Delaware wildfire crew returns to First State

Delaware's wildfire crew on the Henry's Creek Fire near Idaho Falls. The 52,972-acre blaze was 100 percent contained on September 1, thanks to the efforts of the crew and other personnel.
Delaware’s wildfire crew on the Henry’s Creek Fire near Idaho Falls. The 52,972-acre blaze was 100 percent contained on September 1, thanks to the crew and other fire personnel. The crew then fought the Grape Creek Fire near Elba, Idaho.

After two weeks of battling wildfires in the rugged terrain of Idaho,  a Delaware wildfire crew is returning to Blackbird State Forest (502 Blackbird Forest Road, Smyrna, 19977) on September 11 at approximately 8 a.m.

The team was dispatched by the Delaware Forest Service on August 25 at a time when the National Fire Preparedness Level was 4 on a 5-point scale. Over the past 14 days, the team first tackled the 52,972-acre Henry’s Creek Fire, located seven miles east of Idaho Falls.  Thanks to the efforts of Delaware’s crew and other firefighters, the Henry’s Creek Fire reached 100% containment on September 1, 2016. From there, the crew battled the 1260-acre Grape Creek Fire, located six miles southwest of Elba, Idaho. The lightning-caused blaze started on September 1 and was situated in the steep 8500-foot terrain of the Sawtooth National Forest. When the weather permitted, the crew took a helicopter up to the fireline each day.

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This is the second crew that Delaware has sent out this summer. The Delaware Forest Service dispatched firefighters to Colorado on July 25. They battled the 492-acre Milk Fire near Craig, Colorado and the 1,287-acre Tokewanna Fire near Mountain View, Wyoming. They finished up on the 12,276-acre Whit Fire, east of Yellowstone National Park near Cody, Wyoming.

Contact: Kyle Hoyd, Delaware Forest Service, (302) 698-4548 (office), (302) 943-7869 (cell) or kyle.hoyd@delaware.gov.

 

 

Update: First State firefighters battle blaze in Idaho’s Payette National Forest

Status Update from Payette National Forest

With the National Fire Preparedness Level hitting the maximum of 5 on a 5-point scale for the first time since 2008, a crew of 19 wildland firefighters trained by the Delaware Forest Service are on the front lines of a fire in Idaho’s Payette National Forest. U.S. Forest Service officials say the Delaware crew is now assigned to the Howard Fire, a small blaze ignited by lighting in the rugged terrain east of Riggins, Idaho and south of the Salmon River.

 

 

Information on Howard Fire

The Howard Fire is located 8 miles east of Riggins, Idaho on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land under protection of the Payette National Forest and is being managed by the Payette National Forest. It was started by lightning on August 18. The fire is currently around 200 acres but expected to grow – characterized by multiple tree torching and active surface fire spread.. Fire crews and aerial resources are focused on the north flank of the fire to provide a containment line to prevent further fire spread into Elk Horn Creek. Total personnel on the fire: 125.

 Trail closures will be in effect for Broken Leg Trail and Lava Butte Trail – both are motorized ATV trails.

 Current weather at the fire: wind –  10 mph SW; temperature – 92 degrees; humidity – 18%

Payette National Forest, U.S. Forest Service
800 West Lakeside Ave.
McCall, ID 83638

Incident Contact: Brian Harris
Phone: 208-634-6945

Twitter: @PayetteForest #HowardFire @DelawareForests @inciweb
Facebook: www.facebook.com/delforestservice

Contact: John Petersen, DFS Community Relations Officer
john.petersen@delaware.gov
302-698-4552 (office) 302-233-8180 (cell)