Jocko Lakes Fire Daily Update: Sept. 6

By Jocko Lakes Fire Information, Guest Writer, 9-06-07

Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 8 a.m. MDT Daily Update

36,060 acres
95% contained
$26,977,034 costs
219 personnel

WHAT’S NEW & EVENTS:
Incident Commander Mike Wiederhold (Type 3 team) assumed command of the fire yesterday, with tasks focusing on suppression and rehabilitation.  Mop-up activities continued simultaneously as “Rehab” (rehabilitation) crews began softening the impacts of dozer lines and internal control lines constructed during suppression efforts.  Rehab efforts include pulling back berms and debris accumulations created by dozer activity.  Rehab will also assist in reducing erosion concerns, helping the land to heal more quickly following impacts of the fire.  Plans to seed areas with native grasses will also assist with long term succession and new growth in affected areas.

The fire continues to be patrolled, and monitored daily from the air.  Yesterday, some areas were noted with moderate fire behavior within the interior of the fire with some single tree torching.

Team Safety Officer George Pozzuto suggested reminding anyone entering the fire closure area that it should be for official business, and all personal protective clothing (nomex and hard hats) should be worn.  This is not the time to become complacent as the fire area is still hazardous with unstable trees, damaged roads, fire traffic and missing signs.  At this time, the general public is not allowed in the closure area due to safety concerns.

More information on a revised closure area (allowing limited areas of additional access) will be available soon. The current fire area closure will be in effect until that time.

Thanks to the community of Seeley Lake for your ongoing support during this incident. 

JOCKO LAKES FIRE STATUS: Yesterday, crews gridded and patrolled along the western perimeter.  An unlined portion of that perimeter continues to be checked with helicopter water bucket drops due to firefighter safety concerns.  Rehabilitation of interior dozer lines continued using two rehab groups.  Some residual heat remains in the interior portions of the fire.  Full containment of the fire is expected October 1, 2007.

FIRE FACTS: Started: August 3, 2007; Cause: Lightning; Location: 8 miles west of Seeley Lake; Resources: 5 hand crews, 2 helicopters, 13 engines, 4 dozers, 4 water tenders, 1 camp crew, and 178 overhead.

SAFETY CONCERNS: Steep terrain, snags, bears.

WEATHER: Upper level low pressure began moving out of southern Idaho yesterday which will keep cool and unsettled weather over the fire for midweek.  Outlook for later in the week is for a northwest flow which will bring a period of cool but mainly dry weather.

COOPERATING AGENCIES & PARTNERS:  Montana DNRC, The Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation, Lolo NF, Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, Seeley Lake Fire Department, Missoula Rural Fire, Missoula County, Montana Dept of Transportation, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal Game Wardens.

Editor’s note: As part of our fire coverage, NewWest.Net is posting here the email updates and press releases we get directly from fire camps as we get them. These do not replace our ongoing full coverage of the fires at www.newwest.net/fire, but supplement the information you get throughout the day with the updates we get throughout the day. We aim to give you all the information we get and here it is in its “unfiltered” form. For full stories, check back often at www.newwest.net/fire and continue to look for these updates from fire camps in the link box on the right-hand side of the page.

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