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Gunbarrel Fire escalates
By Carole Cloudwalker
This document was published online on Monday, August 25, 2008
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| A 200-foot wall of flame from the Gunbarrel Fire ignites pine beetle-killed trees near the Star Hill Ranch in Big Creek on Thursday. (Photo by Ken Blackbird) |
Because up to 150 homes near Jim Mountain now are threatened by the growing Gunbarrel Fire, its managers are rethinking their “beneficial use” plans.
“In recognition of the growing focus on protecting private land, the incident objective of allowing the fire to play its natural role in the ecosystem is being dropped,” according to a Monday update on the now-54,000-acre blaze.
The two-front Gunbarrel Fire is burning actively at each end along the North Fork.
It's active both near lodges and cabins around Mormon and Libby creeks to the west and near homes and private property at Jim Creek and the upper reaches of Trout Creek to the east.
Shoshone Forest District Ranger Terry Root said Monday while the interior of the fire will not - and because of terrain cannot - be fought, protecting property remains a high priority.
The fire has been managed as a beneficial use wildland blaze, since it has been removing large numbers of dead and dying trees destroyed by beetles and disease.
Nevertheless, protecting lives and structures always has been a top concern, forest officials sa y, with most of the $6.6 million spent so far on the fire going toward structure protection.
“If we get a weather event that allows us to put the fire out, we will,” at least at its two ends, Root said Monday.
During a public meeting Friday concerning the fire's progress, Incident Commander Bill Hahnenberg told about 40 people in the audience the potential for serious trouble exists.
“We've got weather conditions here to make the fire difficult and dangerous,” Hahnenberg said. “We're right at the top of the most extreme weather that's ever been recorded at this time of year in Wyoming.”
That severe weather reared its head Thursday, when high winds whipped the blaze into a wall of flames at Big Creek, just above Star Hill Ranch.
Crowds of onlookers parked along the North Fork Highway that evening, potentially slowing firefighting personnel, to watch the fire progress up and around Jim Mountain and down Big Creek, stopping just short of the ranch.
Fire managers ask that the public refrain from this activity, and anyone who is in the area and inclined to watch the fire is asked to pull completely off the highway if they must stop.
Strong, dry wind was predicted Monday and again Friday, coupled with a continued warming trend.
This is expected to increase the fire's growth on the northeast side, possibly adding a few miles to its perimeter.
Structure protection is in place and firefighters anticipated a busy day defending homes in the upper portions of Jim Mountain, Jim Creek and Big Creek and cabins and lodges near Libby Creek. No evacuations had been called for as of Monday morning.
Four P-2V heavy air tankers were used on the fire Sunday, and at least one was at work again Monday, flying to and from Billings to refuel and reload, Root said.
The tankers need certain favorable weather and terrain conditions to be effective, and this weekend was the first time those were present.
Each tanker carries about 2,000 gallons of slurry.
In addition, four helicopters were being used on the weekend to make water drops, primarily along Big Creek.
Strong winds were likely to ground the aircraft later Monday, managers said.
Due to the increased potential for future fire growth and the increasing complexity of the Gunbarrel Fire, Root said a Type I management team has been ordered and a transition from Hahnenberg's team will take place later in the week.
He said Hahnenberg's team would “time out” Friday in any case, since each team is assigned in 14-day increments.
Root said a Type I team involves a larger number of “overhead” or experienced management personnel.
The Gunbarrel Fire remained totally on Shoshone Forest lands Monday, but was pushing toward the boundaries in some areas, Root said.
He said information about containment, which is expressed with many forest fires, has not been used with the Gunbarrel, in part because it was originally managed solely as a beneficial use blaze.
“But it's cold, it's out, along the North Fork,” except at each end, the district ranger said.
He added that managers are keeping a close eye on Sunlight Basin, where the fire is burning several miles away but clearly visible from the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway.
A total of 231 people were working on the fire Monday, including two hotshot crews, one hand crew and two fire use crews.
Fifteen fire engines and three water tenders were being employed.
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Dubois Fred wrote on Sep 1, 2008 7:33 AM: