Elk Complex Fire meeting set Monday night in Mountain Home as fire reaches Pine

Due to the Elk Complex Fire's proximity to the Pine Senior Center, the 6 p.m. meeting for residents of the Pine area has been changed to the Elk's Lodge in Mountian home at 6 p.m. The fire is literally at the doorstep of Pine.

The Elk Complex Fire just west of Anderson Ranch reservoir has become the No. 1 priority for national firefighters, with the Pony Complex Fire, which has burned into the Mayfield area, list as No. 2.

An additional 15 structural fire engines arrived in Pine last night to assist with structure protection efforts as the fire has burned over the ridge line just west of Pine. Firefighters were actively working Monday afternoon to protect structures in the Pine area from embers blowing from the fire into the community. There were unconfirmed reports that a portion of the fire had burned down to the area across the road from the Pine senior center, but it is not known how far from the road the fire is. A brush fire from embers falling on the senior center property was put out last night by by a team of Mountain Home firefighters, one of 12 regional fire departments that have poured into the area for structure protection. The fire departments that have responded are implementing structure and perimeter protection strategies trying to keep the fire from spreading east of the Pine-Featherville Road (FH61), and if possible, from the ridges just west of that road, although in the Pine area it has already crossed the ridge above town, with various degrees of advancement toward the road. Other than a few outbuildings, however, no major structures or cabins in the immediate area of Pine appear to have been lost as of Monday afternoon. Smoke in the area is described as very thick.

Fire crews have had difficulty getting into the Lester Creek and Fall Creek areas to assess damage, as large trees are down on the road throughout the area and helicopter resources are being used to fight the fire, not check on what has already burned. The area immediately around the Fall Creek Lodge seems to have been missed by the fire, but above that area, toward the Trinity recreation area and Trinity Ridge, it is currently assumed to be unlikely many structures have not been overrun by the fire.

Wildland fire crews are continuing direct and indirect line construction on the west flank of the fire moving up Smith Creek from Prairie toward Cold Springs. Their hope is to direct to last year's Trinity Ridge Fire burn area.

Landowners, permittees and ranchers are in the fire area attempting to locate and move livestock out of the fire area.

Combined, the two fires, whose bun areas are within a couple miles of each other have burned more than 200,000 acres in Elmore County. Last year's Trinity Ridge burned only 146,000 acres.

The following road closures were in place as of Monday afternoon:

Blacks Creek Road off I-84 at the Mayfield Road junction;

Indian Creek Road off I-84 at exit 71;

Anderson Ranch Dam south on the Dixie Creek Cut-off to Hwy 20;

Prairie Road/Cow Creek Road heading north from Hwy 20;

Due to extreme fire behavior, the following area evacuations have been issued by the Elmore County sheriff's office:

The community of Prairie and Mayfield (which includes Regina, Indian Creek and Baseline);

Anderson Dam Reservoir up Fall Creek Road to Ice Springs Campground then east to Lester Creek Guard Station;

Pine area from Johnson Bridge south to Highway 20 and the Pine/Featherville Road.

"The fire situation has become a serious issue again this year," according to a statement released by the Elmore County Sheriff's Department. "We are pleading that everyone please realize we do not decide to close roads without much discussion and planning. Road closures are for the safety of everyone. We ask that people please respect these closures."

Individuals that are not part of the emergency response team battling these range fires are asked to stay out of the area, the sheriff's department added.

"There are many firefighters and emergency personnel doing everything possible to protect and save property and lives," the department added. "This fire has already destroyed so much property and is very aggressive."