Firefighters from Colorado hauling hose and fittings for a hose lay on the dozer line connecting the road to Morrell Falls (Forest Road 4353) to Rice Ridge Road (FR 720) along the northern edge of the Seeley Creek Trails.
Firefighters digging line up Morrell Mountain.
A Sikorsky S-61 Heavy Helicopter uses a snorkel to fill its tank at the temporary retardant base near Placid Lake. This helicopter can carry 9,000-11,500 pounds depending on the fuel onboard.
A specialized harvester works along the road to Morrell Falls (FR 4353). Equipment and crews have been thinning along the roads to make them a better fuel break. They are removing ladder fuels and trees smaller than 18 inches in diameter. The Seeley Lake Ranger District hopes to sell the merchantable timber.
The corner has been cleared at the bottom of the hill just past the bridge over Morrell Creek on Cottonwood Lakes Road (FR 477). Public Information Officer Micah Bell said reducing fuels in areas that are sharp corners allows for better holding potential should the fire reach the line, in this case Cottonwood Lakes Road. Until then, the area can be used for equipment staging and a place to drop supplies.
A Boeing CH-47 Chinook dips out of the retardant tank at the temporary retardant base near Placid Lake. It can lift 24,000 pounds. Retardant is more effective at suppressing fire because it lasts longer on the ground giving firefighters more time to work.
A firefighter with the Tanana Chiefs handcrew limbs a tree on the south edge of the Rice Ridge Fire Aug. 2. Limbing trees reduces the fire's ability to climb into the surrounding tree crowns thus limiting its potential to throw embers across the line creating spot fires.
SEELEY LAKE - As of Aug. 15, the Rice Ridge Fire continues to burn 1.4 miles northeast of Seeley Lake. It has grown 3,331 acres and remains 10 percent contained. Nearly 100 firefighters have been added to the efforts in the past week.
While the Rice Ridge Fire is still the number one priority in the Northern Rockies, the Northwest Area has taken the number one spot on the national priority list. No evacuation orders have been issued.
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