New Fork Lakes Fire
Location: 15 miles N of Pinedale, Sublette Co., WY
Specific Location: near New Forks Lake, Bridger-Teton NF, Lat 43° 6´ 20″ Lon 109° 54´ 37″
Date of Origin: 07/29/2008
Cause: human
Situation as of 08/31/08 1:30 PM
Personnel: 6
Size: 15,089 acres
Percent Contained: 60%
Costs to Date: $2,830,000
FLE [fire line explosives] operations complete yesterday. Fire received some precip, but not significant so far. Expect more precip tonight and tomorrow. No staffing today or tomorrow because of weather conditions.
***************
Situation as of 08/29/08 5:45 PM
Personnel: 6
Size: 13,986 acres
Percent Contained: 60%
Costs to Date: not updated, est $2.9 million
***************
Situation as of 08/28/08 5:20 PM
Personnel: 6
Size: 13,936 acres
Percent Contained: 60%
Costs to Date: $2,830,000
Implemented trail closures out of Spring Creek Park Trailhead. Completed structure wrap on Spring Creek Park rider’s cabin.
Group tree torching with short to moderate range spotting. Small uphill crown runs. Backing and flanking fire following heavy fuels.
Planning to construct contingency lines in light fuels with Fireline Explosives.
***************
Situation as of 08/27/08 5:20 PM
Personnel: not reported
Size: 13,200 acres
Percent Contained: 60%
Costs to Date: $2,800,000
Initiated slowing action on Management Action Point 1 with Type 3 helicopter and ground personnel. Inserted pumps and hose into Chamber’s Bay Structures near Fremont Lake. Continued monitoring on SE edge of fire.
***************
Situation as of 08/26/08 3:00 PM
Personnel: 2
Size: 12,373 acres
Percent Contained: 65%
Costs to Date: $2,800,000
New Fork Fire is still being monitored by the local District. No trail or area closures currently in place. 2 FEMOs will be on the fire starting tomorrow to monitor activity.
***************
Situation as of 08/11/08 5:45 PM
Personnel: 56
Size: 11,960 acres (not updated)
Percent Contained: 65%
Costs to Date: $2,359,624 (not updated)
The percent contained has changed from 95 to 65. The entire north end of the fire is burning within wilderness and management has changed the percentage to reflect this correction. Fire is in monitor status.
***************
Situation as of 08/09/08 2:00 PM
Personnel: 64
Size: 11,960 acres
Percent Contained: 95%
Costs to Date: $2,359,624
Fire currently being managed by local unit. Continue line improvement where needed and monitor fire activity.
***************
Situation as of 08/07/08 6:00 PM
Personnel: 422
Size: 11,960 acres reported
Percent Contained: 55%
Costs to Date: $1,688,854
Definitive fire perimeter established today resulting in reduction of acreage burned. [<em>This is the second remapping in two days. Who knows if the newly reported numbers are accurate? - Ed</em>].
***************
Situation as of 08/06/08 6:00 PM
Personnel: 401
Size: 13,209 acres
Percent Contained: 55%
Costs to Date: $1,688,854
Reduction in acreage due to more accurate mapping.
Forest Wilderness closures in effect today. Progress on assigned portions of the line for AMR 55% per Delegation of Authority. [<em>That means the Appropriate Management Response has been determined to be fighting the fire on the east side only, allowing the west side to burn freely -Ed</em>].
Team will secure SW side of fire in Willow Lake/Fremont Lake area and on E side of New Fork Lake, to prevent fire from exiting the Bridger Wilderness. The W side will be unstaffed. [<em>This is a risky strategy. There are still 4 to 7 weeks until Fall rains. Allowing the fire burn actively may result in a blow up when the regular Aug winds hit. We will continue to track this fire to evaluate the outcome of the AMR strategy - Ed</em>].
***************
Situation as of 08/05/08 6:00 PM
Personnel: 323
Size: 13,791 acres
Percent Contained: 33%
Costs to Date: $1,306,881
Successful backburn conducted today. Measureable progress made on line construction on the SW portion of the fire. Whalen’s Type 2 IMT first operational period.
***************
Situation as of 08/04/08 6:30 PM
Personnel: 165
Size: 11,585 acres
Percent Contained: 10%
Costs to Date: $1,238,352
Trailheads in area closed. Public contacts made with wilderness users to vacate area.
Continued to build and hold line south from Willow Creek guard station to Willow Lake. Transition to Whalen’s Type 2 IMT 8/5 @ 0600.
***************
Situation as of 08/03/08 6:00 PM
Personnel: 167
Size: 11,585 acres
Percent Contained: 5%
More warning of wilderness users to vacate ahead of fire. Spring Creek and New Fork Lakes trailheads closed. Transitioning to Whalen’s Type 2 team.
***************
Situation as of 08/02/08 6:00 PM
Personnel: 158
Size: 7,960 acres
Percent Contained: 9%
Recreational users removed from area by federal law enforcement personnel.
Running, torching, spotting, crown fire with significant plume. Fire is creating it’s own weather.
***************
Situation as of 07/31/08 6:00 PM
Personnel: 129
Size: 3,600 acres
Percent Contained: 2%
Active fire behavior, torching, spotting.
***************
Situation as of 07/30/08 6:00 PM
Personnel: 129
Size: 2,600 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
Active fire behavior, torching, spotting.
***************
Situation as of 07/29/08 1:15 PM
Personnel: 46
Size: 1,120 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
Torching, crowning, spotting fire behavior.
