Homeowners near Moose Fire evacuate as blaze continues to grow
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SALMON – The Moose Fire near Salmon continues to grow and an evacuation order is in effect for some homeowners in the area.
The blaze burning inside Salmon-Challis National Forest about five miles southwest of North Fork is now up to 28,839 acres, an increase of 5,219 acres in the last 24 hours, according to a news release Saturday morning.
Hot, dry, windy conditions increased fire activity along the top of Napoleon Ridge Friday. Firefighters spent the day putting out hot spots along U.S. Highway 93 as the flames continued to spread west.
As of Friday night, the blaze has extended “as far as Kayak Camp and reached the west bank of the Salmon River in the North Fork area.”
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“Firefighters will continue holding and improving line around the north end of the fire. Structure protection will continue along Salmon River Road and Highway 93. On the southeast side of the fire, crews and heavy equipment will work on building an indirect line along Diamond Creek Road from the Highway 93 corridor up into Five Corners,” the news release says.
Though winds are expected to die down Saturday, hot and dry conditions will continue for the next several days and that continues to pose a challenge to firefighters working to contain the blaze.
The Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office is asking homeowners on the west side of Highway 93 from Tower Creek to North Fork to evacuate. A pilot car will continue escorting traffic along the Salmon River Road between Highway 93 at North Fork and the Boy Scout Camp.
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“Expect reduced visibility on US-93 from North Fork to Carmen between midnight and noon. The North Fork River Road has restricted access,” officials say in the news release.
The map below shows what roads are open and closed in the area.
A virtual community meeting will provide additional information about the fire. It will be live streamed at 5 p.m. on the Salmon-Challis National Forest Facebook page.
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