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Tag Archives: West Battle Creek Fire

Battle Creek Fire, Day Seven

28 Jul

Firefighter heading toward fire
USFS photo by Kassidy Kern

Firefighters getting ready to head out
USFS photo
by Kassidy Kern

West Battle Creek Fire

41.126 latitude, -107.12 longitude

– Transition from Type III Incident Command Team to a Type IV organization took place Saturday. Ben Plum as IC, Chris Moore trainee

– Storm Peak Wildland Fire Module will take over operations Sunday

– 90% containment was announced after Saturday’s operations

– Mop-up and surveillance are the current focus of fire personnel

– There are approximately 35 fire personnel assigned to the West Battle Creek Fire. Cocinino Regulars T2IA crew remains. Final helicopter was released Saturday

– There has been no growth over the past four days, the West Battle Creek Fire is still approximately 103 acres in the Sierra Madre Range, Medicine Bow National Forest.

– 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.

– Growth potential is low and the fire is currently smoldering

– There are no current evacuations or closures due to the fire

– 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

– The fire burned 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	Plum / Moore (trainee)

Current Situation

Total Personnel	35
Size	103 acres
Percent Contained	90%
Fuels Involved	Heavy beetle-kill lodgepole pine, mixed conifer
Fire Behavior	Smoldering

Outlook

Planned Actions	Mop-up
Growth Potential	Low
Terrain Difficulty	Extreme

Unit Information

Medicine Bow National Forest & Thunder Basin National Grassland
U.S. Forest Service
2468 Jackson Street
Laramie, WY 82070

Fire Information
Phone: 307-745-237

Incident Cooperators

Content posted to this website is for information purposes only.

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Fire on Battle Creek, Day 3

24 Jul

So far, the fire is doing lots of good. It has advanced, but not increased in acreage. The Forest Service still reports it at 5% contained, but the terrain is so rough, it is difficult to fight except by air. They do have some air support in, as well as about 120 firefighters. The weather has been dry, but not windy. Much of the fire is on private land. The Medicine Bow Forest is full of old mining claims, left over from the glory days of the Ferris-Haggerty copper mine–just up the creek from the heart of the fire.

Here’s a report from the Rawlins Daily Times…sure hope they’re right about the rain.

Map provided by the U.S. Forest Service

West Battle Creek Fire

The West Battle Creek Fire began Monday afternoon two miles west of the Huston Park Wilderness boundary and one mile south of Highway 70. It is burning through 93 acres of the Sierra Madre Range of the Medicine Bow National Forest.

Posted: Wednesday, July 24, 2013 5:30 am

By Kate Snyder ksnyder@rawlinstimes.com | 0 comments

Ninety-three acres of rugged terrain is burning in the Sierra Madre Range of the Medicine Bow National Forest. The fire, dubbed the West Battle Creek Fire, began Monday afternoon two miles west of the Huston Park Wilderness boundary and one mile south of Wyoming Highway 70.

A local incident command team has taken command of the fire, according to a press release from the U.S. Forest Service in Medicine Bow.

No injuries or fatalities have been reported, said Aaron Voos, public affairs specialist with the U.S. Forest Service.

“It’s still at zero containment,” he said. “We’re a little concerned about the (dry) weather.”

Engines from Carbon County and the U.S. Forest Service responded, the press release stated. A helicopter and a single engine air tanker were also assigned to the fire.

The cause of the wildfire is unknown at this time.

Voos said more resources are in transit, and by the end of the day Tuesday, he estimated about 100 personnel working at the fire site.

“It’s really not a good place for engines,” said Carbon County Fire Warden John Rutherford. “It’s pretty rugged.”

The Lost Creek Campground and the Baby Lakes Trailhead were evacuated and are closed, Voos said.

A cold front is set to move into the fire area on Wednesday and is expected to bring rain through the weekend, the press release stated.

For more information about the fire, call 307-745-2378, visit InciWeb.org or #WestBattleCreekFire on Twitter.

Fire on Battle Creek, Day Two

23 Jul

Pepe and Brian moving sheep, HInman Fire, 2002 photo by Keri Greet

Pepe and Brian moving sheep, HInman Fire, 2002
photo by Keri Greer

Our fire has a name now. We have three bands of sheep, with herders, dogs, horses and camps, in fairly close proximity to the fire. We’ve moved them, and warned the herders to be ready to move out quickly if necessary. At this point, the fire seems to be burning along, without any sudden or life-threatening moves. The Medicine Bow National Forest is chock-full of dead beetle-killed pines, which are bound to burn. As long as the fire doesn’t get out of control, it is doing a lot of good. Of course, as I discussed with my friend Alex, whose home is very close to the fire, “The sheep can move. Your house can’t.”

Here’s a report from the Forest Service website http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3547/

West Battle Creek Fire

Press Release – 7/23/12
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/mbr/news-events/

INCIDENT UPDATED 2 HRS. AGO

Approximate Location

41.126 latitude, -107.12 longitude

Incident Overview

West Battle Creek Fire Area - July 23, 1 P.m.

Image options: [ Enlarge ] [ Full Size ]

– Approximately 103 acres in the Sierra Madre Range, Medicine Bow National Forest

– The fire is 5% contained.

– A local Type III Incident Command Team took over command of the fire early Tuesday, IC is Jerrod Delay

– 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.

– Initial attack mid-day Monday by U.S. Forest Service engine (Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District) and Carbon Co. engines

– Tuesday afternoon weather will be hot and dry with gusty winds. Potential for fire growth is high. Minimal fire growth Monday night

– Resources working the fire include one USFS and one local engine, one Type II hand crew, one Type II bulldozer, one Wildland Fire Module, one SEAT and a Type III helicopter. Other resources that will be arriving on scene include five Type VI engines, two Type II hand crews and a Type I helicopter as needed.

– Fire is burning in heavy, beetle-killed lodgepole pine and mixed conifer. Steep, rugged terrain with difficult access

– Cause is currently unknown

– Isolated cabins in the area