Wildfires Summer/Fall 2016 (Boise, Idaho Falls, Ashton: new home, living, cabin)

[blueskywalker]

Originally Posted by Lv2fish

This talk of smoke here and there being a normal part of Summer has me planning on adding HEPA and electronic filtration to the air handler (along with AC) of whatever place we buy. Wife has mild asthma.

Just a Californian passing through the ID forum (i spend a lot of time in Idaho actual) and just wanted to reinforce your notion. I've got a good HEPA air system (Austin is the brand i like - mine is 17 years old and still going good) and it's helping me a lot this summer as my region (Monterey Bay area) has some really bad air from the fire in Big Sur and now a couple of others as well. The air has been horrible! We're used to good clean ocean air but this is a difficult end of the summer in California!
I live in a trailer in the redwoods (but still in the sun during most of the day) and it's too hot to close the windows so it's basically like being outside 24/7. So at night i close some of the windows and turn on the air cleaner so at least i have some relatively good air at night.

[Mtn. States Resident]

Wow, Henry's Creek is almost half the size as the Pioneer Fire. Up from 25,000 acres around noon to >43,000 acres by 10 p.m. Three active fireheads.

We were the #2 free from the regional command. I notice this update moves to a different command center. I wonder if that has anything to do with being able to send more personnel and equipment here, and sending some of this equipment and firefighters to Preston area? Apparently, many were evacuated there, although it is a limited area burning.

Let's hope the winds decrease and some rain comes from those clouds that are circling but not sharing water.

Apparently, visitors traveling to Yellowstone National Park to the Tetons have been rerouted so much it took some an additional five hours.

BLM: "We do believe it is human caused" Henry's Creek Fire 17,000 acres | News - Home

MSR

[cleosmom]

Originally Posted by Mtn. States Resident

Yes, this does seem to be eastern ID'S worst range fire perhaps ever for me. It's now at 25,000 acres. Some of the dry farmers were cutting the fire breaks all night. This fire, probably like no other, has taught me in much more depth about the wind and skipping the fire breaks to encompass more dry wheat and dry foliage. They thought this would end Sunday night then the wind kicked in. On Monday morning the BLM thought they had it Contained to about 900 acres. The wind jumped all the fire lines and they went to 3,000 almost instantly. The cooler temps today help some.

With the wind the fire has changed directions. Instead of burning towards Ammon and Idaho Falls, it is now burning toward the Tetons and Jackson Hole. So many recreational areas along the way had to close access to users, such as the boating by Riviera. Rain may happen in 48 hrs., which would help.

I didn't live here when W. Yellowstone happened, but I saw the devastation driving to Bozeman. The BLM is highly organized here with 4-6 city/town fire crews responding as well. I've only heard a few planes today. I suspect they are getting water from the river between Riviera and Swan Valley.

Henry's Creek Fire grows to over 25,000 acres | News - Home

MSR

I'm thinking that yo're not hearing as many planes (last night) was due to hitting their targets in the winds has been dismal at best

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by cleosmom

I'm thinking that yo're not hearing as many planes (last night) was due to hitting their targets in the winds has been dismal at best

I think you are correct. Plus the wind changed directions and this fire is going to team 7. I did see a plane flying last night, it was clear enough. It was flying away from the area and didn't return. . But it seems like different teams have different personnel assigned to them. See my next post. This is where the details are for any fire. Heaven knows we have enough around us with those in Yellowstone, some in WY etc. The one by Preston allowed people to go home during the night.

Check your PMS too, please

MSR

[Mtn. States Resident]

This is using the InciWeb for the fires. It can be searched by state, or Fire Name or by updates about a fire.

Henry's Creek at 43,000+ acres is now the largest. It shows this fire is being transferred to Team 7 and the new moble incident command post is now at the Riviera LDS Church. It shows the time this fire will go to team 7, plus what is making the fire worse plus telling the public to not fly their drones.

There are 265 firefighters working in the fire to this point..

Check it out: InciWeb the Incident Information System: Henrys Creek Fire

That will be updated again probably within 90 minutes then again sometime between 18:00 and 20:30.

MSR

[Mtn. States Resident]

This is InciWeb about the Spokane fire. I'm putting one of those from Yellowstone National Park on there too as it is causing tourists a five hour delay re-routing where they could drive.

Spokane: Detailed info about the Spokane area fire: InciWeb the Incident Information System: Spokane Complex



Yellowstone National Park: Maple Fire - InciWeb the Incident Information System: Maple Fire

II hope others will use this tool.

MSR

[banjomike]

It's pretty smoky in Idaho Falls today. The winds have died down to a light breeze in town, so I hope the fire gets knocked down today if possible. Part of the haze looks like dust to me; fFre smoke always seems to hold the dust in the atmosphere longer for some reason, and there's always some dust in the air this time of year.

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by banjomike

It's pretty smoky in Idaho Falls today. The winds have died down to a light breeze in town, so I hope the fire gets knocked down today if possible. Part of the haze looks like dust to me; fFre smoke always seems to hold the dust in the atmosphere longer for some reason, and there's always some dust in the air this time of year.

It was markedly clearer in Idaho Falls yesterday when I was there. The country is far worse, at least for me.

[Mtn. States Resident]

Well darni,, Mike, the fire grew yesterday to 53,000 acres. Most probably don't know Bonneville County has 53,000 acres and that is a small portion of the county. Prior to the 10,000 acre increase yesterday, the fire had burned crops for 17 miles and caused evacuation of cattle.

Not all wheat has been cut here in the valley let alone in the Blacktail/Bone area.

Local dry farmers and those who raise cattle in the area will be looking for options. If I heard correctly yesterday, BLM land cannot be grazed until two years after a fire.

Perhaps the reason our area got assigned Team 7 is we are the 7th largest fire in the U.S. currently. I've never seen anything like this in my lifetime!! The higher we move up the list, the more air support, other ground equipment and firefighters.

Let's hope that tiny patch of rain tomorrow does actually rain with no dry lighting strikes.

DAY 5: Henry's Creek Fire burns over 52,000 acres - East Idaho News


InciWeb the Incident Information System: Henrys Creek Fire

A meeting tonight in Ririe for the public at 6:00 p.m. Thank goodness for the abnormally cold temps yesterday and today which help the firefighters.

MSR

[IdahoBroker]

Another great site to track fires nationwide is the National Interagency Fire Center's website:
https://www.nifc.gov/fireInfo/fireInfo_main.html I have not compared it to InciWeb site to see which is more up to date and accurate. NIFC is based here in Boise so I tend to use it quite a bit.