SALMON, ID - The Moose Fire near Salmon, Idaho has grown from 105,322 acres to 107,523 acres and remains 44% contained, according to the Tuesday update.
Fire managers report that erratic winds on Monday afternoon caused the fire to spot up to one mile from the fire’s edge near Webfoot Creek, Jefferson Creek and south of the 300 Road at Rapps Creek.
Two of the three spots were quickly cooled with water from helicopter bucket drops, and night crews engaged with those areas into the early morning hours of Tuesday.
The larger spot fire in the headwaters of the Jefferson drainage showed very active fire behavior and put up a smoke plume visible from Salmon. The spot fire reached the 300 Road at Camp Creek between Leesburg and Beartrack Mine by late evening and is still within containment lines.
Additionally, the power transmission line supplying the residences in Panther Creek and the mines is threatened by the fire.
Firefighters will work Tuesday to hold the 300 Road as the fire actively moves south and east, and mop up hotspots near the firelines in the Moose Creek Road and Daly Creek areas, as well as patrol for hotspots in Napoleon Hill.
A virtual public meeting has been scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the following link: Teams Meeting Link
US Highway 93 is open to travel in both directions with no restrictions. Travel is also being allowed along the entire stretch of the Salmon River Road from North Fork to Corn Creek. However, the section between Spring Creek and Morgan/Panther Creek Road may be closed at any time due to rolling debris landing on the road.
All evacuation zones are in “READY” status, as determined by the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office. Details at: https://bit.ly/LemhiCountyEvacs
There are 705 people assigned to the fire which was sparked on July 17 near the confluence of Moose Creek and the Salmon River.
Investigators are still trying to determine what sparked the human-caused fire.
