Ridge Creek Fire containment now 35%
The Ridge Creek Fire is 35% contained with ongoing efforts to secure the northeast perimeter and possible rain in the future.
Photo courtesy of the Southern Area Incident Management Gold Team
The Ridge Creek Fire was 35% contained Tuesday afternoon and the Spokane U.S. National Weather Service predicted downpours in the evening and issued a flood watch for the Panhandle.
With 466 personnel attacking the blaze and the possibility of wet weather, the containment number was expected to increase.
“Firefighters will work to construct, improve and mop up fire lines this morning and prepare for stormy weather this afternoon,” the fire incident management team said in a news release Tuesday morning.
The blaze grew to 4,370 acres by Tuesday, with 15 engines, 13 crews and 18 excavators, bulldozers or earth movers dispersed to the canyon to fight the fire.
The Ridge Creek Fire is on forest system land from the Ridge Creek drainage to South Chilco Mountain, 3.5 miles east of Hayden Lake. Per investigators, it was human-caused, and an investigation is continuing.
The evacuation status for the Bunco area was lifted Monday to Level 1, or "Get Ready," after firefighters conducted a burnout to protect Sage Creek Saddle at Hayden Lake Divide.
“We did a small burnout operation yesterday that was successful,” incident management team planning operations trainee Chris Wilson said in a briefing. “And we will continue to stage and monitor and patrol in this area with our resources as well as continue to have mop-up. We do have a structure group that will maintain a presence within the Bunco Road communities and continue with their operations in that area.”
Heat signatures for the fire were isolated to inside the fire line, as firefighters targeted hot spots around the perimeter with air support and hoses to control spread.
The containment line covers the southeastern side of the fire with work to be done on the northeast.
The southeastern edge of the fire was still being indirectly targeted with controlled burns and wood chipping or grading to strengthen containment.
Flood watch
The steep terrain on the northeastern edge of the fire is already difficult to traverse and potentially dangerous, and possible floods can add to the dangers there.
The rain should, however, help to dampen fuels and increase moisture in the air, giving fire crews more control of the blaze.