Community meeting planned as Powerline Fire grows
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The following is a news release from the Interagency Incident Management Team.
POCATELLO — An infrared flight mapped the fire last night estimating the size at 51,050 acres with 25% contained. An infrared flight detects the heat on the ground and maps intense and scattered heat. This assists fire resources in establishing their tactics for fire suppression.
The dozer line on the west side of the fire west of the Arbon Valley Highway is holding well. Crews will continue to secure the line and mop up hot spots.
The dozer line built yesterday on the north portion of the fire from Arbon Valley Highway east to Michaud Creek Road was successful and crews will continue to secure unburned fuel between the dozer line and the perimeter and mop up hot spots.
Fire has moved onto the National Forest on the east perimeter and is holding up in the pinyon and juniper trees at this time. The fuel moisture is much higher in this portion of the fire. Crews are scouting the area today for existing trails and roads to use to secure the fire on this edge.
The southern edge between Arbon Valley Highway and Mink Creek Road is the most active portion of the fire as it threatened the community of Pauline yesterday. Crews are actively working to secure unburned fuel within the perimeter of the fire and mop up heat close to the structures in the community.
Fire managers are working with the Power Companies to replace downed and damaged power poles and restore power to the affected communities.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Idaho Department of Lands (IDL), Idaho Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the Caribou-Targhee National Forest have delegated management of the fire to a specialized team trained in managing large, complex wildfires. Great Basin Team 6 is made up of experts from various fields including Fire Behavior, Meteorology, Fire Operations and others. The team took command of the incident as of 6 a.m. today.
Evacuated residents from the northern perimeter of the fire down to approximately Rattlesnake Road will be allowed back into their homes this afternoon.
Evacuated residents from the community of Pauline can contact Power County Emergency Management at 208-226-2839 for shelter information.
A community meeting will be held at the Arbon Elementary School, 4405 Arbon Valley Highway, at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, August 8th.