The Pioneer Fire has now burned 105,476 acres and is currently 58% contained.
The recent cooling trend over the Pioneer Fire area has allowed crews to complete difficult sections of line in the Black Bear, Rae and Dodge drainages along the South Fork Payette River and Highway 17. As fire line is built and completed, resources are being moved to help elsewhere on the perimeter, where they are needed.
The fire remains active in the Deadwood River, along Deadwood Ridge to the Northeast and Upper Clear Creek area. Potential spotting remains a concern in the steep drainages over the next few days and the fire is expected to grow as the weather turns warmer and drier with lower relative humidity and winds gusting to 18 miles per hours. Monday and Tuesday will see temperatures in the 80’s.
Because of the reduced threat, resources assigned in the Lowman area and east along Highway 21, have been moved to other locations. Other areas of the fire that are showing little or no fire activity are being monitored. In areas where suppression activities have been effective, firefighters continue to gather and remove equipment off the line so it can be refurbished for future use.
All current evacuation levels remain in place. A Level 2 evacuation designation is still in effect for the Summer Homes located in the Long Creek area along Forest Road 582 (Bear Valley). A Level 1 designation remains in effect for all properties in Pioneerville, as well as those in the Lowman area. Level 1 is also in place for homes located in the South Fork Road area, east of Grimes Creek and along the South Fork Payette River.
A Community Meeting is scheduled tonight in Lowman, August 27, 2016, 7:00 p.m. at Fire Station #80, on State Route 21.
DETAILS — The Pioneer Fire Area Closure can be found at fs.usda.gov/alerts/boise/alerts-notices and information at inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4866. Information is also available at facebook.com/Pioneer-Fire-682201165260518 or email questions to pioneerfire2016@gmail.com.
