Crews make way into Trestle 6 Fire

Editor's note: This story has been updated.

HOPE — Crews have begun making their way into Trestle Creek Complex Fire 6, fire officials said in their daily update on the Hope area fire.

Trestle 2, 3, and 5 are 100 percent contained, with crews previously assigned to those fires transferred to Trestle 1, which is now 95% contained. The Trestle 6 fire, which is expected to continue to back down into Lightning Creek and Falls Creek, is 0%. Overall, the fires have burned 286 acres, the vast majority associated with the Trestle 6 fire.

About 31 percent of the perimeter of the fires in the complex have been contained, Dorothy Harvey, public information officer for Battle Mountain District for the Bureau of Land Management in Nevada.

Officials estimate all of the fires should be contained by mid-August.

Harvey said crews are making their way into Trestle Fire 6. A masticator — large machinery similar to a wood chipper that reduces the size of forest vegetation and downed material — is being brought in to create a fuels break along the Lightning Creek Road.

"Mastication is a fuel reduction treatment method typically used in forest management to reduce the risk of wildfire," Harvey said. "In this case, it will be used to reduce the fuel source along the road to slow the ability of the fire from crossing the road and creek."

As a precautionary measure, a specialized fire crew was brought in and is currently wrapping both the Moose Creek warming hut and the Lunch Peak observation tower with an aluminized structure wrap.

"The wrap will help protect the structures from flying cinders and radiant heat if the fire reaches their location," she said.

Fire officials reminded area residents to drive with care in the Trestle Creek, Hope and Clark Fork area, especially when encountering firefighting personnel, vehicles, or equipment. They also reminded the public that Trestle Creek and Lightning Creek roads remain closed, and asked the public to stay out of fire areas until after all the fires are out and crews have left the area.

The fires have been burning since a July 7 lightning storm, which caused 32 fires on Idaho Panhandle National Forests land. A total of 10 lightning strikes were recorded in the vicinity of Trestle Creek, causing seven fires that are visible from Sandpoint, Hope and Lake Pend Oreille.

Two of the fires merged, leaving six fires, named Trestle 1 through 6. On July 8, Trestle 1 and Trestle 4 burned together leaving five fires contained in the Trestle Creek Complex.

There are seven hand crews assigned to the fire with a total number of 105 personnel. In total, fires in the complex have burned just over 286 acres. Crews estimate contained of all fires in the complex by Aug. 15.