Foss Lake Fire Update: NO CLOSURES IN THE Boundary Waters. Fire 95 Percent Contained.

Foss Lake Fire Update
Friday, May 27, 2016, 9:00 a.m.MNICS Team C, Brian Pisarek, Incident Commander

This will be the final update produced by MNICS Team C. 
For information about the fire situation, visit Inciweb (http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4740/#) or call/visit the US Forest Service Ely office, open from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm every day (218-365-7600, 1393 Highway 169).

FIRE INFORMATION 

E-mail: FossLakeFireInfo@gmail.com

Phone: 218-365-2216 

Size: 936 acres

Containment: 95 percent 

Resources: 4 crews, 2 CCMI camp crews, 1 light helicopter, 

163 total personnel 

Fire Start Date: May 19, 2016

CURRENT SITUATION: The incident management team MNICS Team C, under the command of Brian Pisarek, would like to thank cooperators and community members for their support throughout the fire-suppression efforts. Today at 4:00 p.m. the team will transfer command of the Foss Lake Fire to a local Type 3 organization. 

Firefighters finished removing fire-suppression gear from the fireline yesterday with assistance from the Bell helicopter. Yesterday’s infrared flight mapped a few pockets of heat scattered around the fire. Heat detected by the thermal imaging device does not necessarily represent open flame or active burning. Hotshot crews, armed with GPS coordinates, went to all hot spots that were close enough to the perimeter to warrant investigation and extinguished them thoroughly. Heat detected well interior will be monitored but not put out. 

Today, the southern portion of the fire will not be staffed. This morning, two hotshot crews that have been camping in the wilderness will paddle out and return to the incident command post. The Logan Hotshots will be demobilized and the Wyoming Hotshots will remain assigned to the fire and work for the incoming Type 3 team. The fire will be patrolled by firefighters on the ground and by air.

WEATHER: Ely received 0.11 inches of rain overnight; however, the fire area received no precipitation. Temperatures today (mid-70 degrees) will again be moderated by clouds, and humidity today and through the weekend will remain above 40 percent due to a steady stream of atmospheric moisture from the south. The chance of rain is greatest overnight tonight.

FUTURE FIRE BEHAVIOR: Current weather conditions are conducive to minimal fire behavior. The fire is secure due to the 100-foot mopped-up buffer between the fire’s perimeter and interior. Without significant wetting rain over the fire area, pockets of existing heat could create small amounts of smoke that would be visible to people near the fire. The presence of smoke does not mean that the fire has escaped the containment line or that the fire is actively burning. The continued presence of firefighters does not indicate active fire behavior. They remain in the fire area for patrols, fire-line rehabilitation, and initial-attack response to new fire starts.

CLOSURES: There are no closures in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). Crab Lake entry point #4 is open. BWCAW visitors travelling on the Crab-Clark portage should be attentive to fire-weakened trees. Do not be concerned if you see smoke. The fire is being patrolled and monitored.