Parker Ridge Fire again doubles in size; details on the fire and firefighting efforts

August 10, 2015

Boundary County's Parker Ridge Fire continues to grow. Reported at 263 acres just three days ago, the fire has now more than doubled in acreage to 591 acres (as of yesterday, August 9). Containment remains at 0%, due in large part to the dangerous nature of the terrain where the fire is located. The area contains many standing dead trees. Winds in the area and the fire itself make these unstable trees an extreme risk to fall with the potential of injuring on-the-ground firefighters. "Because of the threat of treacherous safety concerns, the team is managing the incident by utilizing air resources to scout the fire thoroughly," fire officials said. "However, some ground reconnaissance is occurring as the team looks for the safest approaches and possible areas of operations to engage the fire." Officials report that the fire, which was ignited by a lightning strike on July 29, remains northeast of Parker Creek (located at coordinates 48.907 latitude, -116.534 longitude), and has not progressed toward nearby private land which lies in a more northeasterly direction. A new command team will assume control of the fire today from the Arizona team that has been working at the site. The new team, a Northern Idaho Type 3 team, is commanded by Rodney J. Weeks, who is the engine captain on the Coeur d'Alene District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forest. The Arizona team, stationed on the fire for the past two weeks, will travel back to their home base for a short break, then will receive another duty assignment elsewhere during this busy fire season in the western United States. “I’d like to thank Nathan Barretts’ Arizona team for laying the foundation for the successful management of this fire into the future,” said Bonners Ferry District Ranger Kevin Knauth, of the U.S. Forest Service. (Story continues below this photo) Rodney Weeks' team, one of two North Idaho Incident Management Teams, will take over on the Parker Ridge Fire at 6:00 p.m. today, August 10. Mr. Weeks' team is the same Type 3 team that managed the Boundary County Baker's Camp Fire in mid-July. To ensure continuity of operations, the incoming firefighters arrived a day early to be briefed on the details of the Parker Ridge Fire, and to ‘shadow’ the outgoing team until they are fully up to speed before assuming command of the fire. At the Parker Ridge Fire, Mr. Weeks' team will be managing 58 firefighters, including the Helena Hotshots and numerous air and ground resources. Looking ahead at weather factors, there is some concern about weather in the coming days. Fire officials report there is a fire weather watch for increasing chances of thunderstorms this week, and increasingly hot and unstable conditions through mid-week. A cold front is anticipated to pass Thursday night into Friday with strong winds. As a reminder, two forest trails are currently closed due to this fire. These are the Parker Ridge Trail #221, and the Fisher Peak Trail #14, along with dispersed campsites along these routes. Use of these trails is prohibited as firefighters continue to be concerned for public health and safety. "Those considering outdoor recreation must be aware of unpredictable conditions," fire officials said. For the most current information on trails and traveling in the area, one may call the Parker Ridge Fire information phone number: 208-267-6773. (See additional photos / maps below this photo).