Today, we got blessed rain. It’s a little hard on the hay that we have mowed and down, but the country is so dry that we are thankful. I expect that it slowed the fire down some. Tomorrow we hope to finish docking the tail-end lambs. They are in the Forks Allotment, closest to the fire. If it’s not too muddy to get in, we should be able to process these lambs before they get any bigger!
West Battle Creek Fire
Approximate Location
Incident Overview
Image options: [ – Thursday’s operations call for continued air operations, establishment of hand line, locating and securing spot fires
– There are close to 100 fire personnel assigned to the West Battle Creek Fire. Wildland fire module, county engines, one helicopter and dozer were released prior to Thursday operations
– 1/10 of an inch of rain fell on the fire Wednesday night.
– An Infrared (IR) flight was scheduled for Wednesday night, but was cancelled due to weather. They will try again Thursday night. This heat seeking device allows firefighters to identify hot spots that may not be seen during daylight hours.
– Starting Thursday’s operational period, the West Battle Creek Fire is still approximately 103 acres in the Sierra Madre Range, Medicine Bow National Forest.
– The fire is 10% contained
– The burn pattern of this fire is spotty and has predominantly grown by spotting and creeping. The majority of the fire area is on private land, with some U.S. Forest Service land in the burn area as well.
– Thursday forecast for cool, cloudy weather with a chance of showers and thunderstorms
– Growth potential is moderate. The fire is primarily active in the heavy fuels, which are still very dry. Fire is creeping, w-short-range spotting
– A local Type III Incident Command Team took over command of the fire early Tuesday, IC is Jerrod Delay and trainee is Chris Rankin
– Located in the West Battle Creek drainage, near the confluence with Haggarty Creek. Two miles west of the Huston Park Wilderness boundary, one mile south of Wyo Hwy 70, Battle Highway
– Resources working the fire include one USFS engine, three Type II hand crews, one SEAT and two Type III helicopters. A Type I helicopter is available as needed.
– Fire is burning in heavy, beetle-killed lodgepole pine and mixed conifer. Steep, rugged terrain with difficult access
– Cause is lightning
– Isolated cabins in the area
– Initial attack mid-day Monday by U.S. Forest Service engine (Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District) and Carbon Co. engines
Basic Information
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
|---|---|
| Cause | Lightning |
| Date of Origin | Monday July 22nd, 2013 approx. 12:00 PM |
| Location | T 13, R 87W, Section 1 |
| Incident Commander | Delay / Rankin (trainee) |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 80 |
|---|---|
| Size | 103 acres |
| Percent Contained | 45% |
| Fuels Involved | Heavy beetle-kill lodgepole pine, mixed conifer |
| Fire Behavior | Creeping, isolated/group torching, short-range spotting |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Continue air operations, direct & indirect hand line construction. Identify & secure spot fires |
|---|---|
| Terrain Difficulty | Extreme |
Unit Information
U.S. Forest Service
2468 Jackson Street
Laramie, WY 82070
Incident Contact
Phone: 307-745-2378
Recent Articles
- Press Release – 7/23/12
News – 2 days ago
Incident Cooperators
Ladder Ranch
