SALMON, ID - The Moose Fire near Salmon has grown from 62,410 acres to 64,078 acres and remains 20% contained.
The cause of the blaze — which has been determined to be human-caused — remains under investigation. The fire continues to burn in grass, brush, and timber along both sides of the Salmon River.
An in-person community meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday at the Sacajawea Center Amphitheater, on Main Street in Salmon. The meeting will also be streamed on Facebook if connectivity permits.
Fire managers note the Moose Fire continues to burn in very steep, hazardous terrain. Warm, windy, dry weather and extremely dry fuel conditions continue to produce active fire behavior and fire growth. The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning from 12 p.m. through 9 p.m. on Thursday due to gusty winds and low relative humidity. Winds from the southwest could gust as high as 48 mph.
Very active fire behavior was observed Wednesday in the Jackass Ridge and Daily Creek Areas, according to the Thursday morning update. Crews worked to suppress a 100-acre spot fire south of the Diamond Line and Ridge Road.
Crews will be scouting, assessing, and creating containment plans in the rugged terrain on the south and western sides of the fire on Thursday while continuing to assess and protect structures in Panther Creek, Pine Creek, Shoup, and Leesburg areas, and along Highway 93. Further south, firefighters are working to strengthen fuel breaks along the Ridge Road and Williams Creek Road.
The Lemhi County Sheriff has issued evacuation warnings in the area of the Moose Fire. The latest updates from the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office can be found here. A shelter for evacuees that remains available at the Salmon Valley Baptist Church located at 1230 Cemetery Street in Salmon can be reached at 208-756-3324).
The Pilot Car System on Salmon River Road continues to operate with two-way traffic between North Fork and Panther Creek with a pilot car on both ends. It may be used by residents, river permit holders, and river shuttles. The road is closed to all other traffic.
There are 1,033 personnel assigned to the Moose Fire which was sparked on July 17 near the confluence of Moose Creek and the Salmon River.
