This week, numerous aerial firefighting resources, including Very Large Air Tankers (VLATs) and Single Engine Airtankers (SEATs), dropped 179,597 gallons of retardant along the southern and northern perimeter. These efforts provided critical support to firefighters on the ground, by slowing fire spread. On the west side of the fire, near the point of origin, the line is holding well, and crews are actively mopping up and securing the perimeter. Multiple hand crews on the southern flank worked late into the night to continue building and reinforcing containment line.
Fire Behavior: The fire experienced extreme fire behavior yesterday, primarily driven by north/northwest winds, which pushed the fire southward across Highway 89A near House Rock Valley. This southern flank became the most active edge of the fire, with intense runs through grass, brush, and timber, along with torching and running fire behavior.
Weather conditions played a significant role in fire activity. Today’s temperatures will range from the upper 80s at 8,000 feet to the low 90s at 6,000 feet much like yesterday. Relative humidity is low at 10–13%, and gusty winds up to 25 MPH challenged suppression efforts. A 10% chance of thunderstorms is possible over the fire area which can create gusty outflow winds.
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