Birthday fire sparks
trail and road closures
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September 13, 2011 |
The Birthday Fire currently under attack by
firefighters in the Smith Creek Drainage has
held steady through today at about 600 acres,
but it's prompted U.S. Forest Service fire
fighters to close several roads, trails and
areas in the vicinity to not only protect
citizens, but to enable firefighters to better
battle the blaze.
While the chances are remote in the face of
cooling temperatures and the possibility or rain
by Thursday or Friday, the calm winds of the
past several days are predicted to pick up
slightly on Wednesday, which could spell
trouble.
As of Tuesday, the following areas are closed;
Forest Service Road (FSR) 281 in sections 11,
14, 15, 21, 22 and 28 of Township 64 North,
Range 3 West; the entire length of Trail 21,
starting at the West Fork Trailhead and the
junction with Trail 102, the entire length of
Trail 347, starting at its junction with Trail
21 to it's terminus at West Fork Mountain, FSR
2545, FSR 2443, and all of Trails 17 and 18.
While the road closures are specific,
firefighters and emergency responders request
that those who don't have to be in the area
please stay away; due to overcast and haze,
there are few opportunities to actually see the
fire or the plume of smoke, and few chances to
get photos.
Firefighters on-site are currently working to
keep the Birthday Fire, which has burned
federal, state and private land after blowing up
Sunday from 15 to more than 600 acres, to
prevent futher spread eastward towards the Smith
Lake drainage and Lake Mountain, and they're
working hard to ensure that two remote
structures remain safe.
Those who need additional information can call
fire information officer Jennifer Costich, (208)
267-6775, or email
birthdayfire@gmail.com, but due to the
remoteness of the fire and the fact that all
affected property owners are currently aware and
involved in all that's going on as regards
supression efforts, it's unlikely that any
information she can provide will be much
different than the information she sends to
local officials and media outlets.
Unless of dire importance, please attempt to
request information of media first so as to
enable those working the fire and local law
enforcement agencies to provide support.
You can contact:
Mike Weland, Boundary County Public Information
Officer, (208) 267-7212,
publicinfo@boundarycountyid.org or by fax,
(208) 267-1205.
After hours, Mike Weland, publisher, News
Bonners Ferry, (208) 267-5885,
publisher@newsbf.com.
Bonners Ferry Herald, Julie Golder, editor,
(208) 267-5521,
jgolder@bonnersferryherald.com.
Mike Brown, Radio AM 1450, KBFI, (208) 267-5234,
mbrown@953kpnd. |
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