Soldiers arrive at fire lines
PRIEST RIVER — More than 200 U.S. Army soldiers arrived at the scene of the Tower Fire on Monday, according to Bonner and Pend Oreille county sheriff’s officials.
The wildfire was currently estimated at 10,238 acres with an estimated 5-percent containment, a joint news release said. The fire grew by approximately 800 acres over the weekend, but remains within proposed containment lines.
A total of 558 personnel are working the fire, a sum which includes 265 soldiers from Joint Boise Lewis-McChord in Washington state.
Conditions remained very dry on Monday and a red flag warning has been issued due to above-normal daytime temperatures, critically low humidity and unstable conditions in the heat of the day.
Increasingly smoky conditions Sunday were due to an inversion layer of cool air aloft trapping warm, smoky air below.
Firefighters reinforced existing suppression lines on Monday and extended the bulldozer line north, between the fire and developed areas to the east of Priest Lake.
“The contingency line is expected to be completed within the next 72 hours,” the news release said.
Structure protection teams continue to work and are assisting homeowners with creating defensible spaces in the Best Chance Road, Big Meadows and Bear Paw areas, in addition to tribal lands.
Incident commander Tom Kurth said the Incident Management Team is sensitive to the local issues regarding the “recreational, economic concerns and keeping life as normal as possible.”
The team’s strategic objectives include minimizing damage to primary residences, campgrounds, historic structures, private and state timberlands and the ancient cedar grove. Minimizing damage to threatened and endangered species habitat and the historic Bear Paw Trail are also strategic objectives.
State and federal campgrounds at Priest Lake remain open, as does Highway 57. However, state and federal campgrounds on Brown’s Lake and at North and South Skookum remain closed.
The evacuation levels were unchanged on Monday.
A Level 2 evacuation alert is in place for Big Meadow and Squaw Valley. That means those residents should be ready to evacuate on very short notice.
A Level 1 alert is in place for Bear Paw area and the Highway 57 corridor between Priest River and Priest Lake. The alert was issued because firefighters are concerned that the highway is the only logical escape route for the Priest Lake community.
Those in the Level 1 area should be ready to vacate and to closely monitor emergency services. Those with special needs, pets, livestock or who need transportation assistance should take early precautionary movement to relocate.
Additional information can be obtained from:
• Tower Fire information line: (800) 499-6230
• InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov
• Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office: pendoreilleco.org
• Bonner County Sheriff’s Office: bonnerso.org