Monday, August 6, 2012

Ferris wildfire

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) High Desert District made progress on the lightning caused Ferris wildfire with the help of three Type I helicopters, two Type I heavy air tankers, four single engine air tankers, and a DC10 very large air tanker dropping retardant on the west and south flanks yesterday.

Approximately 8,797 acres of grass, sagebrush and timber have burned on BLM, state and private lands on and around the Ferris and Bear mountains, 30 miles northeast of Rawlins, Wyo. The fire is active within the interior with single and group tree torching; however, the north, east and south flanks continue to hold with no increase in acreage and containment is now at 63 percent.

Three hotshot crews, three initial attack hand crews and numerous county and federal engines are working to secure and extend existing containment lines and mop-up hot spots. However, extremely steep and rugged terrain on the west flank continues to hamper containment efforts.

The fire has crossed Carbon County Road 497 and motorists are advised to avoid using the road due to ongoing fire activity and obscured vision due to smoke. Motorists are also cautioned to avoid traveling on Carbon County roads 100 and 104.

Management of the fire will transition from a local Type III incident team to a Western Wyoming Type III incident team under the command of Justin Kaber at 8 p.m. tonight.

The wildfire was first reported at 11 a.m. on July 27.

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