UPDATED: 2nd DE Wildland Fire Crew Battling Copper Mountain Fire
Image courtesy DE State Forestry
UPDATED – 8-13-18 – Twenty wildland firefighters from Delaware are part of 137 personnel battling the Copper Mountain Fire, a 180-acre blaze located four miles east of Eastport, Idaho on the Canadian border. Michael A. Valenti of Dover, Delaware’s state forester and crew boss, reports that “firefighters are working in rough terrain and completing very long hikes to and from the fire each day.” The crew is staying in the relatively primitive conditions of a spike camp near the incident and eating MRE’s (Meals Ready-to-Eat). A “spike camp” is a remote camp near a fire line that lacks the logistical support of a larger fire camp, such as catered meals and hot showers.
Image courtesy Inciweb
The Copper Mountain Fire is a lightning-caused blaze burning in timber that started on August 2. The fire is only 20% contained as of August 13 and is being managed by a Type 3 incident management team led by Rod Weeks. Firefighters are continuing line construction on both flanks of the fire and attempting to hold existing line. Fire officials are also coordinating with the British Columbia Wildfire Service on suppression efforts.
UPDATED – 8/7/18 – According to their Facebook page, Delaware’s wildfire crew has reportedly been assigned to the Copper Mountain Fire in northern Idaho, located on the Canadian border.
Inciweb says of the Copper Mountain Fire: The Copper Mountain Fire is located on the US/Canadian border, 3-4 miles east of the Eastport border crossing, near Copper Lake, north of Copper Mountain. It was started by lightning 7/28/18. There are 10 smoke jumpers, a 20 person hot shot crew and three 20 person type 2 crews fighting the fire. It is on the US side of the border although some spotting has occurred on the Canadian side. The Canadians are helping with aviation. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6105/
Image courtesy DE Forest Service
Also, Delaware’s Type 6 engine is part of a strike team of five engines that was assigned on July 31st to the Ferguson Fire in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This fire is actively growing at 57,846 acres with 33% containment. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5927/
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Image courtesy DE Forest Service
Another 20-person crew of Delaware wildland firefighters are heading west for two weeks. This is an initial attack unit which will travel to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania today and then on the Missoula, Montana on Sunday. This is Delaware’s second crew to head west this year – the first crew was in the Colorado Rockies in early July.
