Wedge Canyon Complex

News Release - July 31, 2003 at 8am

Incident Information Contacts:
(406)755-3910 (voice) and (406)755-3931 (fax)

Fact Sheet 13

Contact: Flathead National Forest, Supervisor’s Office 406.758.5252,

Wedge Fire Information ICP 801.413.0525 www.fs.fed.us/r5/fire/ciimt5/ac/

What: Wildfire, lightning-caused.

Started: July 18, 2003. Reported 1:25 P.M.

Location: About 20 miles east of Eureka Montana and 6 miles south of the Canadian border, primarily in the Teepee Creek drainage of the North Fork Flathead River.

Legal Description: Portions of T36N, T37N, T22W and R23W

Current Size: Approximately 21,886 acres

Containment: 25%

Estimated Containment Date: Unknown

Threats to Human Life/Safety: Whale Creek residents along the North Fork Road and Trail Creek residents (approximately 50 homes/cabins).

Resources Threatened: Timber, Recreation, Fisheries, Class 1 Airshed, Wild & Scenic River Corridor and Private Property.

Injuries in the last 24 hours: One transport due to a broken wrist.

Jurisdiction: USDA Forest Service (Flathead National Forest), Flathead County Fire Protection District.

Other Cooperating Agencies: Montana DNRC, BIA, BLM, NPS and Glacier National Park.

Resources on Fire: 26 hand crews, 4 helicopters, 69 engines, 10 dozers, 15 water tenders, 4 feller bunchers, 6 skidders, 1 excavator, numerous support and overhead for a total of approximately 1,051 personnel.

Remarks: To date, 7 houses/cabins and 23 outbuildings were lost, and 1 house/cabin damaged. The additional lost house/cabin was discovered from the fire blowup of 7/25/03.

Good progress was made on the southwest flank of the fire. Approximately ¾ mile of fireline explosives (FLE) lines are being used to prevent fire spread to the west above Whale Creek Road in rugged terrain.
Air Support used approx. 115,000 gallons of water and/or retardant in suppression efforts yesterday.
Today, crews will construct line from Trail Creek Road to Antily Creek on the NW flank of the fire. In other divisions crews will continue to hold existing lines and construct new ones.
Fireline rehabilitation of portions of the fire area are underway, and a Burned Area Evaluation Recovery team has been ordered to begin assessing longer term rehabilitation needs.
Salvage opportunities are being evaluated for the national forest portions of the Wedge Canyon Fire.
Suppression efforts in Glacier N.P. are currently limited due to lack of adequate resources. As resources become available, implementation of the suppression plan will be initiated.

Community meetings at 10:00 A.M. and 8:30 P.M. at Polebridge.

Wedge Canyon Fire will participate in the 7:00 P.M. Public Meeting at Columbia Falls Junior H.S.

Glacier National Park
P.O. Box 128
West Glacier, MT 59936
(406)888-7800
(406)888-7808 - FAX
(406)888-7806 - TDD

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Flathead National Forest
1935 3^rd Avenue, East
Kalispell, MT 59901
(406)758-5200
(406)758-5363 - FAX)
(406)758-5367 - TDD)

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