Fire Mitigation – Page 5

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.

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.

Weasel Fire update for the morning of August 11th

Weasel Creek Wildfire - Aggressive fire behaviour witnessed at 1600 August 8 - BC Wildlife Service (Canada) — Weasel Creek Wildfire – Aggressive fire behaviour witnessed at 1600 August 8 – BC Wildlife Service (Canada)

Summary: The weasel Fire added only 16 acres yesterday, with minor advances in the same areas that have been active the past few days…

According to this morning’s IR (heat mapping) pass, the Weasel Fire gained 16 acres yesterday and is now estimated at 3245 acres, with a little over half its area in Canada. Expansion was distributed across the areas that have been active over the past few days: the Kootenai National Forest to the west, along the eastern/northeastern perimeter in Canada and in a section of the southern perimeter in the neighborhood of Frozen Lake where it is approaching the old 2017 Weasel burn scar. 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 10th

Weasel Fire - Smoke Column, August 4, 2022 - USFS — Weasel Fire – Smoke Column, August 4, 2022 – USFS

Summary: The weasel Fire added 162 acres yesterday, mostly to the west, south and east…

According to this morning’s IR (heat mapping) pass, the Weasel Fire gained 162 acres yesterday and is now estimated at 3229 acres. Most of the expansion was in the Kootenai National Forest to the west, along the eastern perimeter in Canada and in a section of the southern perimeter in the neighborhood of Frozen Lake where it is approaching the old 2017 Weasel burn scar. 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.

Monitor the Weasel Fire InciWeb site for additional information: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8290/. Also keep an eye on the NFLA website for fire-related postings.

Document: Weasel Fire Area Closure Order (PDF format)