attached map that this work runs on through the pass to include Grave Creek Road on the Kootenai National Forest side . . .

Kalispell, MT August 17, 2022 –National Forest System Road 114, Trail Creek Road, will be closed starting August 22 for heavy road maintenance. The work will begin three miles west of the Trail Creek and North Fork Road junction on the Flathead National Forest boundary. The project is anticipated to take up to four weeks to complete.

Continue reading Trail Creek Road will be closed for much needed maintenance

Weasel Fire update for the morning of August 17th

Weasel Cabin Wrapped - Daniel Lemer — Weasel Cabin Wrapped – Daniel Lemer

Summary: The weasel Fire added 78 acres yesterday, almost entirely within Canada. It is 20% contained…

(Bonus! We have a fire progression map today, showing the fire’s daily spread up through yesterday. See below.)

According to this morning’s IR (heat mapping) pass, the Weasel Fire gained 78 acres yesterday and is now estimated at 3737 acres. Better than half of this area (about 55%) is in Canada. The fire is now 20% contained. There’s still lots of heat within the fire’s boundaries, but most of its expansion was in Canada, along the northeastern and eastern flanks. The blaze is currently burning in the Kootenai National Forest, the far northwest corner of the North Fork in the Flathead Forest’s Glacier View district, and in Canada. See the attached map for fire location and extent.

Weasel Fire Progression as of August 16, 2022

Weasel Fire update for the morning of August 16th

Weasel Fire on August 5, 2022, by Leif Haugen, Thoma Lookout

Summary: The weasel Fire continues to be active, adding 92 acres yesterday distributed along the western, southern and eastern flanks in the U.S. and Canada…

According to this morning’s IR (heat mapping) pass, the Weasel Fire gained 92 acres yesterday and is now estimated at 3659 acres. Better than half of this area (about 54%) is in Canada. The fire continues to be very active, with intense heat in the expansion zones as well as in several portions of the northeastern, southern, and southwestern flanks of the fire. There are also several hot spots scattered throughout the interior. The blaze is currently burning in the Kootenai National Forest, the far northwest corner of the North Fork in the Flathead Forest’s Glacier View district, and in Canada. See the attached map for fire location and extent.

Weasel Fire update for the morning of August 15th

East flank of Weasel Creek fire, August 13, 2022 - BC Wildlife Service (Canada) — East flank of Weasel Creek fire, August 13, 2022 – BC Wildlife Service (Canada)

Summary: The weasel Fire added 55 acres yesterday, primarily along the western section in the U.S. and the eastern areas within Canada…

According to this morning’s IR (heat mapping) pass, the Weasel Fire gained 55 acres yesterday and is now estimated at 3567 acres. Better than half of this area (about 54%) is in Canada. Expansion was along the the west and northwest perimeters in the U.S. and to the northeast and east in Canada. The blaze is currently burning in the Kootenai National Forest, the far northwest corner of the North Fork in the Flathead Forest’s Glacier View district, and in Canada. See the attached map for fire location and extent.

Weasel Fire update for the morning of August 14th

Summary: The weasel Fire added only 29 acres yesterday, almost entirely within Canada…

According to this morning’s IR (heat mapping) pass, the Weasel Fire gained 29 acres yesterday and is now estimated at 3512 acres. Better than half of this area and most of the currently active fire zone is in Canada. Expansion was along the the northeast and east perimeters in Canada. The blaze is currently burning in the Kootenai National Forest, the far northwest corner of the North Fork in the Flathead Forest’s Glacier View district, and in Canada. See the attached map for fire location and extent.

Weasel Fire update for the morning of August 13th

Weasel Fire - Wrapped Bridge, August 5, 2022 - USFS — Weasel Fire – Wrapped Bridge, August 5, 2022 – USFS

Summary: The weasel Fire added 82 acres yesterday, distributed here and there along the western and southern edges, and to the northeast and east in Canada…

According to this morning’s IR (heat mapping) pass, the Weasel Fire gained 82 acres yesterday and is now estimated at 3483 acres. Better than half of this area is in Canada. Expansion was distributed here and there along the western and southern areas in the U.S., and to the northeast and east in Canada. The blaze is currently burning in the Kootenai National Forest, the far northwest corner of the North Fork in the Flathead Forest’s Glacier View district, and in Canada. See the attached map for fire location and extent.

Weasel Fire update for the morning of August 12th

Summary: The weasel Fire added 156 acres yesterday, mostly along the western edge and to the northeast and east in Canada…

According to this morning’s IR (heat mapping) pass, the Weasel Fire gained 156 acres yesterday and is now estimated at 3401 acres, with a little over half its area in Canada. Expansion was distributed mostly along the western edge in Lincoln County and, in Canada, along the northeast and to the leading edges of the “island perimeters” east of the main burn. The blaze is currently burning in the Kootenai National Forest, the far northwest corner of the North Fork in the Flathead Forest’s Glacier View district, and in Canada. See the attached map for fire location and extent.