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NATIONAL FORESTS — Forest fire lookout historians have arranged to install a memorial at the site lightning struck in 1967 setting off a huge wildfire in the Selkirk Mountains north of Sandpoint. 

 Following is the update from Ray Kresek, author, historian and host to a forest fire lookout museum in has backyard in west Spokane.  (See video above. Call for a tour).

The large 3” thick cedar signs have now been carved, painted, linseed oiled, and are ready to hang on the posts

already planted atop Sundance Mountain as soon as the snow is gone at the site. It’ll be a while though. At last report, there’s still almost 15’ of snow on the ground at the memorial site 300’ from Sundance Lookout. It is situated just over the leeward edge of the summit, where winter snowdrifts are last to leave. An average snow year, the fire origin site would be free of snow by the 4th of July. This year, a near record snow year, it’s anybody’s guess.

 

We wish to thank the Webley Brothers Lumber Company in Colville, WA for their generous contribution of three fine cedar planks, with a personal attachment (both were among the 1967 Sundance firefighters); Dave Kresek and Altek Company for computer carving the signs; and those members of the Forest Fire Lookout Ass’n. for their help building the interpretive site trail.

 

Ray Kresek

Fire Lookout Museum

Contact:(509) 466-9171; email rkresek@comcast.net

HUNTING — Fires burning in Idaho’s backcountry have state and federal land managers to close roads and trails in some areas, including the Idaho Panhandle.raised concerns about public safety and hunter access.

Those closures may affect access to some hunting units.

Idaho Fish and Game officials say they will not recommend closing hunts or altering season dates in response to fire restrictions. Most fires are not large enough to affect an entire hunt unit, they say.

Hunters affected by a fire closure can adjust their schedule to hunt later in the season or exchange general tags to hunt in a different area. But tags must be exchanged before the season begins.

Hunters with controlled hunt tags affected by a fire closure may exchange them for general season tags before the controlled hunt begins. But controlled hunt fees would not be refunded.

Fish and Game will consider requests for rain checks or refunds in the event that access to a hunting unit is blocked by fire. Hunters requesting a rain check will be required to submit their tags and permits with a letter describing the conditions of their request.

Rain checks would be evaluated case-by-case at the end of the hunting season. Rain checks will be valid in 2012 and offered only for the same species and hunt area as the hunter held in 2011.

Written requests should be sent to the license section at Fish and Game, P.O. Box 25, Boise ID 83707 when the season is over.

For updates on fires and access restrictions, go online to the Forest Service fire incident website.

PUBLIC LANDS — Recreation is being curtailed as fire fighters are getting a handle on the 640-acre Birthday fire, which is burning on the Crest of the Selkirk Mountans northeast of Priest Lake and about 20 air miles northwest of Bonners Ferry.

The fire is centered near in the subalpine regions of Abandon Mountain, which is south of West Fork Lake and north of Lions Head. The Forest Service and Idaho Department of lands have closed many popular roads and recreational trails in the area.

Road, trail, and area closures include: 

• FS Road 281, from its junction with FSR655; the entire length of Trail 21 (starting at West Fork Trailhead to the junction with Trail 102) and the entire length of Trail 347 (starting at Trail 21, to its termination at West Fork Mountain);
• FS Road 2545 (from the junction with Road 655 to its termination); the entire length of Trail 102 (starting at Hidden Lake trailhead, to its termination at Road 281);
• FS Road 2443 from the junction with Road 281; the entire length of Trail 17 (starting at the trailhead on road 2443); and the entire length of Trail 18 (starting at Cutoff Peak, ending at Smith Triangulation.)

Idaho Department of Lands also may be restricting access to the Lookout Mountain area northeast of Upper Priest Lake.

Detailed descriptions of closures, as well as an area closure map are posted on the “Birthday Fire” link on www.inciweb.org.

PUBLIC LANDS — With scattered fires burning throughout the region, hunters and campgers should call ahead to Forest Service offices before heading out to national forests this week.

One friend planning a trip to Montana's Bitterroot Valley had to revise his plans when he called and learned that roads were closed to the trailhead for the lake he planned to fish.

Idaho Panhandle National Forests today are reporting that more than 70 fires hav ignited since Sept. 1 and seven lightning-caused fires are still active, ranging from 20 to more than 150 acres.

Read on for details on current fires burning on the Idaho Panhandle:

PUBLIC LANDS —  Fire crews dug in to gain control over some of the largest wildfires in the West Friday, taking advantage of a break in the weather before hot temperatures and gusty winds return over the weekend.

However, a Wednesday thunderstorm started 18 new fires in the Clearwater-Nez Perce National Forests of Idaho.

Almost 3,000 firefighters are working dozens of blazes that flared up in recent days in forests and shrubland in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and Oregon. Active fires in those states have scorched almost 175,000 acres. That’s about 270 square miles.

Read on for more details from the Associated Press and staff reports; click here for information on large fires around the nation.

FORESTS —  While fire season seems virtually impossible in the Inland Northwest during this long, wet spring, the smoke that smudged into Central Washington over the holiday weekend was a reminder of what may be on its way.

More than 100 wildfires are burning in Canada, reports Sean Hopkins of the Washington State Department of Ecology:

Most of the smoke came from fires 150 miles north of Edmonton, Alberta.  It’s amazing the smoke traveled more than 850 miles south to impact Central WA.  

Air Quality is good now but it did get into the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range for a few hours on Sunday afternoon.  
 
The town of Slave Lake, Alberta, was completely engulfed within an hour, destroying at least 40 percent of the town of 7,000.  Amazingly no injuries or fatalities reported yet.